This resource is a collection of discussion questions to supplement Sounds of the River by Da Chen, the story of a young Bejing teenager Da Chen who takes his first train ride away from the farm he was raised on to his new university life in Beijing. He soon faces a host of ghastly challenges, including poor living conditions, lack of food, and suicidal roommates.

In this lesson, students will learn how better to assess sources in order to determine credibility and relevancy.

In this lesson, students will be able to discuss how the space race impacted American culture using evidence from the primary sources and a video.

 In this lesson, students will practice analyzing rhetorical devices using various commercials. Students will also watch a TedTalk and analyze the use of rhetorical devices in the speech. 

In this lesson, students will continue to analyze Sherry Turkle’s op-ed, and write a clear thesis statement explaining how Turkle builds her argument in “The Flight from Conversation”

In this lesson, students will continue to analyze Sherry Turkle’s op-ed, and write a clear thesis statement explaining how Turkle builds her argument in “The Flight from Conversation”

 In this lesson, students will create a presentation arguing whether the use of robots and other hands-on technology is a helpful tool to use in the classroom.

Students identify stresses that threaten the health of ocean ecosystems, explain natural and human-caused processes that contribute to these stresses, and discuss actions that may be taken to reduce these stresses.

In this lesson, students research recent US Supreme Court cases and analyze their impact on rights of citizens.

In this lesson, students will begin conducting individual research and use both the Research Frame and prior lesson learning to guide their path in assessing sources and answering inquiry questions.

In this lesson, students will continue to conduct searches independently using the Research Frame as a guide and reading sources closely while taking notes that address their inquiry questions.

In this research lesson, students continue to conduct research independently, focusing on the Conducting Independent Searches Checklist.

In this lesson, students will develop comprehensive claims about each inquiry path in their Research Frame, using their Evidence-Based claims Tools. Students will reflect and deepen their understanding.

Students engage in a character study of the numerous figures created by Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities. Students first compare and contrast several forms of communication: email, text message, and telephone. They then complete a character study chart that breaks down physical background, character traits, social status/background, unanswered questions about the character, and a final judgment about the character. Next, students will create text messages between numerous characters that show the relationship between the characters, their background, and plot points that they are involved in. The lesson concludes with students sharing their text messages and a discussion of the rationales behind their choices.

A teacher's guide to Aldous Huxley's, A Brave New World. Included are chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities.

A teacher's guide to American Tapestry, Michelle Obama's biography. Included are chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities.

A teacher's guide to Agatha Christie's, And Then There Were None. Included are chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities.

A teacher's guide to Harper Lee's, Go Set A Watchman. Included are chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities.

A comprehensive teacher's guide to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Included are chapter-by-chapter discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities.

This resource is a collection of discussion questions and activities to supplement The Autobiography of Eleanore Roosevelt.