Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drawing the Line at Freedom?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore civil liberties as they relate to the events of September 11, 2001 and the months that followed, and discuss how these circumstances may or may not have altered the rights of American citizens and foreigners visiting the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Committing to Nonviolence: A Lesson from Viva La Causa

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the social change movements of the American 20th century. In this nonviolence lesson, students research the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Caesar Chavez. Students compare and contrast the social...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living History - Civil War

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders, after researching antebellum North Carolina and the role of North Carolina in the Civil War, write, edit, publish, and produce their own plays.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

No Choice!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars investigate freedom. In this character development and U.S. history lesson, students participate in role playing in which the teacher assigns recess restrictions including whom they play with and what they play. Young...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Pressing" Issues In Zimbabwe

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the nature of freedom of the press through examining a story about the capture and torture of journalists in Zimbabwe. They participate in a round-table discussion of the issues. They research an African country of their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Safety Up in the Air

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the controversy over a bill giving pilots the option to become armed federal law enforcement officers. They brainstorm other possible security measures for airplanes and airports.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

CIVICS/CURRENT EVENTS

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students choose to either make an exhibit of posters of pictures about Darfur, or write a letter to the local newspaper regarding Darfur, or plan a concert, party, or bake sale to raise money for refugees. They write a poem defining...
Lesson Plan
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National Endowment for the Humanities

NAACP’s Anti-Lynching Campaign in the 1920s

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the anti-lynching campaign of the NAACP in the 1920's. In this human rights instructional activity, students prepare for and participate in a simulated debate of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill that was presented to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Religion in Social Change: What's God Got To Do With It?

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Learners determine how religion influences social change. In this religion and social change lesson, students examine how the religious beliefs of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. were inspirational as they worked to reduce...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Upon the Clouds of Equality: King Day

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners learn about equality, justice and fairness. In this equality lesson, students experience what it feels like to be treated unequally. Learners examine Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream of equality and his actions to make this...
Lesson Plan
Center for Instruction, Technology, & Innovation

Did African American Lives Improve After Slavery?

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
The Civil War made slavery illegal, but all ex-slaves were not totally free. Scholars visit eight different classroom stations to uncover life during the Reconstruction Era in America. Groups discover items such as Black Codes, 13th,...
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Participants examine two documents related to Rosa Parks and the bus boycott, sources that challenge some of the commonly held preconceptions about Rosa Parks. They then respond to discussion questions to reinforce...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Criminal or Hero

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars investigate slavery in America circa the American Revolution. They will examine point- of view and perspective as they research a variety of informational resources. While this is designed to be used with the PBS video...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitutional Amendments And Gay Marriage

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Upper graders critically examine the history and process of amending the U.S. Constitution in light of the current issue facing the courts on legalizing gay marriage. They read a variety of articles, watch news clips, and develop a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitutional Amendments and Gay Marriage

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study the legal battles involving same-sex marriage. They examine primary sources and a video regarding the 14th amendment and its implications for gay marriage. They analyze a report of a California case that was sent to...
Lesson Plan
iCivics

Judicial Branch in a Flash

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What is the difference between the federal court and state court systems? What about criminal versus civil cases? Check out this resource that will offer your class members a general and effective overview of the judicial branch in the...
Lesson Plan
Novelinks

Nightjohn: List-Group-Label Strategy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Encourage readers of Nightjohn, Gary Paulsen's young adult novel about slavery set shortly before the Civil War, to develop their categorization and organizational skills with a strategy that asks them to list all the words they can...
Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

Racial Profiling

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Racial Profiling. Class members chart what they know and what they want to know about this hot-button topic. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Hero Betrayed: The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the career of Ulysses S. Grant. In this Grant presidency lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of Grant's presidency. Students respond to discussion questions regarding the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Court Documents Related to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memphis Sanitation Workers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read about the civil rights movement in their textbooks. They engage in a whole-class discussion of how nonviolent direct action can be a powerful tool for bringing about social, economic, or political change.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Responsibilities and rights: Making civic decisions

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Learners, working in small groups, investigate concepts related to social and economic decision-making. They define issues for some different groups within Australia, then assign either government or individual responsibility for each...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Right of Privacy: 4th Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are introduced to the 4th Amendment of the Washington state Constitution. In groups, they examine the Constitution of the state of Washington and compare it to the United States Constitution. They role play the role...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Safeguarding the Rights of the Study Participant

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students write a paper that follow all the conventions of proper English. They create a paper that incorporates the required sections of an informed consent document such as would be used in a real clinical trial. Students synthesize...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inventors & Trailblazers

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students are introduced to a groups of African American inventors. In groups, they research the role of each person in improving different industries. They also examine the barriers African Americans faced from the Civil War to the...