Lesson Plan
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Land, Liberty and the Struggle for the American Dream

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class.  In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...
Lesson Plan
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In King's Words

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students analyze writings of Mr. Martin Luther King Jr. They read and discuss an article, and in pairs, research and analyze a written work or speech by Dr. King, create a mixed media collage to represent the text, and write an artist...
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The Gettysburg Address (1863): Defining the American Union

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students explore the Gettysburg Address. For this U. S. history lesson, students examine Abraham Lincoln's speech and it's themes of freedom, equality, and emancipation.
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Understanding Human Rights Through One Woman's Struggle: Aung San Suu Kyi

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Young scholars analyze human rights in the international community. In this human rights instructional activity, students explore the United Nations, and the Declaration of Human Rights. Young scholars read about Aung San Suu Kyi and...
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Keeping It Quiet

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider ways in which countries use censorship to control information. They examine China's recent abridgement of a politician's speech and consider China's recent history with other nations to better explain why censorship is...
Lesson Plan
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King Campaigns in Birmingham

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders discuss the contributions of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.  In this civil rights movement lesson, 11th graders read Rev. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", answer questions about the letter, share their...
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Martin Luther King Jr.: From Civil Rights to Human Rights

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners read essays and participate in a discussion that examines Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stance on both civil rights and the broader issue of human rights. They conduct research about King's life and work, analyze quotes from his...
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Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn what goals Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had when he wanted to change the inequality of the United States.
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Should Your Hairstyle Be A Constitutional Right?

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners examine the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. In this U.S. government lesson, students read the Amendments and interpret them in order to respond to essential questions regarding constitutional rights.
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Civil Rights: An Investigation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students take a closer look at the political side of the American Civil Rights Movement. In this 20th century American history lesson, students research the contributions of President Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and J. Edgar...
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United States v. Thomas Cooper --

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners compare the Alien and Sedition Act to the First Amendment. They read and analyze a primary document and write a synopsis. They brainstorm challenges to the Government or President of the US.
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Trial Simulation Project on First Amendment Cases

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in research and role play to discover the history and importance of certain First Amendment court cases. They act out the cases in different roles in order to understand different perspectives from the prosecution to the...
Lesson Plan
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Researching American Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare Watergate and the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students define vocabulary terms and read articles regarding the impeachment process. Students respond to questions that require them to...
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Democracy

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the denial of rights to individuals in the United States.  For this American Government lesson, 11th graders study President Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech.  Students create a presentation on the...
Lesson Plan
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Frederick Douglas

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the African Americans resistance to slavery. In this US History lesson, 4th graders read excerpts of a speech by Frederick Douglas.Students develop a position of right or wrong to certain situations within...
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A Time to Break Silence

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders investigate Martin Luther King's decision to speak out against the war in Vietnam.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders read excerpts of MLK's speech.  Students examine why King made the decision to...
Lesson Plan
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Abolitionists in U.S. History

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read and discuss excerpts from the writings of Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Douglass and Sarah Parker Redmond. They compare and contrast the views of the three abolitionists concentrating on the experiences and reasons for...
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The Cold War: Anti-Communism at Home

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders take a closer look at the Red Scare. In this Cold War lesson, 11th graders read the provided literature about anti-communism in the United States and then respond to the provided discussion questions that accompany the...
Worksheet
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Dalai Lama

For Students 4th - 8th
In this famous person instructional activity, students read a passage about the Dalai Lama and then complete a variety of in-class and homework activities to support comprehension, including partner interviews, spelling,...
Lesson Plan
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Creating an Ethnic Student Newspaper

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the role of the Black Press. In this African American history lesson, students watch segments of a video titled, " Too Long to Have Others Spoken for Us." Students respond to discussion questions regarding each of the...
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The Kennedy Administration and the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students evaluate the Kennedy Administration's involvement in the civil rights movement. In this Civil rights lesson plan, students read and take notes from speeches connected to the historic March on Washington from the National...
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Creating a New Media in the Arab World

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students explore the pros and cons of government-sponsored media into a war-torn country and determine whether the news will be considered information or propaganda.
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Two Constitutions

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a teacher-lead discussion about the United States Constitution and the California State Constitution. They compare the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution with Califonia's Declaration of...
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Live Paintings

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students research various works of art, write essays, and create live performance art pieces in this 2-day Art, History, and/or Language Arts instructional activity for 7th and 8th grade. The use of a digital camera to capture the...