Curated OER
Family Sues Over Discipline That Stinks
Students read a brief explanation of a situation in which a family is suing a school district because a teacher made a child spray himself with Lysol in front of the class, saying this would take care of his body odor. Students write a...
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Rosa Parks: Mother of Civil Rights Movement
Learners read an article from Time and react to the article based upon what they have studied about Rosa Parks. They find that even though Rosa is no longer alive, she still has an impact today. They focus on that impact she has and...
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Outsourcing City Hall
Pupils examine how some city halls around the country are using private companies to run them. After watching a video, they write a reaction paper to some part of it. They write an article for their school newspaper discussing whether...
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Hip-Hop: A Journalist's View
Young scholars watch a CNN television news special about hip-hop and write a review. Using the internet, they investigate the pros and cons of the music while interviewing students on their opinions. They examine the growth of this type...
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'Song of the South' a racist tune?
Students read the information about the movie "Song of the South" and watch some of the clips. They write their reaction to the proposal to re-release the movie. Students consider whether it would matter if the studio adds an...
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Identifying Author’s Purpose and Viewpoint in Nonfiction Text
Why do people write books? Pupils discover how to identify the author's viewpoint. They read non-fiction passages their instructor selects (the plan has the class look at nonfiction children's picture books), and then identify the...
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Picture America's Sweetheart
High schoolers examine Seventeen Magazine's America's Sweetheart contest and one of their finalists by reading about Sunia Arif and what made Seventeen choose her. Students then write a 300-word essay about what would make them or...
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Football game seating: Security or Restriction
Students read the Ohio High School Athletic Association Sportsmanship Resource Guide, paying particular attention to what it says for School Reporters. They then write a news article about the issue presented.
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Language Arts: Prince Harry - A Bullet Magnet?
Young scholars research Prince Harry's upcoming deployment to Iraq as a British soldier. They write reaction papers expressing their opinions about it. Students choose from two points of view - should he be deployed, or will his...
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Essay: The Importance of Physical Education
Originally designed for a physical education classroom, this lesson plan asks learners to argue for their school to keep their PE class during budget cuts. Whether your school is facing this challenge or not, it does pose a great...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Propaganda - 9/11 and the War on Terrorism
Propaganda is an important topic that most high school social studies teachers address. Here, students compare and contrast methods of public persuasion during WWII with those used in the contemporary War on Terror. Research, discussion,...
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Looting and its Punishment
Students research the concepts of looting and possible punishments. The outcomes of students research is important for this instructional activity. They write an article that publishes the results of new knowledge.
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Mass Manipulation
Students make a chart of the media's manipulation techniques and examples of them while watching and listening to a video tape of past news events.
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Theatre: Persuasive Explorers
Learners act like a famous explorer. In this explorer lesson, students research an explorer and act out persuasive arguments in which that explorer might be involved.
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A Thanksgiving Language Lesson!
Sixth graders, in groups, create restaurants, menus, and advertisements to attract Thanksgiving Day customers.
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Spring-Aloud Read
Students study the season of spring and create stories about the season. In this spring season lesson, students read books about spring and discuss the season. Students then color and create a mini-book about Spring.
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Creating Student Advertising
Students explore common advertising strategies used by the media. In this advertising lesson, students identify persuasive language in advertisements and construct their own persuasive ad.
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Deduction
Students investigate the linguistic devices used by writers to create meaning. For this writing lesson, students discover why writers write in different ways showing examples of different types of text. After reading each type students...
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Screening the Silver Screen
Pupils write New York Times Movie Guide Reviews using descriptive and persuasive language.
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Philanthropy in Literature
Students research philanthropy in three genres: a play, a fable, and a parable. Students read an Aesop fable and answer questions in groups. Students complete steps in two worksheets from 'The Good San Franciscan' and 'Someone Should.'...
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Persuasion
Students explore the characteristics of a persuasive letter. They label each characteristic and they create a persuasive letter using the correct business letter format. Students recommend a school rule or change of a rule and justify...
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Persuasion and Figurative Language
Students study and discuss definitions of metaphor, simile, and personification. In small groups, they read a section of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and identify those devices. The group presents their examples with the class.
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Reading the Movies: Another Approach To Teaching Critical Thinking Skills And Writing
Pupils explore the elements of film to analyze character, action, and the themes in the movie, "Quiz Show." The lesson encourages students to make personal connections and real life applications as they view the movie, critically.
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The Education of Shelby Knox Lesson Plan: The History of Teaching About Sex
Students examine the current debate over sex education. They examine a variety of sex education approaches and determine which one is use in thier school district.