US Institute of Peace
Becoming a Peacebuilder
"Be the change you wish to see in the world!" The 15th and final lesson in a peacebuilding series uses this quote from Gandhi to prepare pupils for their own action projects. Individuals research a global issue, then brainstorm a method...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Right to a Clean Environment: Right to a Clean Environment Role-Play
A activity challenges scholars to think critically about the world in which they live. Learners begin by role-playing a character, answering questions, and taking part in a whole-class discussion. They then brainstorm ways they can help...
New York State Education Department
Global History and Geography Examination: June 2011
People in Ukraine, Rwanda, and Cambodia have all faced challenges to their human rights and even genocide. Using primary and secondary sources, scholars evaluate these challenges and the international community's role in them. The...
Judicial Branch of California
Faces of Citizenship: Jury Duty
An interesting middle school lesson focuses on the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Academics choose a civic project to complete, such as an oral history or photo essay. They then conduct interviews with members of the community...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Prayer and Friday Night Lights? An Establishment Clause Case from Texas
Is a Christian prayer before a Friday night football game a nice gesture or the imposition of religion on the rest of the community? A resource asks the question using a clip from the popular movie "Friday Night Lights" and readings...
Curated OER
The Scoop on Local Business
How do local businesses support their state or regional economy? The New York Times has prepared another great lesson for your class. They begin by listing products grown or manufactured in their state or region then write interview...
Curated OER
Celebrate Kwanzaa in the United States
Explore the components of the African American celebration of Kwanzaa in the United States. Complete with learning objectives, a materials and preparation list, and eight days of lesson plans, the resource incorporates the principles of...
Curated OER
Words Really Matter: Examining Language at School
Help your learners gain sensitivity and become aware of the implications of the words they see, hear, and use about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. After making lists of words or phrases they hear or use in school...
Curated OER
America: The Land We Live In: Landmarks
Students explore the concept of landmarks. In this landmark lesson, students brainstorm different landmarks around their community and nationally. Students then identify the patterns in Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings or...
Curated OER
Looking at the World
This set of discussion questions prompts learners to think about their place in the global community. These questions encourage them to consider food availability, free community services, schooling, and what life in other countries...
Curated OER
All Eyes on Iowa
Guid your learners as they become informed members of our community. They'll consider each of the seven questions as they read the New York Times article "All Eye on Iowa." This article relates topics dealing with the 2012 presidential...
Pulitzer Center
International Aid and Fragile States
"States suffering from internal conflict, weak infrastructures, lack of economic development, and general instability are emerging as a large threat to the international security." What factors contribute to the creation of a fragile...
Mesa Public Schools
Country Project
Give your young learners the chance to discover more about countries in their world community with a research project. Class members write reports on an assigned country and include such major features as geography, important historical...
Curated OER
Lesson 1: The Importance of Rules in Our Country and in Our Classroom
Explore the importance of rules in a community with the engaging first lesson of this series on the US government. To begin, children play a paper clip game that requires them to make up their own rules as they go, after which the...
Curated OER
The Importance of Place
Is art connected to geography? It sure is! Your class will find out how even clay that comes from a certain location can have deep symbolic meaning. The class will analyze the piece, Mud Woman Rolls On and then research how geographic...
Curated OER
What is a Community?
Students explore the characteristics of their community. In this communities lesson plan, students read Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story and discuss how the community came together to solve a problem. Students identify services...
Curated OER
Economic Community
Fourth graders assume different jobs of a community and understand the terms goods, services, producer, and consumer. In this community lesson plan, 4th graders answer short answer questions to show their knowledge of the terms.
Curated OER
Mapping Your Community
Students define the boundaries of their community by comparing the community's official boundaries with other historical, political, physical, and perceived boundaries of the area and create a community map.
Curated OER
My Building, My Community
Students become familiar with the concepts of community and neighborhood and what buildings are associated with these. In this neighborhood lesson, students tour the neighborhood as a class, observing and taking photos of the local...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Class Citizenship Tree
Third graders discuss citizenship and the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. On poster board, the teacher draws a tree and students draw their citizenship ideas on paper or clip pictures from magazines and glue them to the tree.
Curated OER
Funding the Arts: Art from the Heart
Students explore means by which community arts might be supported. In this "community" social studies lesson plan, students research various local non-profit organizations. Students role-play as members of the board of a philanthropic...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Cultural Collage
Students define and discuss cultural aspects and family origins. By citing examples of traditions and customs from other countries, they develop an understanding of cultural influences on society. Finally, students create collages...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Causes and Effects of Divorce
Young scholars examine the factors leading to divorce and its ramifications on family members. Among the reasons considered are finances, selfishness, and communication difficulties. The lesson pays particular attention to effects on...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Our Town
Third graders examine all the features of communities, including an examination of their histories. They draw a mural that includes their community's unique features. Students also construct a replica of the main street of their town.