Penguin Books
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Young Readers Edition
As the saying goes, you are what you eat. A useful set of lesson plans encourage young readers to take a second look at their eating habits. Pre- and post-reading questions bring in reflective writing and discussion while extension...
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Hamburg
Was bombing German cities an effective means to an end, or was it a war crime? Could it be both? Young historians ponder these questions with an activity that prompts them to use primary sources to summarize the debate surrounding RAF...
Curated OER
The Lorax
Third graders identify environmental problems. In this natural resources lesson students participate in several activities that support critical thinking about the environment and natural resources. The students write, list, and verbally...
Curated OER
Tunisia to Egypt & Beyond: Freedom & Democracy?
Students examine democratic values. In this current events lesson, students watch video clips about rebellions on Tunisia and Egypt. Students respond to the provided discussion questions and participate in a critical thinking activity on...
Curated OER
The Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF)
Students design an experiment for NASA's STEREO/IMPACT mission to measure the interplanetary magnetic field. This lesson plan includes 3 excellent hands-on and critical thinking activities in which students explore magnetism in the solar...
Global Oneness Project
Repairing the Fabric of Democracy
During elections, headlines constantly lament the issue of low voter turnout. Help class members understand why this is such an important topic with relevant articles, a discussion of both sides of the issue, and a reflective essay.
American Chemical Society
Can Gases Dissolve in Water?
Why does soda fizz when opened? Learners discuss the appearance of bubbles in soda bottles when opened. In groups, they design and complete an experiment comparing the amount of carbon dioxide dissolving in cold versus hot liquids.
PBS
President Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Policy Statesman or Bully?
Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....
ReadWriteThink
Style-Shifting: Examining and Using Formal and Informal Language Styles
Your high schoolers are probably versed in two languages: formal language, and informal conversation. Help them identify the correct language style for their audience and context with a thorough lesson and examples of different speech...
Curated OER
Problem Solving - A Part of Everyday Thinking
Students master the process of applying critical thinking to each and every problem/task that confronts them in their daily undertakings. Further, this activity can serve as a base reference and model for other problems that may arise.
Curated OER
Tuesdays with Morrie: Question-Answer Relationships
As part of their study of Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, class groups examine passages from the story and respond to a series of QAR questions.
Curated OER
If They Had Lived
Students explore the impact on society when a person dies prematurely from gun violence. They develop research and critical-thinking skills
Curated OER
Iraq's Latest Strategy: Suicide Attacks
This discussion based lesson plan focuses on the sensitive topic of suicide attacks or bombings used throughout history during times of militaristic upheaval. Learners read news stories, compose journal entries, and engage in a class...
Nebraska Department of Education
A Time Management Simulation
Middle schoolers participate in a simulation that underscores the importance of time management. The activity stresses the importance of organization, setting priorities, goal setting, and developing and maintaining a schedule.
Curated OER
Governance
Third graders participate in decision-making situations. In this social studies lesson plan students make connections between rules and laws and the purposes for those rules and laws. Students use critical and creative thinking skills to...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Yeast Cells Respire, Too (But Not Like Me and You)
Student observe and quantify the respiration that occurs in yeast-molasses cultures. They complete an effective experiment in order to examine how to think critically about the results.
Curated OER
Social Movements in American Politics
In this term paper assignment worksheet, students follow the provided steps and outline that requires them to research and write a paper about social movements in American politics.
Curated OER
Round One: Where Are They?
Are you looking to engage your class with logic questions? Here is a simple activity in which learners use critical thinking skills to solve two questions. Use as a center activity or as a whole class attention-grabber.
Learning for Justice
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman's 2014 Commencement Speech at Lewis and Clark College serves to inspire young scholars to investigate a problem in their community, to determine why the problem is important, and then to develop a plan for one thing...
Curated OER
Finding Meaning in the Badge
Children who are three to five years old study two rank badges from the Qing dynasty to develop an understanding of social rank, language skills, and symbolism. The lesson is discussion-based and requires learners to compare and contrast...
Newseum
When Tragedy Hits — Role-Playing a Breaking News Story
Young journalists engage in a role-playing exercise that asks them to consider the journalism and ethical issues raised by the coverage of the mass shootings at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. Pupils play the role of either a reporter...
Newseum
Is This Story Share-Worthy?
Young journalists use a "Is This Story Share-Worthy?" flowchart graphic to decide whether a story is worth sharing online. Instructors provide groups with fake news, poor quality stories, opinion pieces, biased news, and high-quality...
Curated OER
Understanding the Influence of the Media
Critically analyze advertising techniques, such as circular reasoning, bandwagon, testimonial, and repetition, with worksheets that effectively discuss and illustrate how the media aims to influence.
Curated OER
Gender Roles: Exposing Stereotypes
A series of activities help middle- and high-schoolers identify and explore gender stereotypes and how they can lead to violence and abuse. Use think-pair-share to activate whole class brainstorming about what it means to "be a man" and...