Lesson Overview: In the next two lessons, students work on understanding non-fiction texts.  Book design is non-standard.  That means that our students must navigate various forms, layouts, and designs to find and use information.  In these lessons, students learn the elements or components of non-fiction texts in the hopes that… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, student complete work on understanding non-fiction texts. Last week students worked on textual elements of non-fiction books.  Today they will work on non-textual elements in non-fiction books.  If they know how information books are “built,” they will be more likely to work confidently and use… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students gather five facts from a nonfiction text.  Then, they use one or more of those facts to write an original story in comic book format.  It’s a sure winner because kids love to make comics!  The lovely Corinna Mansfield, currently at Renaissance College in… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students compare print and digital information sources.  Most of the students are familiar with both print books and digital devices, but the comparison is a good exercise.  It asks them to think critically and objectively about what each kind of source can do for them,… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students are confronted with evidence of vast inequalities between black and white people in the United States during the time leading up to the Civil Rights Era, which began in the 1960s.  Using period photographs, Toni Morrison pens words that might have been in the… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students explore the concept of equal access to information.  The key concept is causation: Why do some people have access to more and better information than others?  What difference does access to information have in the lives of people today?  If you have access to… Read more

Lesson Overview: Using David J. Smith’s acclaimed If The World Were a Village, students will extract statistics and then use them to create graphs and charts.  The graphs and charts will help the students better understand inequalities in our world in terms of access to food, clean air, clean water,… Read more

Lesson Overview: Using the brilliant work of Anna Rosling Rönnlund at Gapminder, take your students on a virtual field trip.  Let them visit homes around the world arranged on an income scale.  From left to right, homes on Dollar Street go from poor to rich.  The students will be able… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students are encouraged to think about what they can do, say, and express to create a peaceful school and a more peaceful world. Building on the wonderful piece by Susan Salidor, children will learn a song that helps them structure their thinking about peace. Lesson… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will broaden their thinking about peace by reading and discussing Todd Parr’s phenomenal The Peace Book.  Students will also continue their thinking about what peace is and what peace looks like in action.  Suggested Grades: 2-4 Objective: Each student will be able to articulate… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will preview their photos and finalize their short scripts for the peace video. Lesson Plan: Suggested Grades: 2-4 Objective: Students will finalize their short (usually one sentence) scripts for the peace video. Suggested Time: 35-45 minutes Success Criteria: Each student will check to ensure… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will be able to view and reflect upon their class peace video.  They will also learn how to say “peace” in multiple languages.  They will create a Peace Word Wall display and will be able to view and reflect upon their class peace video.… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will use their ideas about peace from the unit to build a “peace chain.”  As incredible as it sounds, I have found that many students do not know how to do something as simple as make a paper chain.  This lesson gives them the… Read more

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will discover the history behind the world’s most prestigious peace prize. Lesson Plan: Suggested Grades: 2-5 Objective: To help students understand the life of Alfred Nobel and his motivation to establish international prizes rewarding human achievement, especially peace. Suggested Time: 40-50 minutes Success Criteria:… Read more