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...

Learners examine cyberbullying. In this lesson on democracy, learners discuss the different ways to deal with cyberbullying. They then take a position on the question of whether a democracy should allow schools to take action against off...

Learn what it means to respect others in an engaging lesson on religious beliefs. An inclusive resource focuses on understanding other religious beliefs, the right to freedom of religion, and the U.S. history of religious diversity....

Chatting, texting, commenting—there are so many options for online communication! How do teens know what's appropriate? Social scholars collaborate to define the elements of a healthy online relationship during an activity-packed digital...

Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech,...

What obstacles did India face during their post-colonial formation after gaining independence? Topics discussed in the lesson include Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, the Indian Constitution, economic development, and the...

A social justice lesson focuses on the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia which struck down laws that prohibited marriages between African Americans and white Americans. The lesson begins with class members examining a photograph of...

It may not be easy to be green, but sometimes just being isn't easy. A resource packet is filled with lessons and activities designed to help kids develop a positive regard for themselves.

11 lessons, designed to be used in consecutive order, ask middle and high school scholars to consider the effects of various drugs and the consequences of taking them for themselves and their families. They also develop the communication...

The Nineteenth Amendment granted women the right to vote—as long as they were white. High schoolers read articles and essays about racism in the suffrage movement and consider how intersectionality played a role in the movement. Scholars...

As part of the study of segregation in U.S. schools, scholars research and create a timeline of events that led to the historic Supreme Court case, Brown V. Board of Education. Groups research a topic or event that led to the decision,...

"Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;. . ." Why is this guarantee of free speech and a free press the First Amendment to the US Constitution? Why are these rights so essential to a...

How can mathematics help scholars choose a college? High schoolers learn how they can use decision matrices to rank colleges based on selected criteria. They also see how to weigh criteria using multiplication of the decision matrix by a...

Class members research citizenship in Ancient Rome and in the United States and use the provided graphic organizers to compare the rights and responsibilities of citizens in these two democracies.

The right to peacefully assembly to protest injustice is a key element of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Class members are asked to analyze two photographs of people confronting what they consider to be unjust...

Students explore the trait of integrity. In this character education lesson plan, students read letters by Steve Williams pertaining to jobs that help others. Students discuss the jobs WilIiams shares as well as integrity in their lives.

How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the $5,...

Research, role-playing, and reflection are the three “R’s” that form the basis of an examination of Cyberbullying. Although based on the Criminal Code of Canada, the included scenarios and case studies provide valuable resources for a...

Fourth graders examine slavery and Reconstruction in Virginia. In this Virginians during Reconstruction lesson plan, 4th graders research primary sources for the story of William Jasper and other slaves. Students hypothesize how rights...

Students examine poverty and inequality in America. In this current events lesson, students read the provided articles "Poverty," "Inequality Growing in America," "Inequality: Views on Causes, Effects, Remedies," and "Theories on the...

Young scholars examine the practice of redistricting. In this American politics lesson, students read the provided articles "The Gerrymander," and "Reforming the Gerrymander." Young scholars respond to the provided discussion questions.

Assertive communication is an acquired skill. Teaching young people to ask for what they need and to believe that they have a right to ask is at the core of a unit on assertive communication. Over the course of the unit, middle and high...

"Understanding Influences," a richly detailed, carefully scaffolded unit, asks middle and high school scholars to examine how internal and external factors like friends, media, and society influence their attitudes and...

Seventh graders investigate bullying. In this character education lesson, 7th graders participate in a class discussion on how to make the school a more respectful place. Students brainstorm ideas and develop a plan to create a...