When making decisions, it might be wise to revise Newton's Third Law of Motion to read, "For every decision, there are options and consequences." Although in decision-making, not all these forces may be equal. The third lesson plan in...

View a film called "Truth, War and Consequences," available for purchase on PBS, with your class. They answer comprehension questions and practice their critical thinking skills as well. 

Walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as they discover the wonders, beauty, and dangers of the American frontier. After gaining background knowledge about Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, young explorers use primary...

Sexual harassment and sexual violence are by no means new issues. What has changed is the role of social media in these issues. This powerful and troubling lesson uses a specific rape case to launch research into a discussion of the...

Teach young learners that most drug addictions end in one of three outcomes: treatment, jail, or death. After watching a short video segment on the consequences of drug abuse, class members discuss what they viewed and consider what...

They say you gotta pay to play, and postsecondary education is no exception! High schoolers learn how to research and analyze the cost of postsecondary education as well as the different ways to pay for schooling. Learners then work...

Consequences, consequences. Using the resource, scholars engage in a class discussion about the repercussions of too much screen time. Next, they create a Cascading Consequences chart that lists the positive and negative effects of...

You can't read Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without craving the rich treats described in Dahl's vivid prose. Young writers try their hands at sensory language with a lesson plan that prompts them to write about...

Discuss the separation of church and state as it relates to government entities. This is a great way to launch a discussion on the relationship between these groups. Learners analyze this relationship in governments throughout the world,...

Students use this instructional activity to focus on population growth and the threat of overpopulation. In groups, they analyze the world birth and death rates to determine the growth rate of the population. As a class, they discuss...

Life is all about choices and consequences. Using a Cascading Consequences chart, scholars create a visual map of the effects of a particular choice or action related to water management. With their researcher's notebooks and copies of...

There are advantages and disadvantages to all sources of energy; the trick is determining which one has the least impact! Part six in the series of 12 has learners further explore energy resources. After reading information about one of...

It's a delicate balance—using technology to improve our lives while still protecting the environment, and ourselves, from the hazards of technology use. Class members examine statistics about the increase in media use, complete a survey...

What would your class members say to the opportunity to take two years off of school between grades 10 and 11? Examine the economic concepts of costs, benefits, and unintended consequences with this unique and engaging approach.

Make your class aware of the difference between media violence and real violence. Using prior knowledge, a video clip, and a worksheet, class members explore and discuss the unrealistic portrayal of violence in the media. Learners...

Do the ends justify the means? Getting a drug approved in the US is a long and involved process. But at some point out, it involves testing on humans. The ethics of such testing is the focus of a resource that uses Dr. Albert...

Do reporters write about what they see, or what they think? Examine the differences between investigative writing and opinion writing with a lesson from PBS. Learners look over different examples of each kind of reporting, and convince...

Is qualitative or quantitative research more convincing when it comes to climate change? In the eighth lesson during this 21-part series, scholars begin by performing a quantitative analysis of deforestation and urbanization. Then, they...

Students investigate a problem and look at the associated positive and negative choices and consequences. They work together to make a group decisions and role play in peer mediation situations.

Which of Michael Pollan's four food chains from his book The Omnivore's Dilemma would best feed everyone in the United States? Using a thought-provoking resource, scholars learn how to create a Cascading Consequences chart to answer the...

What are the consequences of the local, sustainable food chain? Research teams explore the question as they review Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. The teams complete Cascading Consequences charts and then choose research topics...

Could the hunter-gatherer food chain feed everyone in the United States? To consider the question, pupils use their research and add to the Cascading Consequences chart based on Michael Pollan's hunter-gatherer food chain from The...

While the Emoluments Clause didn't get a lot of attention before the 2016 election, all eyes have been on this short phrase in the Constitution with the election of Donald Trump. As a business owner, do his financial interests conflict...

Explore primary and secondary sources in this historical analysis lesson. Young researchers define the terms primary source and secondary source. They read a primary source document provided by the teacher and answer questions about...