Annenberg Foundation
Native Voices
The Navajo people build their dwellings with the doors facing the rising sun in the east to welcome wealth and fortune. Pupils learn about the traditions of the Navajo people in the first part of a 16-part unit. They explore American...
Curated OER
Applying Ahimsa to Traditional Stories
Investigate the life of Mahatma Gandhi by researching non-violent lifestyles. Learners define the word ahimsa and discuss the personal characteristics that made Gandhi a peaceful warrior. They also create a poster about the story "The...
Curated OER
The Search for Character!
Fifth graders define character words, look for real-life examples of the traits "in action," and write an acrostic poem based on one of these qualities.
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Rural Life During the Great Depression: A Year Down Yonder
“Anyone who thinks small towns are friendlier than big cities lives in a big city.” Mary Alice, the fifteen-year-old narrator of A Year Down Yonder, is forced to leave Chicago and spend a year with her Grandma Dowdel in a small rural...
US Institute of Peace
Practicing Conflict Analysis
Does your conflict management style keep you cool and persuasive, even under pressure? Young behaviorists practice analyzing conflicts and using conflict management skills during lesson five in a 15-part series. The resource contains...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: John Q. Public
John Q. Public was a notable cartoon representation of the average American; but how accurate was this portrayal? Emergent analysts consider several topical points as they take a critical look into a cartoon portrayal of the American...
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The Civil Rights Movement
Learners learn about the civil rights movement and create a timeline to understand events in chronological order. For this history lesson, students work in groups to choose one activist from the Civil Right era to research. Learners then...
Institute for Humane Education
Where Are the People like Me?
Are some characteristics more desired than others?Scholars examine attributes of characters in books, models in catalogs, and articles in magazines. Discussion leads to identifying characteristics they see more often as well as...
Curated OER
Character Traits and People in Black History
Third graders, after reading a one-page biographical essay, write in paragraph form how an African American has demonstrated a certain character trait.
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Nataraj Shiva as Lord of the Dance
Pupils considers the piece of artwork entitled, The Nataraj, Lord Shiva and Lord of the Dance to visualize several of the most important ideas of Hinduism.
Curated OER
Understanding Other People's Decisions
Students analyze people's choices from different points of view. They read different scenarios and explain how they would react personally in that situation. Then they analyze what they would do in another character's position and...
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Sports Heroes and Private Action for the Common Good
Young readers explore philanthropy and its effects on the public good. They discuss athletes and their examples as philanthropists. They research a sports hero and play "The Match Game" to determine what they know about other sports...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: The Net Neutrality Debate
Should Internet users who send data-heavy content pay higher fees than those who are involved in activities, like sending an email, that have less content? This question is at the heart of the Net Neutrality debate. After watching a PBS...
Curated OER
Making a Pictorial Timeline
Students create a pictorial timeline of a biographical character. In this timeline lesson, students create a slide show illustrating the life of the person from a biography they've read. Students also use Kid Pix to create a pictorial...
Curated OER
Courage in Action
Seventh graders explore what it takes to be courageous. In this social studies lesson, 7th graders analyze different character traits. Students explain their feelings on their specific character traits.
Curated OER
Mapping National and Geographic Identity
Young scholars analyze geographic maps. In this map analysis lesson plan, students analyze the symbols in geographic maps and the impact of cultural, historical, and political concepts. Young scholars compare and contrast maps in various...
Curated OER
Trust Circles
Students explore trustworthiness. In this character development instructional activity, students brainstorm synonyms for trustworthiness. Students consider two communities to which they belong, and compare and contrast these communities...
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RESPECT -- A Basic Skill
Seventh graders are shown a variety of advertisements and commercials and note the product being sold. As a class, they compare and contrast their answer to the actual product. To end the lesson, they discuss whether or not they would...
Curated OER
Jean Fritz's American History Series
Students explore children's literature by reading biographies in class. In this history analysis lesson, students read books written by Jean Fritz about the Revolutionary War and discuss the events that led up to the critical moment....
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Afghanistan and The Breadwinner
Pupils examine the use of the Hindu Kush mountains by explorers and traders. Using Afghanistan as an example, they research how different events can effect human settlerment patterns. They discuss how the physical characteristics of an...
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I'm Thankful For...
First graders engage in a lesson plan that demonstrates the character trait of thankfulness. The teacher enthusiastically shares something to be thankful for with the class. Then they spend the time to draw an idea of something to be...
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From Arbor Day to Earth Day
Students discuss their answers to a given set of questions regarding Earth Day and Arbor Day. They research using the internet then write a bigraphical sketch of their character.
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The Sound of Music and Passage to Freedom
Seventh graders examine music examples to investigate a conflict in history about Hitler's invasions during WWII. For this music analysis lesson, 7th graders discuss vocabulary and the history for the Holocaust and Hitler's invasions....
Curated OER
Rudyard Kipling's "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi": Mixing Fact and Fiction
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," from The Jungle Book, offers young readers a chance to examine how Rudyard Kipling uses setting and personification to bring to life the brave mongoose who battles cobras to protect his family. Class members...