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Word Up!
Study the importance of word choice in informational text. Middle and high schoolers locate unfamiliar words and phrases in newspaper articles of their choosing, and use online word sites to explore the definitions and histories of each....
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A Duck's Bill on Capitol Hill?
Use a list of environmentally related words to engage learners in a discussion about ecosystem conservation legislation. As a class, read "Aware of Political Ecosystem, Property Rights Advocate Embraces Conservation Plan." Then, present...
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In God We Trust; All Others Pay Cash
Learners review their knowledge on the First Amendment. After reading an article, they identify specific church and state issues. Using the Internet, they research President Bush's proposal from a specific point of view. They summarize...
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Heeding Advice
Compare and contrast various foreign perspectives on the George W. Bush administration's plans for military action. Middle schoolers read the article "Blair and Chirac Head to U.S. to Talks and a Show of Unity." Then, they analyze...
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Imus Struggling to Retain Sway as a Franchise
Pupils will perform research and reflect upon a newspaper article. The lesson will help them to refine reading and cognitive skills of forming a personal opinion. The learners will ultimately learn and grow into a greater understanding...
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Swift Response
Young scholars examine how matters of national security affect the press' ability to practice free speech. They read and discuss an article regarding the Swift program, discuss opinions about patriotism and the press, and write a letter...
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It's My Party
Students compare/contrast the Republican and Democratic platforms using Venn diagrams, then read and discuss, "The Conventions Are Over. The Party's Just Starting." students then participate in a mock press conference and write editorial...
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Cirque Ignites 'Spark'
Students respond to a news article on creativity. In this reading strategy lesson, students use the SQ3R approach to evaluate what they have read. The news article is about Cirque de Soleil and creativity in everyday life.
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Lincoln Theme--Gettysburg
Fifth graders explore the significance of the Gettysburg Address. In this United States history lesson, 5th graders listen to a Gettysburg Address recording and look at photos of the battlefield. Students discuss their observations and...
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Interrogation Tactics in the News
High schoolers investigate interrogation tactics at use in the world. In this global issues activity, students watch "Torturing Democracy," and discuss the implications of interrogation techniques used by the United States following...
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Whose Business Is It?
Students read articles in The Times Business Day section and share their opinions on the articles. They search through the Business Day section of The Times to find items to complete a scavenger hunt. They summarize a teacher selected...
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Who's in the News?
Students read about Ethan Allen and his fight for Vermont's independence. They discuss the reasons why Ethan Allen was important to the state of Vermont. They review why New Hampshire and New York wanted to claim Vermont for themselves.
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Press-ing Freedom
Students consider how free speech applies to journalistic practices in light of a legal case involving two reporters. They participate in a fishbowl discussion about journalism codes of ethics and write response papers.
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All the News That's Fit to Blog
Students critique three Web logs, each of which offers first-hand accounts, but reflect different points-of-view, on the war in Iraq; students write a response to one of the entries and analyze what they learned about the war from the...
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Encapsulating Moments in Time
Students look back at this year in history and evaluate important events, discoveries and people from 1998. They, in groups, create 1998: Year in Review. While 1998 has come and gone, the idea and intent for this lesson plan can be used...
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One Stage at a Time
Students explore the psychological coping mechanisms of cancer patients and relate individual cancer survivors' stories to Dr. Kubler-Ross' stages of grief. They use first-person accounts, discussion and journals to explore these concepts.
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Parkour Meets Trampolining
The Learning Network has created 7 questions on the posted video "Parkour Meets Trampolining". This is a really cool video and will stimulate much discussion among your class. There is a lot of room to create new questions to help pupils...
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Out of the Fire
Students share ideas about a lead for a breaking news story regarding the California wildfires. They brainstorm angles for a series of news items and write analysis papers that address the tone and content of a piece published in The New...
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In My Honest Opinion
Young scholars explore the function of letters to the editor for both a newspaper and its readers. They select a current event about which he or she feels strongly, reads a related New York Times article and responds to it in a letter to...
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Budget Busters
Use this economic activity to focus on writing summaries of informational text. First, middle schoolers define common economic terms used to describe news about the economy. They closely read news about the federal budget deficit and...
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Robbing the 'Hood?
Students investigate historical figures and how they play a role in tourism by reading and discussing the article "When Robin Hood Supped, Was it Yorkshire Pudding?" In groups, students investigate issues related in the article in...
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School, Unplugged
What would school be like if you couldn't teach lessons that require technology? Would it benefit the class? Would it hold them back? Have your learners read this article and answer the basic reading comprehension questions. Then have...
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March 2, 1877: Hayes Declared Winner in Disputed Presidential Election
After reading an interesting article comparing the disputed presidential election of 1877 to a similar event in the year 2000, kids blog a response. They read the article, check out the embedded links, then respond to four related...
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Picking Up the Pieces and Putting them Back Together
Students examine how a breaking news story is constructed, first by predicting what facts and details must appear in what order, and then by assembling the story from cut-up pieces. They practice writing their own 'breaking news' lead...