Barbie has been an iconic figure in the lives of girls since the 1950s, but her existence has been full of controversy. A lesson plan on style, format, and genre explores that controversy by looking at three texts with different...

Should Social Security be privatized, or is the government program fine just the way it is? Scholars read pro and con arguments and watch videos to learn more about the debate topic. Pupils also have an opportunity to interact with other...

A jury must decide: are the names of two businesses so similar that one is hurt by customer confusion? Learners play the role of a juror who must decide—and convince others—whether Trio Taco and Trio Pizza are too similar. Using...

What are the complicated legacies of the Vietnam War? Learners consider the question as they examine videos and primary sources from the conflict. After examining footage and documents such as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and an op-ed...

It looks like a cracker, but hardtack was anything but. The staple of the Civil War soldier's diet is one of many aspects of military life that scholars consider using letters from soldiers back home and images from slavery. A PowerPoint...

Get to know quadratics from a couple of different perspectives. Classmates work in small groups to determine the optimal cooking time for microwave popcorn. Group members pop bags of popcorn for different times and collect data on the...

Using discussion questions and a poster-creating activity, learners explore how the framework of the Constitution and its Bill of Rights help create safe communities. After listening to a song about the preamble and reading the Bill of...

A fish is not just a fish. So many fish in remote places have unique characteristics. Take a trip with an ichthyologist to the Congo River to discover the species of one of the most diverse fish populations in the world. The online...

Forming ethical arguments is sometimes a complicated task. Guide classes through a process for forming and presenting ethical opinions. Learners consider the views of all stakeholders on the impact of farming on the environment and the...

The final lesson in the "What Makes Democracy Work?" series examines the connections between imagination, literature, and democracy. Class members listen to a podcast, read an excerpt from Azar Nafisi's, The Republic of Imagination, and...

Once Americans won the Revolutionary War, their quest to gain land did not end. An interesting activity focuses on Americans' expansion into the frontier following the war and how it conflicted with Native Americans living in the area....

Scholars set a New Year's Resolution using a "Wham, Boom, Pow" format. Wham—learners identify who needs their help, boom—where could they improve in school, and pow—what can be done to better the world. With the help of the ideas listed,...

Two simulations highlight the feelings individuals experienced when immigrating to Angel Island. During the first simulation, scholars listen to and answer questions, divided based on their answers. The second simulation pins learners as...

After years of boiling tension, the presidency of Ronald Regan and the rise of Mikhail Gorbechev paved a new way forward for diplomacy between the United States and the Soviet Union. Using primary source documents, including letters...

The Boston Massacre is the focus of a instructional activity that explores primary sources. Scholars examine two primary source images and discuss the different perspectives on the historical event. After groups read a researched...

Take a look at climate change from another angle. Readers learn about the MISR instrument on the Terra satellite and how it studies Earth. Pupils experience how the multiple cameras give scientists multiple views so they can better study...

First impressions are crucial. Scholars read two excerpts from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. One describes the family's negative opinion of the hospital, while the other discusses their meeting a very kind doctor. Learners work...

Is that your final answer? As part of the last instructional activity, scholars finalize their research portfolios. They review all of their claim tools and gain the perspective of others as they discuss their work with a group. To...

Let's make some sense of those thoughts! Scholars continue thinking about the different perspectives on Pearl Harbor. They analyze quotes from War in the Pacific, Day of Infamy, and Fourteen-Part Message. Readers tape each quote to chart...

Explore capillary action from different perspectives. In the fourth installment of a nine-part series, scholars perform several experiments to observe capillary action. They look at the meniscus of water in a glass, observe capillary...

Students in an ESL classroom brainstorm their thoughts, fears and perceptions about HIV/AIDS. In groups, they review how one contracts the virus and how it affects them and their families. They read true stories about people living...

Middle schoolers identify different viewpoints in society. They describe the characteristics of some of the individuals involved in the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. They listen to a historical narrative and identify issues of...

Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning activity, students examine the accomplishments of Civil Rights leaders' as works of philanthropy. Students read literature regarding diversity and study the Selma to...

Twelfth graders explore values in global perspectives. They discuss values in popular films and complete a timeline of their personal, societal, and key events. They design a photograph that reflects the concept of values. They create...