US Institute of Peace
Characteristics of Peacebuilders
Can anyone become a peacebuilder? A lesson on character education challenges scholars to examine the characteristics of well-known peacebuilders. Pupils then look within themselves to discover their own strengths as they relate to...
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Skills You Need to Succeed
Students identify basic skills needed to succeed in the world of work, including communication skills, computation skills, problem solving skills, and interpersonal skills.
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Health Education: An Integrated Approach; Causes of Violence
Fourth graders brainstorm about situations that they think may lead to violence in order to learn how to predict when violence might occur. In this lesson on violence, 4th graders first participate in an activity to demonstrate how...
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Help Others
Students share the value of helping others through reading and art activities. In this Clifford and the Big Storm lesson plan, students read the story, discuss courage, and create a gallery of heroes.
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Going to the Zoo
Students choose a map and follow directions to get to the zoo. In this physical education and map skill lesson plan, students follow a color map to get to the zoo. Students walk, jump or use other movement skills to reach the zoo.
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Literacy & Art: The Story behind the Quilt
Students examine the many ways quilts were used to chronicle the history and experiences of African slaves and African-Americans in America. They analyze a story quilt using the elements of storytelling, then create a class quilt.
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Photographs of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
Fourth graders study the details of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake including the fires that lasted for three days. They participate in discussion describing what they feel the city looked like after the earthquake and fires. They...
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Faces of the Past: Boys in the Civil War
Learners investigate the role of boys during the American Civil War. In this Civil War Research lesson, students study the contributions of young Union and Confederate men to the war effort. Learners also make classroom presentations...
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The Magic School Bus Goes to Mussel Beach
Students investigate tides and create a model of an intertidal zone. In this hands-on marine science lesson plan based on a Magic School Bus book, the teacher leads students in a discussion about tides, then helps students model a tide...
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Journey to the Unknown
Students explore the ocean depths. In this scenario based lesson plan, students pretend they are on a submarine in an unknown part of the ocean. By using clues the class discusses and determines where they are in the ocean. They follow...
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Using Credit: Not for a Billion Gazillion Dollars
Fifth graders explore the concept of credit. In this consumer education lesson, the teacher uses the book Not for a Billion Gazillion Dollars to lead the class in a discussion about credit, debit, and income. Students then analyze their...
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Out of Your Comfort Zone
Students practice their interviewing skills. For this journalism skills lesson, students discover how to use open and closed questions when interviewing a subject. Students prepare for and experience a press conference with a school...
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Breaking News: Nissan to Make Future New York Taxis
Students explore current events by completing worksheet activities. In this transportation lesson plan, students read a news article discussing Nissan's new contract to create New York Taxis due to their improved fuel economy. Students...
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Bill of Rights Day
Fifth graders examine and identify the values and purposes of the Bill of Rights. They complete a class KWL chart, participate in a class jigsaw activity, write and illustrate a book about the first ten amendments, participate in a mock...
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Satyagrah: Social Change vs. Social Transformation
Students examine the difference between social change and social transformation. they learn through discussion in order to be able to research and analyze a systematic social injustice. Students identify their part in a wider social...
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Dinosaurs 1: Where are the Dinosaurs?
Students investigate world history by creating a diorama in class. In this dinosaur extinction lesson, students read assigned text discussing the time frame of the dinosaurs residence on Earth and their eventual demise. Students recreate...
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Breaking News English: Adidas Agrees to Buy Rival Reebok
In this ESL worksheet, students first read or listen to a text about the Adidas and Reebok companies. Students complete 8 pages of comprehension exercises. Included are vocabulary, questions, completing sentences, discussion, problem and...
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Healthy Eating Patterns
After preparing baked potato nachos, the class views a PowerPoint about healthy food choices and takes notes on an accompanying worksheet. Although the PowerPoint is educational, the majority of the time is used for preparing and...
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The Frog Experiment
Your science class reads a silly story in which a mad scientist makes absurd conclusions about an experiment that he conducted. One at a time, he cuts off a frog's leg and commands it to jump. With three, two, and one leg, the frog...
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School Lunches Get More Healthful
Pupils read a story called School Lunches Get More Healthful and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. For this current events school lunch lesson plan, student respond to literature by answering questions, recalling...
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Asking Questions
Students examine a painting that depicts a scene from the Underground Railroad. They discuss the painting and write journal entries and poems in response to the painting's themes and their impressions.
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Trey and Dave go to Africa: Music
Trey from Phish and Dave from the Dave Mathews Band took a trip to Africa to explore music, culture, and history. Your class watches this episode from VH1's Music Studio to understand how African culture and music have influenced modern...
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Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor
Need a musical lesson for your drama or performing arts class? VH1 has put together a really neat lesson, in which learners use biographical information about Alicia Keys to write and perform a one-act musical related to her life. This...
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Blogging to Create a Community of Writers #6: Writing a Review
Looking for a good social media lesson for your class? Then, this lesson is for you! They study various written reviews, then must choose an item to review of their choice. They can choose from: a book, restaurant, CD/musical...