How much power is too much power for the federal government? Scholars use primary documents and constitutional research in groups to analyze the creation of the Second National Bank under James Madison. This is the second instructional...

Young writers examine the writings of Raymond Carver to investigate editing skills. They will develop original sentences. Then read the work of Raymond Carver to edit and analyze the ending. They revise and ending of their original...

What do figures of speech have to do with financial literacy? Take an interdisciplinary look at The Berenstain Bears' Trouble with Money to find out. Young analysts read about the cubs' spendthrift ways and how Mama and Papa Bear...

Students participate in a role play where they see how a bank works and how interest is paid by having money in the bank. In this bank lesson plan, students operate a bank and learn about saving, accounts, deposits, withdrawals,...

The New York Times article “Online Diary,” launches this study of websites and how to assess them. Richly detailed, the instructional activity includes warm-up activities, procedures, journal prompts, discussion questions, and links to...

Sixth graders examine the causes of the stock market crash of 1929.  In this integrated math/history unit on the stock market, 6th graders study, research, and read stocks, visit a local bank, and create a PowerPoint to show the...

Learn the difference between saving money and investing money, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each. Kids review banking and personal finance terms before studying the different ways that people can reach their financial...

Make origami ducks with your class to reinforce geometry concepts and vocabulary; develop fine motor and visual translation skills; and enrich study of Japanese culture, the pond habitat, or migration. Create a whole group "worksheet"...

Students utilize their knowledge to explore jobs. In this lesson about jobs and careers, students discuss other jobs that might not be included in Paws in Jobland. Students conclude that they are familiar with other jobs and gather...

Help your young consumers learn about credit and the importance of credit history. With a thorough lesson about the ins and outs of credit, as well as the potential pitfalls of having a line of credit, kids will be well-equipped to...

Learn about the California Gold Rush from an institution that has been in place since the early days of the American West: Wells Fargo History Museum. From domain-specific vocabulary review to group research projects, an expansive packet...

Most teenagers want to buy a car, but do they know how much it really costs? Calculate the cost of purchasing a car, securing auto insurance, and maintaining the new investment with a thorough and engaging personal finance...

Third graders explore homelessness in their local community. In this service project/social studies lessons, children research local areas where homeless people reside, discuss global acceptance and unity, and visit a local food bank.

Study word choice and connotation in advertising. Readers examine campaign ads, both negative and positive, from the 2006 mid-term election before discussing an article and analyze a campaign of any candidate they choose. Finally,...

Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class...

Explore the elements of newspaper from the view of the front page. Young analysts create a front page of a newspaper geared toward teen readers. They use their inference skills to determine why some front pages are more eye-catching than...

Middle and high schoolers remember their most memorable experiences, and then connect their own narrative with an exposition about the topic associated with their experience. This New York Times lesson plan would be a great addition...

Have your class create their own art exhibit. Learners study the exchange of artwork between the Louvre in Paris and two American art museums, and create an introductory exhibit featuring European and American art from the Renaissance...

Mission Possible: Your task is to design a new highway route from Tunis, Tunisia to Cape Town, South Africa. If you accept the challenge, you must create a small map of the route that has already been rejected, a...

Mount a variety of pictures (fantasy, rustic, portraits, action) on large sheets of paper and post them around the classroom. Groups rotate from poster to poster, adding adjectives to describe each of the pictures. Writers use these word...

How can you tell if a commercial or salesperson is being misleading? Encourage your learners to protect themselves and their money with a lesson about consumer rights. They review laws that keep consumers safe from faulty claims and...

Who knew that fairy tales and economics go hand-in-hand? Pupils complete a host of handouts, using everything from graphic organizers to short answer questions to reinforce concepts. They also complete a project that builds on everything...

Intended for fun only, learners play with the names of cities common to their region or state. This lesson includes a list of cities in Oregon and not much else. What you and your class choose to do with your list of cities is up to you.

Young scientists investigate the scientific concepts and principles that help make common toys such as hula hoops, yo-yos, slinkies, and silly putty work. As a class, they read "Backyard Rocket Science, Served Wet" to get a look behind...