Did you know that there are 15.2 million refugees in the world? High schoolers will read "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and learn how they can get involved to lower this surprising number. To really encourage involvement,...

Creative projects are great ways to increase interest in topical research. Middle schoolers learning about primitive life styles in the Americas explore the importance of music to hunter gatherers. They research and create musical...

Students investigate the definitions of poverty and impoverishment. They design a poster that show the Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that are violated by poverty. They write an article for the school newspaper...

Young scholars analyze text and maps in determining the effect the world's energy resources have on human society, and make charts illustrating at least three ways each resource makes life easier for human society.

Students consider the development of different societies. In this environmental building lesson, students consider local resources and how societies choose to use them. Students use their findings to design a 'green' building for use in...

Bring art and society together with this highly creative and interesting lesson plan. Learners research various uses of masks in ceremonies. They then create a ceremony of their own and a mask to go along with it. They film themselves...

Students explore nature by participating in a class lab activity. In this human vs. nature lesson, students examine a group of items in their classroom and discuss whether they were created naturally or have been altered or created by...

“. . . one of the great challenges to humanity is acknowledging and overcoming a natural tendency to think less of and discriminate against people who are different from us . . .” Launch an examination of competition and cooperation, of...

Students conduct research and collect data about a local watershed area. They create an iMovie showing the human and natural impacts on the creek and watershed areas.

Students study facts about humans and how they are impacting the Earth.  In this investigative lesson plan students help map peoples footprints over the Earth's surface and evaluate these factors. 

Giving gifts has been a part of the human experience since modern man walked the earth. Upper graders explore the culture of gift giving in Mayan times through an artistic analysis. They analyze gift giving and palace life as seen on an...

Fourth graders study the role of money in society and define how to earn an income. In this human capital lesson, 4th graders read the book Shoeshine Girl and discuss it. Students discuss various economic concepts and complete the...

Students examine the role of the elephant in the culture of Thailand through many different class activities based on a PBS program "The White Elephants of Thailand with Meg Ryan". Students also look at the impact of technology on...

Students research and produce an iMovie documentary about the human and natural history of a stream basin (watershed).

Art can express acts of injustice and move society to action. Upper graders analyze contemporary art relating to specific moments in history. They discuss propaganda, anarchy, sociology, and violence as activism. After researching and...

Students discover ways to make the world a peaceful place.  In this humanity lesson, students read the book Peace Begins with You by Katerine Sholes, then discuss how they can have a peaceful impact on their society.  Students...

Young scholars become community philanthropists. In this social studies lesson, students learn the definition of philanthropy and apply it to Martin Luther King, Jr. The next day, young scholars complete 3 T-charts for 3 historical...

Students create a sculpture inspired by the masks, pendants, or human and animal forms found in ancient Indian art of the Americas. They focus on the techniques of metalworking, especially repousse.

Students examine the unique and diverse historical artifacts that people have designed to fulfill their everyday needs in extraordinary ways. They identify ways humans have used design throughout history to enhance the ways they meet...

Explain a natural phenomenon in an original myth. After researching the phenomenon they have chosen, young readers use factual information to include in their myth.  They find synonyms and new phrases to create vivid images as they...

Why is arts education so important? It builds critical thinking, analysis and creative problem-solving skills. Learners review the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti, and then analyze his piece, The Pieta. After that, they'll sculpt a human...

Learners examine different homes and shelters across cultures and time periods. In this Houses and the People They Shelter instructional activity, students draw conclusions about society and culture according to the features of their...

Young scholars examine the role of the individual in society as a whole. Individually, they design and create their own calling card as used in the past. They put together an art kit in which they are able to use outdoors. To end the...

Students explore human discovery by reading historical stories in class. In this inventors instructional activity, students define the terms scientist, invention, inventor and discovery before discussing the many differences between...