This thematic unit is all about what a classic novel about race relations in the 1930s American South, "To Kill a Mockingbird," and a frequently banned contemporary teen story about a candy sale, "The Chocolate War," have in common. The unit considers what people have in common, what it means to stand apart, and what…

This lesson introduces students to the "blues," one of the most distinctive and influential elements of African-American musical tradition. With this lesson plan, students can take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee, one of the prominent centers of blues activities, and explore the history of the blues in the work of W. C. Handy…

The achievements and fictional exploits of Davy (or David) Crockett have entered the American imagination--it is difficult to distinguish what he did and said from what has been attributed to him. And it is also difficult to discuss the influence of the frontier on the American temperament without reference to David Crockett. This lesson plan…

This document features 10 science activity packets developed for elementary students by science teachers in a graduate seminar. The activity packets were designed to cover existing commercial children's books on specific content areas. The 10 activity packets are: (1) "Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain," which explains the water cycle;…

Aligned with its 1998 standards for first- and second-language learning, Alberta Learning has published lesson plans that aim for a closer relationship between learning and evaluation. Each volume in this series presents a specific task for students that involves planning, carrying out, and evaluating their work. The task for eleventh grade…

This study compared the use of two developmental alternatives: a Web Editor (WE) in combination with a customized template/shell (Teaching Not Teaching, T-N-T) and a WE only, for development of a Web-based lesson by pre-service teachers. Six hypotheses were tested to find whether the WE and T-N-T alternative was more efficient, effective, and…

Teacher preparation programs have recognized their obligation to provide solutions for the dilemmas their teachers face once in the inclusive educational environment. The changing demands required by both general and special education teachers at the K-12 level are being addressed. One of these solutions is to provide access to technological…

This manual is intended for teachers who envision the value of teaching parenting/caring to elementary school children but have minimal time and little opportunity for training. The manual is the first of three units of the curriculum, "Education for Parenting." Each unit follows a baby of a particular age visiting the classroom, and is…

This lesson plan intends for students in Grade 3 to write to inform about oceans, using all their five senses in the "haiku" style of poetry. The lesson presents an overview; suggests length of time and grade level; cites subjects and subtopics; lists dimensions of learning and intelligence being addressed; notes equipment and materials…

A book called "The Shakespeare Stealer" (Gary Blackwood) is about a young boy during the time of Shakespeare who sneaks into the Globe Theater and meets the Bard. The book has been turned into a play. The five lessons in this curriculum unit revolve around "The Shakespeare Stealer." The lessons in the unit support many major…

This paper describes activities that school counselors can use in their work with adolescents. The suggested activities and resources are divided into three general groups according to purpose: Group 1, fun; Group 2, useful; and Group 3, professional. Group 1 presents ideas for counselors on engaging in enjoyable group sessions. Suggestions…

Ways in which teachers can use the guidelines set out in "Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century" (Standards) to design classroom instruction are discussed. The Standards document is explained, some misconceptions about it are examined, its relevance for the classroom teacher is explored, and examples are…

This lesson introduces the study of insects in science by using poetry. Students work in cooperative groups to prepare choral poetry readings and present factual information on an assigned insect to the class. The choral poetry readings also serve to increase fluency in English-as-a-second-language students. During four 30-minute sessions,…

Many high school students are on a quest to find out who they really are. Using the theme of "Searching for Identity" in both "A Fine White Dust" and "Great Expectations" will help students identify their feelings. Cynthia Rylant's "A Fine White Dust" has easier language than "Great Expectations,"…

This professional development packet consists of two sessions, each requiring 6 hours. Session one is designed to teach participants to do the following: identify at least three unique characteristics of workplace English as a Second Language (ESL); describe the steps involved in developing a workplace ESL program; identify the basic steps of…