Project Look Sharp, an educational resources organization at Ithaca College, provides free teaching materials for middle school and high school students in a range of subjects including English/ELA, Life/Earth sciences, history and government/ social studies, visual art/ music, economics, and global studies. Lesson plans, teaching guides, student readings, and media files (recorded speeches, musical performances, video clips, etc.) are easily accessible in formats perfect for distance-learning and hybrid education formats.

Professional Development materials for teachers include demonstration videos and articles devoted to teaching critical thinking techniques for middle school and high school students. 

A sample of lessons for middle school students include the following:

• Northern Rockies Gray Wolf: Includes four short informational writing excerpts to reflect on the removal of the gray wolf from the endangered species list.
• History of Endangered Species: Focus topics include indigenous perspectives, whaling, habitat destruction and the Endangered Species Act.
• Identity and Satire: Critical thinking lesson using four short film excerpts to review representations in popular culture of women's identity in the context of the women's liberation movement.

Lessons for high school students include the following and more:

• What is the Role of the Federal Government in Protecting the Environment? : Students analyze three short news reports for conflicting messages about the appointment of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Mapping the Border: Who Decides?: Analysis of different maps of the U.S. Mexico border region for messages about how mapmakers use images and words to convey messages.
• Traditional and Industrial Farming: Analyzing examples of corn and dairy farming to understand the diverse philosophies, tools and practices that distinguish traditional and industrial farming.

Find more lessons and browse topics on the project’s website, click here.

Brockport Research Institute provides grant-writing, evaluation, project management, and professional learning services. For questions or more information, please call the office (585) 431- 3416 or contact us: info@BrockportResearchInstitute.com.