Unit Plan
Newspaper Association of America

Power Pack: Lessons in Civics, Math, and Fine Arts

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Newspaper in Education (NIE) Week honors the contributions of the newspaper and is celebrated in the resource within a civics, mathematics, and fine arts setting. The resource represents every grade from 3rd to 12th with questions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Characteristics of a Good Citizen

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine characteristics that good citizens need. In this civic virtues lesson, 1st graders discuss people they know who are heroes or good citizens. Students name three qualities they believe heroes need. Students create a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Benjamin Franklin and the U.S. Constitution

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore U.S. history by completing a quiz about civics. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students read assigned text about Franklin's role in the development of the Constitution and the creation of a new society. Students...
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Curated OER

Acting for the Common Goods

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The first of a three-part series on bullying, this plan has class members present skits about bullying, write and sign an anti-bullying pledge, and complete a service project. For the skit, learners use information from previous lessons...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Participatory Citizenship

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore U.S. politics by completing a class project. In this National policy activity, students review and compare the National Service Act of 1990 and the Kennedy Service Act and the importance of service in the U.S.A. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hypothetical Heights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in an interdisciplinary activity to discuss improvements that would make them want to return to a previously poor neighborhood.  In this civics activity, students work in a budget to make a plan to better...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Picture Books and the Bill of Rights

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Young scholars identify the basic freedoms of citizens in the United States.  In this Bill of Rights lesson, students act out scenarios about the Bill of Rights.  Young scholars create a picture book describing the rights...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Truth, Trash and Treasure

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate how democracy in the United States makes civic virtue possible. They examine the rights and responsibilities associated with democracy. In small groups, they create public service posters that highlight these ideas.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Acting it Out

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore responsible behavior. In this character education lesson, students work in groups to act out scenarios using or disregarding responsible behavior. Students discuss personal feelings and consequences of each situation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We Have a Dream

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Pupils work as partners to study Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. In this African American history lesson, students work with their cross-grade partner to study, understand, and memorize the speech. Pupils meet with...
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

Benjamin Franklin, Working for the Common Good

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars examine Benjamin Franklin's community service in Philadelphia. In this American history famous heroes instructional activity, students make text-to-self-and-world connections between the Philadelphia community service...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rise and Fall of the Jim Crow Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore African American history by researching the Jim Crow laws. In this Civil Rights lesson, students define the Jim Crow laws, the reasons they were put into place, and how they were ultimately defeated. Young scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Suffrage? Understanding the Right to Vote

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students discover one of the restrictions forced on women of the early 1900s. In this civil rights lesson, students investigate suffrage and why women were not allowed to vote in the early twentieth century. Students create a mock...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Open Mic" - Giving Creative Expression To The Connection Between The Japanese American Internment, September 11, And Our Rights Today

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the similarities of the Japanese-American experience in WWII and Arab-American experience in post-September 11 US policy. They create presentations on their reflections and express themselves through poetry, dance,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Capitals, Oceans, And Border States

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students investigate geography by completing games with classmates. In this United States of America instructional activity, students examine a map of North America and identify the borders of Mexico and Canada as well as the Pacific and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eugenics Lesson Plan: Button or Bumper Sticker

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Learners investigate how fear can cause problems with policies associated with people with disabilities. In this people with disabilities instructional activity, students study the associated vocabulary, fill in a chart which contains...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the Mediasphere

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare/contrast the media messages they see in two different communities in their city. They list the elements of art and the principles of design in the photographs they have taken in those two different communities. They...
Lesson Plan
Maryland Department of Education

Our Children Can Soar

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Amazing efforts of African American leaders are celebrated in a instructional activity on civil participation. The engaging resource focuses on primary and secondary sources to analyze the impact of African American leaders such as Ella...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photographs of the 369th Infantry and African Americans during World War I

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners engage in a discussion regarding images of war we see, how quickly do we see them, and how they affect us? They view and analyze war photographs taken during World War I.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Participating in Democracy

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy lesson, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rosa Parks

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students complete a variety of written and discussion activities regarding Rosa Parks and the Alabama bus boycott and how they changed an accepted way of life in America.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

President Obama's Address to Students Across America

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students listen to President Obama's speech, and discuss its meaning. In this President Obama lesson students learn about the president, about how to deliver a speech, and the ways they can make a difference. They create posters, write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How To KidPix II

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students practice using KidPix to create illustrations. In this visual arts lesson, students define key vocabulary words, such as "palette" and "toolbar" to familiarize themselves with the KidPix program. Students create...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Holiday Card in KidPix

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students create a holiday card using computer software.  In this computer card making lesson, students design an original holiday card using a variety of tools.  Students navigate the software utilizing various tools.