By 1786, it became apparent to many American founders that there were serious problems with the Articles of Confederation. A three-lesson unit focuses on the debates that lead to the 1787 Constitution Convention, as well as the...

The writings of a French diplomat and political philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville, offer young scholars much to think about. In the three-lesson unit, class members examine Tocqueville’s arguments about the power of the majority and...

A four-lesson unit focuses on American foreign policy in the late 1800s. Young historians examine primary source documents, conduct a WebQuest, and use a timeline activity to reflect on the impact of American imperialism in Cuba, Puerto...

Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow is the anchor text in a 10-lesson unit that looks at some of the issues of race and justice in American society and how issues have changed over time. High schoolers look at the history of race and...

A three-lesson unit looks at the United States Civil War. In the first lesson, high schoolers analyze primary source materials to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and Confederate armies at the beginning of the war. The...

Young historians examine song lyrics and slave narratives to uncover the realities of life for enslaved people. The six-lesson unit looks at the way enslaved people used music to provide hope, as well as to fight against oppression....

The 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 are all statues pushed by Lyndon Baines Johnson. Presdient Johnson also established programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start. Young...

Six lessons challenge 21st-century learners to interpret maps, analyze real-world data sets, and use technology such as GIS to understand key global issues. The lessons, which can be used sequentially as a unit or individually, are...

A five-lesson collection examines the history of the Cold War from a global point of view. World History students analyze primary and secondary source documents, as well as video clips, to investigate the beginnings of the Cold War, its...

The tangled web of the United States’ diplomatic alliances and foreign policy during the French Revolution comes under scrutiny in a three-resource collection. Young historians examine how Great Britain and France challenged both the...

The “Grand Alliance” between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union was established during World War II to counter the aggression of German and Japan. A four-resource collection looks at the differences in the members’...

Animated videos, colorful graphics, and catchy examples help young economists gain an understanding of the Federal Reserve and its role in the Reserve System. The nine resources in the collection cover such basic economic concepts as...

A collection of 14 resources celebrate the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces overseas during World War I and World War II. Young historians use Interactive timelines to follow events as they unfolded and maps to track...

Kate Chopin's The Awakening is the focus of a three-lesson collection designed for readers of the novella. The first resource provides readers with background information about Chopin and Creole culture. The second resource explores how...

Designed for teachers, a 15-lesson collection curated by the Smithsonian, examines how wars have impacted American society. Each resource includes a lesson plan, background information, a materials list, maps, images, and worksheets. An...

Designed for high school and college-level classes, a collection of 12 resources covers topics in economics, banking, and monetary policy. Students investigate supply curves, the law of demand, market equilibrium, and the labor market....

Walk students step-by-step through the judicial process with a three-lesson collection that examines how the federal courts interpret and apply the laws of the United States. Young legal scholars examine case studies, engage in...

A three-lesson collection explores the federal and state court systems, as well as criminal and civil court systems. Along the way, high schoolers consider the qualifications necessary to serve in high-federal offices, and why courts...

Designed for the high school classroom, the  mini-lessons in this collection combine studies of the United States government with news literacy skills. Each lesson includes a civics reading, a news literacy feature, and a news literacy...

Building strong relationship skills is one important part of social and emotional learning. Working in book circles, as lab partners, research teams, and project-based learning groups requires a specific set of relationship skills. The...

The five social and emotional learning competencies target skills, behaviors, and attitudes that 21st-century learners need to face daily and future challenges. To develop competency in responsible decision making, high schoolers need to...

Readers of informational text must be able to determine the central idea of a text and and analyze how writers develop these ideas. The resources in this collection are designed to help readers develop these skills. Take a look at the...

Searching for materials to use in your celebrations of Constitution Day/Citizenship Day? Look no further. The lesson plans, activities, and videos in this collection will help you meet the requirement that all educational institutions...

Analyzing primary and secondary source materials requires a special set of skills. Readers must be able to identify the central ideas in a text, to cite evidence to support their analysis, and to evaluate the arguments put forth in a...