Secondary Schools: English

Career
Students research a career of their choosing to identify job description, working conditions, qualifications, earnings/benefits, and career path. They convey knowledge of these categories of learning through a five-paragraph essay.

Complexities of the Sonnet
Students will discover and identify how William Shakespeare created complex systems within his sonnets using both words and the structure of the poem.

Composition
Students compare and contrast the lives, work, and passions of Charles Darwin and John Paul II.

Culture
Students master their compare and contrast writing skills by choosing an American cultural element (fashion, food, religion, etc.) and comparing it to the same element of another culture.

Disease
Students research the bubonic plague for basic understanding of what it is, when it occurred and what impact it had on society.  They then research Edgar Allan Poe and the gothic style of writing. The lesson culminates with the students writing a persuasive essay defending why the bubonic plague was a natural subject matter for Edgar Allan Poe to choose in his short story "The Masque of the Red Death."

Ecology
Students personify ecology vocabulary and write a one-act play using their knowledge of ecology as the basis for characters, conflict, setting and plot.

Evaluating Sources
Students conduct research and evaluate the sources they find.

Genetics
Students identify literary elements in each selection while learning about diversity and the struggle for equality in the United States.  Students use their knowledge to express the emotion and key literary elements in each piece through performance.

Interview
Students work in groups of two to prepare a "broadcast television" interview with a newsworthy politician.

Nomination Speech
Students research an American author and nominate them for an award.

PI Day
Through the application of math concepts (listed above), the purpose of the investigation is to examine direct variation, the history of PI, circle circumference and arc length, area and sector area in order to develop an understanding of how these concepts apply to a the PI day project.

Population
Students read a technical article on population growth and identify vocabulary and use of language, they demonstrate comprehension of the facts, and conclude by relating discoveries to their own experiences.

Positive Futures Fair
After working in groups to research a problem they feel is significant in the world today, students will create a presentation to communicate  the public policy concern, describe the causes and consequences of the issues, and advocate for and justify specific action for their audience to take to solve the issue of study.

Talkin' About My Generation
Students research notable figures from their generation and write a research paper illustrating the various figures' impact and influence on their generation.

Technology
Students are introduced to the genre of science fiction and the theme of biotechnology within that genre.

Timeline
This lesson is best taught in union with the biology, math, and social studies lessons on the same topic.  After completing their timelines to scale (including conducting research and making their scaled timeline) the students write a five paragraph essay analyzing, reflecting on , comparing, and discussing their findings on the geologic timescale.