Based on a New York Times article, "The College Drop-Out Boom," participants in a fishbowl discussion formulate and express opinions about the correlation between level of education, career options, and economic mobility. Ample...

Study the impact and possible outcomes of the Exxon-Mobil merger in your language arts, social studies, or economics class. Secondary learners evaluate a series of graphs, write a paragraph interpreting the data, and engage in class...

Is laughter really the best medicine? Middle and high schoolers discuss the truth behind this adage by reading and discussing a New York Times article about Dr. Patch Adams. They participate in a round-table debate in response to...

Students explore 19th century American artwork.  In this cross curriculum New York history and art appreciation lesson, students view a reproduction of the painting "Situation of America, 1848," and identify visual symbols and...

Introduce your class to ghostwriting while practicing comprehension. From The New York Times' The Learning Network, this article covers the topic of ghostwriting for cookbooks. There are blank spaces and a word bank. Learners can use the...

Who cares about manners anyway? According to the New York Times, Mrs. Mason does. Learners read and consider an article which addresses the decline of manners and the impact it has on society. They answer seven critical thinking...

Use this economic activity to focus on writing summaries of informational text. First, middle schoolers define common economic terms used to describe news about the economy. They closely read news about the federal budget deficit and...

Create an expert guide to local businesses in this lesson. Through research, young readers consider their local businesses and the services they provide, paying attention to any conflicting information they might find. Working in groups,...

Learners share their opinions in a brainstorming session on the factors that contribute to their quality of life. They read the article "Life Is Better; It Isn't Better. Which Is It?," from the NY Times and discuss the article as a...

How do the films we watch affect our purchasing behavior? Considering the profiles of given consumer demographics, the class analyzes real advertisements and the effectiveness of their power on consumerism. THey create posters that...

Young scholars explore recent research linking economic status with student behavior. They design their own studies that investigate how different variables are related to student performance in particular subject areas.

From Mr. Merdle to Mr. Madoff? A viewing of the PBS adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Little Dorrit” launches an examination of greedy characters in literature and a study of greed, unfairness, and economic hardship today. The richly...

Pupils research one of the many urban race riots in U.S. history, from the New York City riots during the Civil War to the "Red Summer of 1919" or the hate-strikes of 1943. They present their findings in the form of a newspaper's front...

Students reflect on the value of a penny. They examine how working families endure economic hardships with the help of charities. They create their own philanthropic event to raise money for a charity.

Students explore how companies describe their products and services. They write business plans for companies based on their interests or needs.

Is, as Walt Whitman contends, America’s “almost maniacal appetite for wealth,” the heart of the American dream? Class members grapple with this question as they read David Brooks’ article “The Commercial Republic,” and quotes that...

Students explore reasons for making a particular purchase and examine one strategy Wal-Mart stores used to keep prices low. They research and compare two companies that make similar products using different business philosophies.

Students choose a professional field of interest, consider what modern day or historical figure they would most like to assist, research the economy & its effect on support staff/entry-level jobs in that field, and create a strategy...

Students explore personal and public responsibility in dealing with social inequality. They conduct research and participate in a discussion about the effect of Hurricane Katrina in regard to racial and economic equality in the United...

Students examine India's caste system. After learning about the history and development of the caste system, students discuss how new political power granted to women in lower castes is affecting the political and social climate of India.

Students research and write a radio or television news special on some of Silicon Valley's most successful companies. For homework, they write lead-ins commenting on new developments and reactions to them.

Students research the history of the Statue of Liberty and the symbols associated with it. They read and discuss Emma Lazarus' poem and why it should persuade people to donate money to bring the statue to America. Students role-play as...

Learners explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning instructional activity, students examine stereotypes and discrimination based on socio-economic status. Learners prepare to work with people of diverse backgrounds in...

Students identify cooking sounds and share opinions about their associations. After reading an article, they discover the growth of radio cooking shows. They prepare an outline and script for a cooking program and present their...