Curated OER
A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History
The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...
Museum of Tolerance
Documents That Shape Society
The Bill of Rights is a foundational document of American democracy, much like the Nuremberg Laws were a foundational document of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany. But that's where their similarities end. Engage high schoolers in a...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Enterprise and Commerce
Using Mark Twain's The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, invite your learners to consider the concept of virtue in a democratic society devoted to gain and self-interest. This stellar resource guides your class members through a close...
Curated OER
Barnyard Protest: Cows, Chickens & Fundamental Freedoms
Here is an ambitious and engaging lesson that should help elementary schoolers begin to develop a basic understanding of human rights. Pupils are asked to think about their own rights, the rights of others, and how an individual's voice...
Curated OER
Community Treasures (Rivers and Trees): An Integrated Curriculum Unit
Third graders demonstrate an understanding of geography and its effects on lifestyles and culture. Then they apply basic economic terms and principles
and identify the United States government and history. Students also identify and...
Curated OER
Participatory Citizenship
Students explore U.S. politics by completing a class project. In this National policy activity, students review and compare the National Service Act of 1990 and the Kennedy Service Act and the importance of service in the U.S.A. Students...
Curated OER
Learning from the Past: A New Approach
Young scholars research nonprofit organizations. As they research, they learn how those living in the colonial period formed community organizations to provide for the common good of their society. Each pupil chooses one organization to...
Curated OER
Are There Any Heroes Out There?
Students explore political candidates' viewpoints on issues that contribute to the "common good." In this political candidates lesson plan, students read and view mixed media to identify political issues that contribute to a civil...
Curated OER
Helping Ourselves: Why Philanthropy Works
Young scholars discover the concept of philanthropy. In this civics activity, students investigate the role of philanthropy in our society, and how it makes life better for all.
Curated OER
Safe Cyberpals
Students compare cyberpals and face to face friends. They explain that a cyberpal is still a stranger. They recall that private information should not be given to anyone in cyberspace without permission of a parent of teacher. Students...
Curated OER
Canada Belongs to Us All
Tenth graders have the opportunity to meet with people in their own school who have not lived in Canada their entire lives. They describe fundamental beliefs and values associated with democratic citizenship.
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
Vaclav Havel: Free Expression
Develop an understanding of universal human rights, particularly the freedom of expression, with the questions and activities that analyze the conflicts of Vaclav Havel. Learners define, interpret and rephrase the human rights article in...
Tennessee State Museum
Deciphering the Document: Unlocking the Meaning of the Emancipation Proclamation
Help your learners truly understand the Emancipation Proclamation by asking them the put it into their own words. After reading the document out loud to the class, and briefly discussing the legal language, split your class into small...
Curated OER
"History of My Family"
Young scholars explore world geography by participating in a family history project. In this U.S.S.R. instructional activity, students read assigned text regarding the Stalinist era of Russia and the intolerance that thrived there. Young...
Curated OER
Branches of Government
Students explore the three branches of government. In this government and U.S. history lesson, students listen to a story about a boy who attempts to sponsor a bill to ban cartoons. Students interview three teachers who each represent...
Curated OER
Developing Kids with Character Through Service Learning
Students discover service learning and how it can help them build character. In this community lesson, students brainstorm ways they can assist their classmates with problems, and write about it in their journal. Students...
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Families and Neighborhoods
Students build their own neighborhood. In this lesson on community, students are introduced to books about families and neighborhoods. As a class, the students create their own neighborhood, elect a leader for their neighborhood and...
Curated OER
Friday Forum (Day 4)
Have your young speakers participate in a discussion/debate with their whole class on their prepared argument. They listen and analyze other student's arguments and refute arguments using logic and not emotion.
Curated OER
Westward Expansion
Learners explore the Westward Expansion Movement of U.S. history. In this Westward movement lesson, students use primary and secondary source documents research personal accounts of those who travelled west during the era....
Curated OER
Social Studies: Commemorative Quarter Designs
Students research symbols from Texas history and make selections for quarter designs. In addition, they include written explanations to accompany their drawings. Coin designs cultural background and visually represent patriotism and...
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Public Art Exchange Project
Twelfth graders use the Internet to search for information, communicate with others and create a web page to exchange types of public art. They work together to scan photographs on to the internet and write descriptions. They present...
Curated OER
Philanthropy And Children Who Are Homeless Lesson 2: Was the Orphan Train Philanthropic?
Middle schoolers study the lives of homeless children who rode the Orphan Train by reading first person essays of the children's experiences. They examine what rights were denied to the homeless children during the late 1800's and decide...
Curated OER
Can You Make a Difference?
Students write and present a speech. In this service instructional activity, students read an anecdote adapted from The Star Thrower and discuss their feelings about their ability to make a difference in the world. Students make a...
Curated OER
Long-Term Goals
Students set long-term and short-term goals. In this character education lesson, students determine whether goals that they write for themselves are long-term or short-term.