Propaganda is an important topic that most high school social studies teachers address. Here, students compare and contrast methods of public persuasion during WWII with those used in the contemporary War on Terror. Research, discussion,...

High schoolers examine the Cold War and the War on Terror. In this American history activity, students research print and nonprint resources regarding both wars. Student compare the experiences of youth at the time so both the Cold War...

Learners examine the War on Terror. In this national security instructional activity, students read articles about the War on Terror and President Obama's foreign policy. Learners respond to discussion questions and debate the presence...

Students examine world conflicts. In this War on Terrorism instructional activity, students investigate the criteria of just wars and then determine whether the War on Terrorism fits into the category.

Students consider how the war in Iraq has changed life for Iraqis. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to investigate how the war has affected the citizens of Iraq and participate in a map skills game.

Young historians research the devastating attacks of 9/11 and use that information to script their own documentaries. The follow-up activity includes recording the documentary and conducting classmate interviews, 

Students take a closer look at the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. In this global issues lesson, students analyze political cartoons related to the War on Terror. Students discuss their impressions of the war and then create their own...

September 11th was a terrible tragedy with long-reaching consequences. Scholars learn about the Islamophobia that occurred to many Muslim Americans following the 9/11 attacks. The resource provides videos, articles, and interviews to...

Middle schoolers analyze perspectives of war. In this war and religion lesson, students collaborate to research anti-war and pacifist positions on war as well as "just war" theory. Middle schoolers compose essays regarding perspectives...

It can be difficult to reach and cover the events of the twenty-first century in a United States history course; in such cases, this is a fantastic video to refer to in order to provide a quick synopsis of recent American history, while...

Students view examples of political advertisements during the years of 1952 through 1964. After viewing, they discuss how the Cold War and the threat of Communism affected the development of the United States. They compare the Cold War...

Young scholars investigate the many political changes that Afghanistan has endured over the past century in order to better assess the impact of the recent fleeing of the Taliban from the capital of Kabul.

Throughout history, newspapers have reported the events of the day as they unfolded. Using primary and secondary sources from World War I, scholars uncover how the American people learned of the events of the War to End All Wars. History...

Learners define the term terrorist, and examine how terrorist methods are used to promote fear and endanger the lives of innocent individuals. They analyze why President Bush has declared war on terrorism, and write essays on terrorism.

Pupils view a PBS Frontline video online entitled, "In Search of Al Qaeda." They complete pre-viewing activities in which they examine the use of primary sources. They look at the key groups and individuals and the history of terrorism....

Seventh graders examine the conditions of the homefront during World War II. Using propaganda, they discuss its role and how it affected people who viewed it. They identify the role citizens played during the war and create their own...

Imagine a lesson that models for learners how to separate facts from opinions. How to detect bias. How to evaluate a source of information. How to identify propaganda. Although designed for middle schoolers, the activities in this packet...

Here is a instructional activity on terrorism and 9/11. While outdated, it could be easily revised for today's teens. It includes targeted vocabulary, a background information activity, critical thinking questions, and step-by-step...

How do facts and opinions impact the news? After reading "How to Cover a War" from the New York Times, middle schoolers evaluate the claims in the article. They also consider the media's responsibilities in reporting during wartime....

Cartoons for the classroom has put out another great worksheet intended to get upper graders thinking. They analyze a political cartoon regarding economic recovery and President Obama. Three great discussion questions and a web link make...

Should the United States continue the practice of using drone strikes abroad? Readers explore the top pro and con arguments in preparation for a debate or discussion about the topic. They read about the history of drone strikes, view a...

Looking for resources that explore alternative perspectives of the Christopher Columbus story? Check out the images, videos, cartoons, primary source documents, and other texts in a packet designed to spark debate.