Facing History and Ourselves
Identity Charts
Many factors shape the identity of persons, communities, and even nations. Tweens and teens have an opportunity to consider the many aspects of identity as they create a graphic that reflects who they are. Class members first brainstorm...
Facing History and Ourselves
Bio-poem: Connecting Identity and Poetry
Writing a bio-poem is a great way to have young scholars go below the surface and reflect on who or what has made them who they are. Check out this richly detailed lesson that provides step-by-step directions for crafting a bio-poem.
Albert Shanker Institute
Strategizing for Freedom
Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, and A. Philip Randolph developed different views on how to advance civil rights for African Americans. Class members research these famous figures and their strategies before developing...
Miama-Dade County Public Schools
African Americans and the Civil War
The American Civil War is the theme of this packet of materials prepared for Black History Month. Class members learn about the roles that African Americans played during the Civil War and examine the African-American experience after...
Nebraska Department of Education
Collaborative Resume Writing
A resume is a key requirement in the job application process. As part of a career unit study for high school freshmen, pairs critique a bad resume, brainstorm as a whole class what should be included in a resume, and then as individuals,...
Nebraska Department of Education
Goal Maps
High school freshmen are asked to think about their future goals and reflect on what they have learned about the barriers they may face and the resources they have to overcome these barriers. Individuals then respond to questions on a...
Nebraska Department of Education
How Do You Define “Friend?”
Shared values are often the keystone in friendships. Class pairs use their "Values" handout from a previous lesson and interview one another to identify values they share and don't share. Then, consider how their differences contribute...
Nebraska Department of Education
Mock Interviews
Completing a job application and sitting for an interview are essential parts of the job search process. High schoolers receive guidance as they fill out a job application and participate in mock interviews to prepare. They also access a...
Nebraska Department of Education
Phone Etiquette
High school freshmen prepare for the world of work by practicing a phone interview. After examining a list of "Do's and Don'ts," pairs take turns being the job applicant and the interviewer.
Nebraska Department of Education
The Five Things
High school freshmen consider how their resources and values can support them in their future goals by answering questions such as; What do you value? What do you enjoy doing? What do you do well? Of what accomplishments are you...
Nebraska Department of Education
Resources and Barriers
The journey along the the road of life is filled with roadblocks and detours, but not every traveler is equipped with the same advantages. As part of a career study unit, high school freshmen analyze the resources used by someone they...
Nebraska Department of Education
Managing My Money
Rent, food, utilities, gas, clothing, taxes! It all adds up. As part of a career planning and management unit, high school sophomores learn about financial planning and budgeting.
Nebraska Department of Education
Work: Love It or Hate It?
Future job seekers interview adults who love their work and ones that dislike their work. After reflecting on what they learned in a whole-class discussion, participants create a mission statement that details what they want and don't...
Nebraska Department of Education
Leaving A Job
Neither "You're fired!" nor "I quit!" make for leaving a job on good terms. As part of a career development study, job seekers learn to craft both a verbal resignation and a formal resignation letter.
Nebraska Department of Education
Writing Emails That Matter
LOL! BRB! :-) The rules for business and professional emails differ significantly from online communications among friends. As part of a career readiness study, pupils learn the do's and don'ts of writing professional emails.
Nebraska Department of Education
Where I'm From
We are a tapestry woven of the threads of our family and its history, our environment, our ethnicity, and our culture. High school freshmen reflect on how these threads influence their goals for the future. After reading George Ella...
Nebraska Department of Education
Zeteophobia
You know hydrophobia, arachnophobia, and maybe even ophidiophobia, but do you recall Zeteophobia, the least famous phobia of all? As part of a Career Development series, job seekers investigate the power of zeteophobia, the fear that...
PBS
Exploring Identity and Intersectionality in Poetry
Just as Kermit the Frog notes, "It isn't easy being green!" it isn't easy occupying "multiple Identity spaces." Class members read and discuss poems by writers detailing what it is like when their identities are "oppressed."
Nebraska Department of Education
You're Fired!
Is willing to learn. Follows directions. Takes the initiative. The big idea in this career development lesson is that the work habits that make one successful in school are the same as those required to succeed in a career. Class members...
Nebraska Department of Education
Personal Roadmap
Sometimes you need a map to get to your destination. High schoolers list 10 short and long terms goals and personal assets they have that will help them achieve these goals. They then craft a paragraph in which they reflect on how these...
English Club
Romance and Relationships
Romance and relationships are the subjects of an ESL worksheet designed for intermediate language learners. Class members match 10 sentences with the correct endings, match verbs with their correct definitions, and complete sentences...
National Institute of Drug Abuse
Nurturing My Mental and Emotional Health
One exercise does not necessarily work for all! A resource from the National Institutes of Health provides tweens and teens with exercises to help them cope with anxiety and stress. Participants note their stress levels before and after...
Newseum
You Can’t Say That: Right to Know vs. Security Risk
Print or block? That is the question young journalists debate as part of their study of the freedom of the press. Half the class represents the journalists' legal team, and the other half represents the government's legal team. Teams...
Florida Department of Health
Understanding the Risk of Substance Abuse Unit
Teenage brains are different! Understanding that the teenage brain is still developing and thus more impacted by substance abuse is the key concept in a three-lesson high school health unit. Participants learn about how the brain and...