How can teachers utilize video games in the classroom, harnessing a technology that is gaining "market share" in the lives of our students? This article will provide classroom teachers with a research-based rationale for using video games along with a viable, classroom-tested lesson to teach social studies content using a widely…

Two ninth-grade English teachers developed a unit of study on the Holocaust that is rooted in an understanding of the concepts and consequences of indifference and prejudice. Activities in the unit of study use a variety of communication skills. Because the teachers have found that journal writing is an effective tool for reflection and a source…

Grapples with the difficult task of helping students differentiate between "myth" as a false belief or lie and "myth" as a cultural phenomenon embedded in sophisticated systems of meaning and action. Outlines four goals for the world mythology unit that help explore this greater sophistication with ninth graders. Concludes that the unit helps…

Describes a two-week instructional unit for ninth-grade gifted students which emphasizes development of ethical thinking and decision-making skills using a structured group-discussion methodology. Students formulate discussion questions through a multi-step process. Unit guide sheets, brainstorming examples, and activity schedules are included.…

This four-week poetry unit, geared to ninth and tenth graders, contains plans for 20 days of lessons and activities designed to capture the students' interest and expose them to a wide variety of poems. The characteristics of poetry and the techniques used by poets are emphasized in the unit. Six general objectives are listed followed by an…

This curriculum unit for Grade 9 combines the classic Shakespeare play "Romeo and Juliet" with three young adult novels: "The Outsiders" (S.E. Hinton), "Summer of My German Soldier" (Bette Greene), and "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" (Elizabeth George Speare). To complete the unit, all students will be…

Discouraged and dissatisfied with their students' responses to a compilation of Arthurian legends, two ninth-grade teachers developed an approach to teaching the legends that exposes students to numerous versions (including those written and illustrated for children) of the legends and allows them to pick their own Arthurian legend for reading and…

The Rhythm of American Literature, a teacher-made 3-week unit designed for grades 9 and 10, has 3 components: a kinesthetic presentation style, concept development/scaffolding, and foundations for future learning. Students receive a preliminary overview, a notebook with a memorable organization scheme, and a 3-minute lyrical/kinesthetic organizer.…

Case-based learning is one method that can be used to foster critical thinking and schema construction. Students need to be provided with problem solving lessons in meaningful learning contexts for critical thinking to take place. In order for schema construction to occur, a framework needs to be provided that helps readers to elaborate upon new…

Both the adolescent novel "The Giver" (Lois Lowry) and the classic work "Animal Farm" (George Orwell) deal with the idea of a controlling society. "The Giver" gives the reader an understanding of what it is like to live in a society where every move and every decision is basically made for you, but the people living…

This curriculum guide contains the grade 9 course content of the interdisciplinary International Studies Seminar, conducted at Withrow High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. The seminar, part of the school's International Studies Academy, is an alternative education program which emphasizes global studies as the core of its curriculum. The document…

One of the primary themes of this drama unit is to help students develop an appreciation and respect for diverse traditions. The unit focuses on Jerusalem in the state of Israel, where Jews, Moslems, and Christians find religious inspiration within the walls of the Old City. According to the unit, it is important that students be able to…

These instructional materials include six supplementary units for Tech Prep English I (grade 9) and six assignments for Tech Prep English II (grade 10). The Tech Prep English I units have these components: unit objectives, introduction, and follow-up exercises. Topics include goal setting, problem solving and decision making, listening and reading…

This competency-based curriculum for prevocational exploration in West Virginia provides experiences at grades 9 and 10 related to exploring careers and educational programs for those careers. The guidance units are designed to assist the counselor in providing activities that relate to ongoing hands-on activities in prevocational business,…