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What's in a Picture Book?
Students analyze Appalachian folktale picture books. They read and analyze various Appalachian picture books, answer discussion questions, and in small groups complete a handout, and write an essay analyzing the text and illustrations of...
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Women in the Media
Students discuss ways they think women and men are portrayed in the mass media. They watch an excerpt from SISTERS OF '77 discussing media coverage of the event. Students write an essay describing their reactions to women in the media.
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Meaning of Philanthropy
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students discover what philanthropy is and identify people who benefit from philanthropy. Students read selected newspaper articles regarding philanthropy and...
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Racial Profiling
Students explore racial profiling. In this Teaching Tolerance lesson, students discover what racial profiling is and then teach their classmates what it is as they write a news report or opinion essay. Students may also create a video or...
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Champions Of The Land
Students write an abstract of a book concerning conservation. In this environmental activism lesson, students explore books such as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Students choose a book about conservation from a suggested book list and...
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Counting Calories
Students evaluate the health of breakfast foods. They create and solve word problems using cereal nutrition data. They solve additional problems formulated in class and write short essay on what they learned.
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A Look at U.S. and Canadian Approaches to Individual Liberties
Students compare and contrast Canadian and U.S. policies regarding social issues. In this sociology instructional activity, students research social and governance policies in the countries and write personal essays using their findings.
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Pumpkin Writing Paper
In this writing worksheet, students use the blank lined paper with a colorful pumpkin border for any kind of writing: reports, poetry, stories or letters.
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Like It Or Not?
Write a review of the film adaptation of Holes. After viewing the film, your young reviewers make recommendations about viewing the film. Using details to support their opinions, they highlight the important parts of the movie without...
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Why A Bill of Rights?
Examine conflicting viewpoints in this lesson, in which middle schoolers write their own proposal for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. As a class, they discover how the Bill of Rights was not a planned document to be...
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New York State Testing Program: English Language Arts Book 2
Practice listening and writing skills with this resource. This is a test created by the New York State Testing Program. Learners listen to a passage called "Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa" twice and write responses to the selection. They...
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Columbus: Hero or Villain?
Students explore Christopher Columbus's motives. In this character education lesson plan, students research Internet and print sources regarding the life and actions of Christopher Columbus in order to write essays that his actions as...
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Thoughts to the President
Students write a persuassive paragraph to the President stating their opinion on a topic. To do this, they start the message with a topic sentence such as "War is _____." The blank should contain a word or phrase expressing the student's...
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Students Speak Out: A Discussion Activity
Students read a collection of student essays addressing racism and racial disparities and discuss them. In this racism lesson plan, students discuss the essays and talk about their impact.
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Martin Luther King
In this Martin Luther King worksheet, students write about Martin Luther King. Writing may include a biography, reflection, opinion essay, etc.
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Food Safety From Food To Fork
Students are introduced to the concept of food safety. In groups, they distinguish between fact and opinion and cause and effect while participating in a board game. They write an essay about what knowledge they gained and review the...
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Empathy and the Vietnam War
Students explore the implications of the draft during the Vietnam War. In this Vietnam lesson, students analyze the lyrics of songs that explore differents opinions of the Vietnam draft. Students particpate in a role-play activity that...
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The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions based on The Sound and the Fury. Students may also access an online quiz on the selection using the link at the bottom of...
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Shizuko’s Daughter: Discussion Web
Is Yuki a selfish character? Analyze her motivation and behavior during a unit on Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori. Readers fill out two sides of a graphic organizer with reasons why or why not she is selfish, and then come up with a...
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Separating Fact from Opinion
Students read, "A Misspent youth: The HIV/AIDS Crisis Comes of Age", and discuss the article or write their answers to the questions imbedded in the lesson. They write their own essay.
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The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
For this literature worksheet, students respond to 25 short answer and essay questions about The Return of the Native. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
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A New Red Menace?
Students research and analyze the current political situation of North Korea. They read and discuss an article, conduct research, participate in a simulation of an international round table, and write a response essay.
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Thesis Structure
Use this instructional activity to reinforce the importance of a strong thesis statement. After viewing samples, middle schoolers identify the three parts to a thesis. Additionally, they create their own thesis including and labeling the...
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Finding the dress code balance
Students write a persuasive essay, expressing their opinions of how the school dress code should be changed. Students investigate their own school's dress code, developing their own opinions of whether the dress code should be more or...