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These free lesson plans are specially designed to accompany the newspaper as a classroom tool. Each plan is written to address educational standards in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Many plans also include ready-to-print student activities, cross-discipline lessons, and further online resources. Click on any plan in the list for details on its contents.      01/07/2009    Presidential Legacy and Language  The Constitution provides the framework for the inauguration of a president, but the individual adds his own mark on the ceremony, expresses his philosophy in his address and begins his legacy that may impact the lives of future generations and the character of American society. DUE TO THE UNPRECEDENTED RESTRICTIONS AROUND THE WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA ON JANUARY 20 AND 21, SCHOOLS RECEIVING PRINT COPIES OF THE WASHINGTON POST WILL NOT RECEIVE DAILY OR SUNDAY PAPERS ON THOSE DAYS. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DISRUPTION. BUT PLEASE GO TO THE E-REPLICA SITE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST AND USE THE 7-DAY FREE TRIAL: HTTP://THEWASHINGTONPOST.NEWSPAPERDIRECT.COM CLICK ON THE ? AND SELECT "FREE TRIAL" ON LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN. BE SURE THE DAYS OF THE INAUGURATION AND THE DAY AFTER ARE WITHIN THE 7- DAY TRIAL.    • English • Government • Speech • Journalism • U.S. History    12/08/2008    Reviewing a Whirl of Books  Book World is awhirl with possibilities for teachers and students: To meet new authors and their books, to visit with familiar works from a new perspective, to attend mini-lectures on varied topics and to study models of book reviews. Writing a book review enhances reading skills; critical thinking; analytic, evaluative and explanatory abilities; and composition fluency.    • English • Reading • Journalism • AP English Language and Composition    11/05/2008    Day of Wrath  The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. was not its first nor its last, but it was the one that preserved the Greek-influence on the arts and culture of the Roman Empire. This guide provides close reading activities using The Post review of the National Gallery of Art Pompeii exhibit and a travel article, a Road Trip of mosaics in the D.C. area, and an art project to make mosaics using patterns found in the excavations of Pompeii. An e-Replica worksheet is provided.    • Social Studies • Art • Mathematics • English    10/10/2008    Historic Choices and New Approaches   The 2008 presidential election is a time of historic decisions and new approaches. History will be made as either an African American is president or a female is vice president of the U.S. It is also a turning point in new uses of technology by candidates to attract donors, to communicate their message and to organize campaign workers and by media and citizens to examine financial contributions and to fact check the candidates.    • Social Studies • Government • Journalism • Computer Science • Women’s Studies • Art • Mathematics    09/09/2008    Accelerating Demand for Fuel   Meeting the demand for more oil has many related consequences, influencing the supply and cost of other goods, impacting the environment and affecting international relations. Articles from The Post Oil Shock series, graphs and charts, student activities and discussion questions, a crossword puzzle and Tom Toles cartoon are included in this online guide.    • Economics • Business • Environmental Science    06/03/2008    Young Lives at Risk  In May 2008, The Washington Post published a five-day series on childhood obesity, Young Lives at Risk: Our Overweight Children. This 37-page online guide provides reprints of many of the articles, graphics and photographs. Activities, a close reading guide, insight into the creation of the poster/graphic, and resources are provided for use in many disciplines.    • Health • Physical Education    05/06/2008    Healthy Decisions  Staying safe and keeping fit requires healthy decisions about the foods you eat, the exercise you get and the precautions you take. Through Post articles, a nutrition quiz, personal inventory and other activities, students focus on safety during athletic activities, concepts of good nutrition and actions to improve fitness.    • Health • Physical Education • Art • Journalism • English • Government    04/08/2008    Primarily, Images and Issues  Responsible citizens keep informed about current issues, demonstrate knowledge of the political process and evaluate the role of media in campaigns. This guide provides Post articles and commentary, a role play simulation, issue comparison activities, and editorial cartooning.    • Government • Civics • History • Media Literacy • Art • Journalism • English • Speech    03/12/2008    Living Green  Ecology, economics, nutrition and aesthetics interplay in both industry and personal decisions to live green. A word puzzle, Green Scene quiz, Post articles and suggested activities provide options for English, ecology and biology, economics and health classes.    • Ecology • Economics • Health • English • Journalism    02/05/2008    Debate: Face-to-Face Exchanges  Debate trains students to look at all sides of an issue, to examine complex ideas and to develop oral, research and critical thinking skills. Debate is intrinsic to American culture, from debating societies to Lincoln-Douglas debates and televised debates of candidates for president.    • English • Debate • Journalism • Government    01/01/2008    Informational Graphics — The Visual Dimension  Informational graphics communicate information quickly and accurately, explain complex ideas, and draw the reader into text. The Washington Post News Art department produces thousands of artworks each year — the maps, charts and informational graphics that help readers comprehend stories.    • Art • Computer Graphics • Mathematics • Science    12/05/2007    Sports — In Word and Image  The Sports section of The Washington Post provides lessons in meeting deadlines, mathematics and statistics, photography and graphics, language arts and journalism, and geography.    •  Journalism • Mathematics • Photography    11/06/2007    Creating a Caring Community  A caring environment is a precursor to a nonviolent society, tolerance of differences is a necessary component of a caring environment, and a caring environment reacts to a community problem.    • Social Studies • English Language Arts    10/10/2007    Plankton — The Drifters  Plankton, at the bottom of the marine food chain, has emerged as an important component in scientific, technologic and economic efforts to slow climate change and confront global warming. Through lab reports, research papers, editorials, displays, debates, students and research proposals, students explore the different modes of presenting their findings and perspectives to different audiences for different    • Science • Economics • Marine Biology    09/11/2007    Museum Musings   All students should experience art — as producers, viewers and critics. Students create an artwork after reading about animals; attend an art exhibit to collect data and to evaluate works of American and international artists; and produce their own exhibit. The suggested activities and student handouts in this guide utilize KidsPost, Style & Arts and Weekend sections of The Washington Post. Activities include viewing parts of a work and completing a zigsaw puzzle to develop observation skills, writing a review, wall text and a press release, and reading about art and artists.    • Art • English Language Arts    06/07/2007    The Foreign Correspondent  The foreign correspondent provides an eyewitness account, on-sight interviews and reports of trends, events and ideas from places around the world. This global understanding is essential to being an educated individual and informed leader.    • Journalism • Geography • Business    05/25/2007    Inventing America:Jamestown at 400, Part II   This second of a two-part Jamestown at 400 guide provides Washington Post articles, illustrated bio of a young Jamestown settler, an archaeologist’s profile, and suggested activities for a study of Jamestown, yesterday and today. Articles can be categorized under four main themes: The convergence of three cultures, the invention of America, the realities of survival and daily life, and the significant contributions of archaeology in understanding the Jamestown settlement and its inhabitants.    • History • Civics • Government • Home Economics • Journalism • Language Arts • Careers    05/09/2007    Dawn of a New World   The commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in America provides lessons in survival and death, cooperation and conflict, government and independent spirits. This first of a two-part Jamestown at 400 guide provides Washington Post articles, editorial cartoon, maps, illustrated Godspeed, and suggested activities for a study of Jamestown, yesterday and today.    • History • Civics • Government • Geography    04/18/2007    The Chesapeake Bay  The Chesapeake Bay and its watershed provide an important case study of environmental and political decisions, the interaction of communities and species, and the balance between recreation, business and natural environment.    • Social Studies • Journalism • Careers    02/14/2007    Writing about People  World and local leaders, celebrities and the kid across the aisle — all have the potential to amuse, instruct, exasperate and inspire you. They can be the subject of an article, a feature, a short story, play or poem. In this guide we focus on writing Washington Post columns (Life Is Short, A Local Life), obituaries, and KidsPost mini-profiles.    • English • Language Arts • Social Studies • Journalism • Art    01/23/2007    How Clean Is Your School?  Students explore the smallest microbes, cleaning methods and their treatment of their schools’ custodial staff in this guide. Students are provided Post articles about the Redskins locker room, a local high school’s football player, care of wind instruments and a hotel’s response to norovirus, and KidsPost’s articles about bacteria and a student in Japan.    • Science • Biology • Health    01/14/2007    Remembering a President  The personal choices and traditional ceremonies that compose the final farewell to an American President are presented in Washington Post coverage of the state funeral of Gerald R. Ford, timeline and photographs. The impact of the individual who held the office is reflected in columns and letters to the editor. Activities are suggested and additional resources are provided in this guide.    • Social Studies • Government • Journalism    01/11/2007    Putting Yourself on the Map  Reading, using and making maps are essential skills. Maps are made for many purposes — to provide navigable directions as well as information about resources, populations and landforms. Through maps we acquire, process and report information. Use the maps that can be found daily in The Washington Post. In this guide, Post cartographer Richard Furno gives insight into map making. Younger students create a personal Handland, and through maps older students study Latin America and the leftist leaders who are mapping a new political course and contrast fertility rates in Africa and Europe. “Types of Maps” provides examples of a dozen different ways to map the earth.    • Geography • Social Studies    11/21/2006    From Print to Air  Lesson: The news media has the responsibility to provide citizens with information. In what ways does providing news through print, broadcast and the Internet help citizens to be self-governing, better informed and engaged in the issues and events of their communities? In what ways is radio an important means of conveying information to individuals in countries around the world?    • Journalism • English • Mathematics • Media Studies • Careers    05/30/2006    Endemic, Epidemic or Pandemic?   As individuals, companies, health officials and governments confront an outbreak of mumps and a potential virulent spread of the avian flu, students explore public health, privacy rights and economic decisions. The concerns about avian flu also provide opportunity to teach students about the Spanish Flu that killed more than 50 million people around the world and to introduce students to careers in virology and epidemiology.    • Health • English • Language arts • History • Business • Economics    03/28/2006    Poetry in The Post   Poetry, whether found or written hard-sought word by word, allows a multitude of voices, expresses many emotions and provides insight into history and contemporary life. One doesn’t usually think of a newspaper as a textbook or resource for poetry study, but they share many of the same characteristics: brevity, conveying human experience and providing a framework for history as well as perspective on contemporary life.    • English • AP English • Language arts    01/17/2006    Languages Constantly Change   Take a look at language and the work of linguists. Activities in this guide encourage students to consider the importance of language in interpersonal communication and international exchange, to appraise the benefits and hazards of a limited knowledge of languages, and to discuss its impact on globalization.    •  Business • Economics • Home Economics • English • Language Arts • Foreign Language    11/29/2005    When the Winds Blow   After a review of hurricane basics and the historic Atlantic hurricane season, teachers may use KidsPost and Washington Post articles to discuss the influence of tropical storms and hurricanes.    • Science • Language Arts • Government    10/25/2005    Seedless Fruits and Vegetables   Post science writer Rick Weiss puts the watermelon into its historic perspective and introduces the how and why of its genetically engineered seedless variety. Illustrations, glossary and an interview with a U.S. Department of Agriculture plant breeder are also provided. The suggested activities range from drawing and writing to devising recipes, to researching the development of other seedless fruits and vegetables.    • Science • Health • Language Arts    09/30/2005    Justice for Juveniles?  In March 2005, the Supreme Court held that the death penalty was unconstitutional as applied to juveniles.    • Government • Social Studies • Language Arts • Journalism • Health • Law • Public Safety and Security    05/24/2005    Rewards of Reading  Whether a classic, a family favorite or a recent release, books can influence the lives of young readers. This guide offers KidsPost and Post articles, activities and resources to encourage your students to be readers, examines propaganda and sweepstakes, and provides an introduction to Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico (1982).    • English • Language Arts • Reading • Government    03/29/2005    Bullies   Bullies are a safety and health threat to more than three million school children annually. This lesson addresses ways to confront bullies, stop bullies and communicate the facts about bullying.    • Health • Mathematics • Language Arts • Art • Journalism • Theater    02/21/2005    Force of Freedom  Whether in the Cradle of Civilization or an emerging democracy, voters are rejecting fear and choosing freedom. Students examine the force of freedom found in voting and its impact of various forms of government, a diverse religious and ethnic population, and economic, social and political forces without and within a country.    • Civics • Comparative Government • Language Arts • Journalism • Theater    01/26/2005    Long Arms of the Law  Long Arms of the Law focuses on the judicial branch of U.S. government — the role of the Supreme Court and attributes of its justices.    • Government • Civics • History • Language Arts • Journalism    12/29/2004    Executive Decisions  In order to become informed participants in a democracy, students should learn about the women and men who make decisions concerning their lives. The president of the United States and the Cabinet that he appoints are such people in the executive branch.    • Government • Civics • History • Language Arts • Journalism    11/23/2004    Should the Electoral College Count?  Should the Electoral College Count? Six weeks after voters have indicated their choice for president and vice president, electors meet to cast their ballots. Through activities in this guide students review why the writers of the U.S. Constitution devised the Electoral College and evaluate if electors are still necessary.    • Government • Civics • History • Language Arts • Mathematics • Journalism    10/20/2004    What Determines Election Outcomes?  In “What Determines Election Outcomes?” students examine the influence of the 2000 presidential election results, political parties, issues and campaign advertising.    •  Government • Civics • History • Journalism • Language Arts • Mathematics    09/27/2004    Who Has the Right to Vote?  In “Who Has the Right to Vote?” students examine the right to vote and from whom this right may be taken.    •  Government • Civics • Journalism • Art • Language Arts    08/03/2004    Extending the Legacy   As the D.C. area grows and looks eastward to expand, the area that was first settled by native inhabitants becomes the focus of waterfront redevelopment. Students are challenged to consider water quality, manmade pollution and potential to transform our neglected “other river” into a source of vitality and recreation.    • Science • Social Studies • Economics • Art • Language Arts • Geography • Technology    06/30/2004    Boom and Bustle   From 1965-1990, the pursuit of a better life, integrity and outer space shaped modern D.C.    • History • Social Studies • Economics • Art • Language Arts • Geography • Technology    05/25/2004    Education in Democracy/Boom and Brown   In the midst of a booming economy, the nation's capital was faced with a challenge to segregation that was practiced in its customs and laws. Activities and resources are provided in this guide to study the social and historic context, Supreme Court decision and aftermath of Brown v. Board of Education.    • History • Social Studies • Civics • Art • Language Arts • Geography • Ttechnology    04/27/2004    D.C. Renaissance   The 1920s and 1930s were decades of development, daring and dangers, and the D.C. Renaissance during which writers, musicians and artists were a significant part of D.C. life.    •  History • Social Studies • Art • Music • Language Arts • Geography • Technology    03/30/2004    The Capital Transformed   Turn-of-the-century D.C. reflected the industrial revolution's improvements in transportation, art movements and the changing lifestyles of Americans.    • Social Studies • History • English Language Arts • Art • Economics    02/24/2004    Civil War and The Capital City   The divisions and horrors of the Civil War transformed D.C. and the country. Fifth of nine once-a-month guides that feature an illustrated segment on developments in the Washington area, Civil War and The Capital City features maps, news articles, speeches and documents to study and understand the issues, actions and people of the era.    • Social Studies • History • English Language Arts • Art • Geography    01/27/2004    Technology Shapes The Capital City   Fourth of nine once-a-month guides that feature an illustrated segment of the history of the Washington area, Technology Shapes The Capital City focuses on the developments in transportation and communication that influenced the commercial and population growth of the Washington area.    • Social Studies • History • Technology • English Language Arts • Art    11/18/2003    Our Nation's Capital Created   Third of nine once-a-month guides that feature an illustrated segment of the history of the Washington area, Capital Created focuses on laying the foundation for a city and nation in Washington, D.C.    • Social Studies • History • English Language Arts • Art    10/21/2003    Hogs Wild   First Towns, second of nine once-a-month guides that feature an illustrated segment of the history of the Washington area, focuses on European exploration and settlement along the Potomac River.    • Social Studies • History • English Language Arts • Art    09/23/2003    Our First Families   Our First Families is the first of nine once-a-month guides that feature an illustrated segment of the history of the Washington area.    • Social Studies • History • Reading    09/09/2003    Triangle Fire   Workplace conditions and safety, the role of immigrants in the American work force and the power of the vote to bring about change can be addressed through the activities in Triangle Fire.    • Social Studies • History • English Language Arts    06/10/2003    Is Capitalsaurus the Real Thing?   After reading primary documents, students are asked to take a position on the Capitalsaurus.    • Science • Reading    05/20/2003    INSIDE Journalism: Keep the 'Ad'itude   The business side of producing a newspaper is discussed in "INSIDE Journalism: Keep the 'Ad'itude."    • Journalism • Art • Language Arts • Mathematics    04/29/2003    INSIDE Journalism: Composing Columns   "INSIDE Journalism: Composing Columns" provides insight and how-to information to better express one's views, using the work of columnists as models. Finding one's voice is the underlying theme of the activities.    •  Journalism • Language Arts • Social Studies • Government    04/01/2003    INSIDE Journalism: The Sports Page   "Shirley, One of the Best," sampling the spectrum of sports coverage in The Post from the early days of N.W. Baxter and Shirley Povich to today's editors and reporters, provides examples for your sports writers.    • Journalism • Physical Education • Language Arts    03/11/2003    Career Choices   An interview with White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer is the stimulus to discuss career choices.    • Social Studies • Civics • Economics • Mathematics    02/25/2003    INSIDE Journalism: Editorial Cartoons   Opinion can be expressed without the confines of language when presented in editorial cartoons. "INSIDE Journalism: Editorial Cartoons," takes a closer look at Herblock, Toles and the art of the visual commentator.    • Journalism • Art • Social Studies • Government • Current Events • Language Arts    02/11/2003    INSIDE Journalism: Now You're in the Know   The lessons in "INSIDE Journalism: Now You're in the Know," focus on the Monday through Friday sections of The Washington Post.    • Journalism • Social Studies • Government • Current Events • Language Arts    01/21/2003    INSIDE Journalism: The Editorial Page   Whether you want to understand the editorial writing process at The Washington Post or for your own newspaper, "INSIDE Journalism: The Editorial Page" provides insight and how-to information.    • Journalism • Social Studies • Government • Language Arts    01/14/2003    Colonial Chores   The KidsPost article, "The Good Old Days? Not Quite," and a research activity focus on the chores of children who contributed to the economic livelihood of colonial families.    • History • Social Studies • Language Arts    12/19/2002    'Good Picture'   The news photograph provides the focus for an examination of the ethics of digital manipulation.    • Journalism • Media Studies • Art • Photography • Ethics and Character    11/19/2002    INSIDE Journalism: The News Story   Use the Post to learn the basics of writing a news story in inverted pyramid style from the lede to the cut-off test.    • Journalism • Media Studies • Government • History • Reading • Language    11/05/2002    Control of Congress   The 2002 election provides the faces and facts from which students can examine American citizens' involvement in the democratic process, the law-making process, and the power and influence that comes with control of Congress.    • History • Government • Mathematics • Art • Current Events • Reading    10/29/2002    On the Front Lines   INSIDE Journalism: The Front Page takes a close look at the elements that compose the front page of The Washington Post.    • Journalism • History • Current Events • Government • Media Studies    10/15/2002    Pencil Points   This comparison-contrast lesson begins as a consumer report on a modification of the pencil, an everyday object that has slowly changed over centuries.    • Science • Language Arts • Mathematics    05/28/2002    Weather Wise   An introduction to the fundamentals of weather, "Weather Wise" includes how to read and record weather data -- using maps, legends, graphs, charts and lists.    • Science • Earth Science • Mathematics    05/14/2002    Sneaker Supply and Demand   After a brief introduction to the history of shoes, students learn why their sneakers cost what they do.    • Mathematics • Science • English • Language Arts    04/23/2002    Circumnavigation   Students learn about geography, weather and human stamina while reading about a round-the-world endurance sailboat race.    • Social Studies • History • Mathematics • Health    04/09/2002    Ancient Civilizations in Today's World   "Ancient Civilizations in Today's World" focuses on the remnants of ancient civilizations found on our dinner plates and in our architecture.    • History • Social Science • Mathematics    03/19/2002    The American Woman   Students prepare a timeline and conduct an interview to understand the changing view of women in American society.    • Social Studies • History • Reading    02/26/2002    Research Integrity   Evaluating a Web site and avoiding plagiarism are the focus of the "Research Integrity" curriculum guide.    • English • Language Arts • Technology    02/12/2002    Antarctica   Students learn about Antarctica and its early explorers as they prepare for a scientific expedition on the coldest continent.    • Geography • Science    01/29/2002    Recession Is Not Recess   The economic reality of recession is presented through cause-and-effect relationships.    • Economics • History • Social Studies • Mathematics    01/15/2002    Sleep   Through articles, activities and a sleep journal, the importance of sleep is presented to students.    • Health • Language Arts • Mathematics    12/04/2001    Backpack Math   Students' ubiquitous backpacks provide incentive to apply percentage in daily life.    • Mathematics • Health • English • Language Arts    11/20/2001    The Movie Review(er)   "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" provides the timely vehicle to introduce the basics of movie review writing.    • English • Language Arts • Reading • Related Activity: Mathematics    11/06/2001    Sumatran Tiger   After reading about the new Sumatran tiger cub and chief tiger keeper at the National Zoo, students will research rare and endangered species.    • Science • English • Language Arts    10/23/2001    Leaves   As students read about the changing colors of leaves in fall, they also learn about photosynthesis and the life cycle of leaves.    • Science • English • Language Arts    10/09/2001    Insect Habitat   Introduce your students to the world of insects, their collection, display, and identification using dichotomous keys.    • Science    09/25/2001    Muslim: Fact and Stereotype   Stereotypes can affect individuals and influence a community as seen in the KidsPost article, "Muslim and American: Kids Worry About Anti-Arab Reaction."    • History • Social Studies • Religion    09/20/2001    Media in the Time of Tragedy  The tragic acts of terrorism of September 11, 2001, prompted the Educational Services Department of The Washington Post to provide a collection of activities, lesson plans and Web resources for teachers.    • History • Current Events • Language Arts • Journalism • Media Studies    09/11/2001    The Science in Discovery   Ten years after his discovery in Italy, Otzi is back in the news. The KidsPost article, "Frozen in Time: Uncovering the 5,300-Year-Old Mysteries of the European Iceman," covers the mummy's discovery in 1991 and his cause of death revealed in July 2001 through the latest advance in x-ray technology.    • Science • History • Reading    07/04/2000    A World of Money   A history of money and an introduction to bartering and counterfeiting is given in the KidsPost article. The main lesson focuses on two sentences excerpted from the KidsPost feature.    • Language Arts • Social Studies • Science   This icon indicates that the lesson plan corresponds to a specific KidsPost page.   NIE: for educators

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