Newseum
Covering a Catastrophe: Press Conference Simulation
Young journalists have an opportunity to experience the challenges of covering a catastrophe by staging a mock press conference. Half the class acts as reporters while the others act as officials from the mayor's office.
Newseum
Battle for the Bill of Rights: Ultimate Survivor Amendment Game
To understand the importance of the wording of the articles of the First Amendment (freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the press, and freedom to assembly and petition), teams argue before a jury for draft amendments of one...
Newseum
When Tragedy Hits — Role-Playing a Breaking News Story
Young journalists engage in a role-playing exercise that asks them to consider the journalism and ethical issues raised by the coverage of the mass shootings at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. Pupils play the role of either a reporter...
Nemours KidsHealth
Drugs: Grades 3-5
Two lessons take a close look at drug prevention. The first lesson, split into two sessions, challenges learners to gather information from an article, answer questions, then create a poster that encourages others to stay away from...
Workforce Solutions
Newton's Laws
Two lessons explore the connection between energy transformation and a given job. In lesson one, small groups role-play a scenario that showcases the energy transformations that may take place during a job-specific task. The second...
Nemours KidsHealth
Fire Safety: Grades 3-5
Three lessons stress the importance of fire safety. Lesson one presents several articles listing fire safety do's and don'ts; using their newly-found knowledge, learners rewrite a newspaper article about a fire incident so that...
Nemours KidsHealth
Water Safety: Grades 3-5
Two lessons remind scholars of the importance of water safety. In the first lesson, pupils create posters highlighting three safety rules for a pool, beach, pond, or lake. The second lesson challenges partners to roleplay water safety...
Nemours KidsHealth
Concussions: Grades 3-5
Two lessons focus on concussions. The first lesson uses cards and role-playing to detail signs of a concussion. Through readings, discussions, and worksheets, the second lesson looks closely at parts of the brain and offers ways to keep...
Health Smart Virginia
Social Emotional Skills
A list of activity ideas, lessons, and resource links all focus on kindness, empathy, and mindfulness. Five steps offer experience in role-play, crafts, writing, thoughtful discussions, and more!
Center for History Education
Civil War Weaponry and Medicine: A Disastrous Mismatch
Ironically, science was the reason why the Civil War was so deadly. Despite the use of medical practices now considered barbaric—such as conducting surgery with bare, dirty hands—developments in weaponry meant that more men died on and...
Health Smart Virginia
Stress and Emotions
An overview of the 10-resource filled series goes over seven activity ideas in the series. Activities include conducting lessons, class discussions, practicing mindfulness, integrating technology, role-play, and family and peer...
Health Smart Virginia
Sporting Behavior
Six small groups perform skits that showcase positive sporting behavior. Actors highlight how players try their best, encourage others, win gracefully, think positively, show respect, and resolve conflict. A class discussion and an Exit...
Health Smart Virginia
Conflict Resolution
Peers discuss the importance of conflict resolution and share their thoughts with the rest of the class. The same partners then role-play a Peace Talk using a script. Finally, an exhilarating game of Sharks and Minnows allows scholars to...
Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Healthy Relationships
Teach tweens and teens how to prevent dating and domestic violence with a unit on healthy relationships. The unit begins with class members taking a relationships survey. As the unit progresses, class members engage in activities that...
Department of Education (Ireland)
Assertive Communication
Assertive communication is an acquired skill. Teaching young people to ask for what they need and to believe that they have a right to ask is at the core of a unit on assertive communication. Over the course of the unit, middle and high...
Department of Education (Ireland)
Consequences
11 lessons, designed to be used in consecutive order, ask middle and high school scholars to consider the effects of various drugs and the consequences of taking them for themselves and their families. They also develop the communication...
Department of Education (Ireland)
Understanding Influences
"Understanding Influences," a richly detailed, carefully scaffolded unit, asks middle and high school scholars to examine how internal and external factors like friends, media, and society influence their attitudes and behaviors.
Nemours KidsHealth
Bullying: Grades 3-5
Two activities spotlight the concept of bullying. The first activity begins with defining and identifying characteristics of bullying. Small groups then role-play scenarios in which they practice techniques to handle a bully. The second...
Center for History Education
The Founding Fathers and the Constitutional Struggle Over Centralized Power
Believe it or not, the Constitution was America's second attempt at a democratic government. Academics travel back to the past to explore the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation that would eventually lead to the Constitutional...
Center for History Education
Was the Stamp Act Fair?
Pledge your loyalty to the king and the Stamp Act or sign an oath against the tax. After simulating an in-class tax for school supplies, young historians consider the reasons for the Stamp Act and similar colonial policies. The...
Center for History Education
Pontiac's War
Invaders are coming: fight them off or run? Native American peoples had to decide this question after British colonists went west following the French and Indian War. Using a speech from Chief Pontiac, young historians consider if they...
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
Exclusion "Act"ivity
Two simulations highlight the feelings individuals experienced when immigrating to Angel Island. During the first simulation, scholars listen to and answer questions, divided based on their answers. The second simulation pins learners as...
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
Interrogation of Immigrant
Imagine being interrogated by someone you don't know about minute details of your life. Imagine that the interrogator is matching your responses to the answers of other family members. Imagine how you would feel knowing that the...
Nemours KidsHealth
Eating Disorders: Grades 6-8
Raise awareness of eating disorders with a two-activity instructional activity with middle schoolers reading articles to gather background information and then create audio messages and advertisements that promote healthy self-esteem and...