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Mock Trial
Young scholars rewrite a traditional fairy tale to represent the viewpoint of the villain. They participate in a mock trial of that villain in which all regular court participants (judge, jury, defendant, witnesses, plaintiff, etc) play...
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The Value of a Nation's Currency Goes Beyond Its Price
Sixth graders explore the connection between a nation's currency and its values by analyzing dollars, francs and euros. They discuss how the mottoes, designs, and portraits imprinted on currency are a reflection of heritage and cultural...
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Magnificent Mexico
Students complete a variety of activities in a unit about the art, culture, and traditions of Mexico. They read books about the Day of the Dead, create a skeleton puppet, and create a traditional Mexican tissue paper cutting. Students...
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Martin Luther King Jr.: From Civil Rights to Human Rights
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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Collars, Curtains and Kings: Exploring the History of Lace
Students design to explore the world of objects as related to lace. Students will create a lace mural highlighting what they learn about the world of lace. Students brainstorm ideas via the internet websites.
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When Property Rights and the Public Good Clash
Middle schoolers analyze a case involving a government's use of eminent
domain powers to construct a comprehension of property rights and how they might be viewed as essential protections for citizens in a constitutional democracy. They...
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Comparing Books to 13th Century Manuscripts
Students compare modern-day books to manuscripts from the 13th century. In this comparative literature instructional activity, students observe various manuscripts and resources from given links. Websites and links are included along...
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The Value of a Nation's Currency Goes Beyond its Price
Sixth graders understand the meaning of pictures and words on currency. In this currency lesson, 6th graders examine currency to find cultural relationships with a country. Students locate symbols of the country on the currency. Students...
Facing History and Ourselves
How Do Rules and Traditions Shape Communities?
Sixth graders explore the concepts of laws and customs in a community, examining the reasoning behind rules. Then then collaborate to write their own classroom code of conduct.
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Branding and Marketing Religion
Students explore religious worship. In this marketing religion lesson plan, students examine their own religious beliefs and practices as they investigate religious outreach practices.
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"Tree of Peace": Critical Thinking About Revolution to Global Conflict
Tenth graders explore the importance of peace in society. In this Global History lesson, 10th graders create a common vocabulary for the different elements that exist in a peaceful society. Students discover the connections...
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Putting a Spin on Current Events
Students discover propaganda. In this Greek mythology lesson, students discuss meanings of ancient art work with their class. Students investigate the dishonesty behind propaganda.
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Lesson III: Crisis, Pearl Harbor, Internment
The third in a series of lessons introduced by “A Fence Away From Freedom,” uses the Smithsonian website, “A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution” and focuses on the section of the presentation devoted to the...
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George Washington and Slavery: The 1799 Census of Slaves
Students discover details about the slave community at Mt. Vernon. In this George Washington lesson, students examine Washington's 1799 Slave Census in order to determine what life was like for slaves of the first president. An analysis...
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Surveying our First President
Middle schoolers act as surveyors. In this George Washington lesson, students read transcriptions from Washington's surveying journal and then try surveying skills on their own.
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American Colonists Protest Song
Students explore the role of protest songs. In this early American history lesson, students research the acts passed by the British that angered colonists. Students then listen to protest songs from contemporary American history prior to...
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Desertification
Students investigate the process of desertification in the Sahel region of Africa. They discuss photos from a National Geographic magazine, analyze the physical/political map of the Sahara, identify the causes and effects of...
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Seeing Art in Historical Context: An Activity to Promote Visual Literacy
Students consider works of art in their historical context. In this art in historical context lesson, students are encouraged to think about and record their prior knowledge of the historical period and to make inferences about the...
Facing History and Ourselves
What Does It Mean to Belong?
After reading and analyzing The 'In' Group by Eve Shalen, sixth graders consider how the categorization of people results in exclusion, discrimination, and injustice.
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Establishing the Presidency
Students consider how George Washington influenced the presidency. In this presidential history worksheet, students discuss the precedents Washington set and analyze a letter that Washington sent to James Madison.
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The arly Suffragists
Middle schoolers explore the suffragist movement through this futuristic lesson about the loss and creation of a commemorative stamp to honor a women's Suffrage Pioneer. The lesson takes us to 2080 and back to the 1800's to complete the...
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Using Primary Source Documents in the Classroom
Students use primary documents to explore the past. They consider the source of the documents and identify and biases that the author may have held. They identify any questions about the historical event that may remain after reading the...
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Lesson Plan on China
Seventh graders read and discuss the basic beliefs of Confucianism through words of Confucius himself, then find examples of how some Confucian beliefs are still at the center of society, while other beliefs have changed.
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Comparison of hometown life with that of life in a Canadian city
Students research cultural characteristics of a Canadian city with that of their home town. They complete a map handout, providing the relative location on a large map and the absolute location on a provincial map. Students work together...