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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Engineering: Friend or Foe?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students brainstorm and discuss ways genes can be altered, transferred and cloned. They will complete a subject sampler, opinion paper and prepare to debate their opinion on genetic engineering.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art On Trial (A Mock-Court Activity)

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students engage in a mock trial to decide if a work of prospective public art is "art" and accepted for a city park. They broaden their definitions of what "art" is. Students distinguish between opinion and informed judgment of art works.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dr. Heidegger's Experiment

For Teachers 11th
Examine the idea of perpetual youth and immortality while you read Nathaniel Hawthorne's Dr. Heidegger's Experiment. Some links work to direct your learners to information about the Fountain of Youth. Using this information, scholars...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students read a book that is recommended on the Internet, then write their appreciation of what they have read. They send their opinion about others' written appreciation through the e-mail.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hodgson v. Minnesota

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the role of and develop opinions of the court in weighing competing interests in making decisions. They examine the power of the courts and legislature to regulate constitutional rights.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rights of the Accused: To Be Confronted with the Witnesses Against Him

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students take on the role of Supreme Court Justices, after reading summary of a case and the arguments for and against a defendant's appeal. They make a decision, write majority and minority opinions, and report their decision.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regulating Freedom of Speech

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils examine the nature and limits of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech. They read and analyze the First Amendment, discuss various case studies, and research and record their own opinion on discussion questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tackling a Statement: Rights of the Child

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholarsare introduced to the idea that people have rights. They voice opinions about whether children should have special rights and be treated differently then adults. The main purpose of the activity is to get students thinking...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Student Travel in the Shadow of War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners research and discuss pros and cons of study abroad during times of war, and document decisions and positions of local school administrators on topic. Students then write editorials voicing their opinions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FBI Counts Mosques

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars gather as much background as possible about this controversial FBI directive and what Muslim and civil liberties groups believe about it. They perform interviews with Muslim students to gather opinions and then form a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Is Legal With Music On The Web?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research what is legal now as far as downloading music from the Internet. They also gather information now that some citizens have been charged with crimes. The research allows students to form informed opinions that are educated.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Concealed Weapons Law Editorials: A Study of Persuasive Writing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research Ohio's concealed gun legislation using provided resource links, read editorials and commentaries from Ohio's daily and weekly newspapers, and analyze these opinion pieces.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Voter Fraud: Are Ghosts Going To The Polls

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research background material about voting in their community. They interview local/county election officials to see what is going on in the community. They also interview teachers, and students to determine if they are newly...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Friday Forum

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Middle schoolers research a variety of controversial articles to gain knowledge. They form an opinion and defend their position with supporting data. They evaluate opposing arguments and present their viewpoint both verbally and in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inform Your Vote

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine and participate in the election process, analyze current event topics and offer their opinions. They then share their viewpoints on civic issues. They are encouraged to do additional research on the election's hot issues.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Tet Offensive and the Vietnam War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discover how the United States became involved in the Vietnam War, the importance of the Tet Offensive in turning American public opinion against the war, and how the Vietnam War is still a part of American life and culture.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Please No Posers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
How do you reference information correctly? Avoid plagiarism by accurately summarizing a New York Times article with your middle or high schoolers. Young researchers then insert properly attributed quotations and paraphrases into their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing the Hamburger Model or Persuasive Writing

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A one-page template provides primary writers with a graphic organizer to assist them in drafting a persuasive paragraph. Labeled the “Hamburger Model” because of its appearance, the worksheet asks pupils to craft an introduction, provide...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Is Cheerleading a Sport?

For Students 7th - 10th
Looking for a rainy day activity? An article from the New York Times provides a nice topic for discussion. There will be many opinions and lively discussion as to how the class feels about cheerleading being a sport, or not. Ask them to...
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Activity
Curated OER

School Advisory Panel

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How would you choose three students from your class to be on a school panel that would represent a fair and representative view of opinions?  This brief activity offers four different sampling methods to choose from and asks for...
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Writing
Terminix

Bee Writing Prompt

For Students 4th - 6th Standards
What do your pupils know about bees? Ask them to examine facts and images about three different types of bees and write about one type. Pupils explain why their chosen bee is interesting and back up their ideas with facts and opinions....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science Activity for Grades 4 - 8

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use the scientific method and see the relationship between explanation and evidence as they investigate the effects of violence on young viewers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Convince Me!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers analyze advertisements meant to persuade a reader to purchase a certain product or service to find out what stands out about the ad or what it is about the ad that persuade readers. They complete an analysis chart, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stand Up and Sing

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students locate historical references in songs. They create music/lyrics to illustrate an historical topic.

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