PBS
Mark Twain: Storyteller, Novelist, and Humorist
Scholars investigate the use of satire in Mark Twain's writing. Literary lovers research the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, political cartoons, and videos to see how Twain uses satire to make the stories more memorable....
Curated OER
Miscast and Seldom Seen
Consider how well high schoolers' favorite TV shows, movies and video games reflect the diversity of society. The instructional activity introduces your class to several media literacy concepts, such as how media conveys values and...
Curated OER
Political Asylum Talk Show
Learners view videos, visit websites, and read about the nature and changes made to the idea of political asylum. Beginning with Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, they will explore policy change throughout the years. The lesson...
Cornell University
Fibers, Dyes, and the Environment
Nanofibers can be made through electrospinning or force spinning in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment. Pupils study the role of fibers and dye on the environment through a series of five hands-on activities. Then,...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Rights of the Child
Don't be fooled by the size of the resource: these few pages provide the blueprint for a substantial, thoughtful unit on children's rights and the different philosophies and approaches that the United States and other countries have...
Personal Genetics Education Project
Personalized Medicine
Genetics learners read an article and watch a video about personalized medicine and the hope it holds for treating patients more specifically than doctors currently are able to. They research, design, and produce a brochure about the...
Curated OER
Modern Issues
Ninth graders examine how modern issues of the world affect their lives. They listen to a lecture about the differences between developed and developing countries, act out physical representations of charts and pictures on the overhead,...
Curated OER
Current Issues Lesson 4: Local Police and Immigration Law: The Case of Special Order 40
Learners examine immigration issues. In this immigration lesson, students prepare for a panel discussion regarding Special Order 40 in Los Angeles as they read an article regarding the order and role play local lobbyists in the panel...
Curated OER
Water: Read All About It!
Middle schoolers discuss newspapers and water and work in groups to develop their own paper focusing on water issues. In this journalism lesson, students discuss the value of newspapers and water as an issue. They work as a group to...
Curated OER
Border Forum
Students read, analyze, and synthesize news reports on a current border issues. They prepare an oral presentation and written support documents which must clearly and accurately explain an issue to an audience which may be unfamiliar...
Curated OER
Through the Eyes of a Child
Students explore how documentaries can present realistic and sometimes difficult perspectives on events in our world. They choose current issues that interest them and create their own documentaries.
Curated OER
Your Angle on the Story
Students review several articles on same current event, and then cover news issues themselves while assuming secret identities of various individuals who have vested interests in issue. Students write newspaper articles from these...
Curated OER
Hemispheric Harmony
Students express their opinion on issues related to Central America. After reading an article, they discuss the relations between the Presidents of Mexico and the United States. Using the internet, they research a part of the party...
Curated OER
Pets are Popular with U.S. Presidents
Students discuss their pets and read about pets that have lived in the White House. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a vocabulary activity and pet survey, then the students read the news article and...
Curated OER
NYC Muslim Community Center: Why there? Why not?
Students examine religious diversity issues. In this current events lesson, students read the provided articles "Sacred Ground or Bridging a Cultural Divide?" "Multiple Views of the Proposed Muslim Center," and "Protests, a Bonfire, and...
Curated OER
Controversy over the NYC Muslim Community Center & the 9/11 Experience
Students investigate the controversial planned mosque at Ground Zero. In this current events lesson, students watch 3 public service announcement clips sponsored by the Council on American Islamic Relations and discuss their effectiveness.
Curated OER
Money in Elections:What is it Doing to America?
Students investigate the role of money in American elections. In this current events lesson, students read and discuss articles that address money and political campaigns. Students may conduct further research on the topics presented in...
Dream of a Nation
Group Presentation Assignment
Rather than waiting for the world to change, encourage your class members to become agents of change with a project that asks groups to select an issue found in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America....
Dream of a Nation
Read, Watch, Write for Pathos, Logos and Ethos
Encourage your young citizens to make a difference. Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America as a starting point, class members watch documentaries, investigate issues, and then write letters to...
Dream of a Nation
Congressional Debate
Should junk food be banned in schools? Should the US open its borders to all immigrants? Should the US impose term limits for the House of Representatives and for the Senate? Using Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a...
Curated OER
Wiki Comment: The News and You
Kids explore the world of news media by creating a wiki page. They will create a wiki page on the Internet in order to comment on and question the stories that take place in the world. They will practice creative writing by summarizing...
Mascil Project
Design and Build Your Own Vacuum Cleaner, Hair Dryer or Toy Car
No vacuum cleaner? No problem, just build your own. Scholars apply knowledge of currents to build a model of either a vacuum clear, a hair dryer, or a toy car. While the class completes the activity, instructors consider gender...
Curated OER
Conflict Resolution in the World Today: Introduction to Current World conflicts, their Antecendents, the Progression, and their Potential Conclusions
Students write a paragraph describing a conflict they had with a friend or a family member and a paragraph explaining how it was resolved. In this social science lesson, students share their paragraphs with a partner and then will...
Curated OER
Mid-term Elections: The Impact of Local and National Issues
High schoolers discuss the right to vote and the significance of mid-term elections. They research and discuss mid-term issues and the importance of voting in these elections.