Curated OER
Faith-Based Initiatives
Students examine faith-based initiatives. In this religion and ethics lesson, students consider the separation of church and state in the United States as they examine government funding of social service programs that are affiliated...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Campaign Finance Reform
Students develop arguments for and against campaign finance reform, examine federal and state laws that attempt to limit contributions to political candidates, evaluate various plans for campaign finance reform and formulate their own...
Curated OER
Hurricane Katrina: You Be the Reporter
Students work in a small group to create news stories, feature stories and editorials/letters to the editor and organize them in a podcast, video-based program, or newspaper/magazine focused on Hurricane Katrina.
Curated OER
Government Policy and Its Impact on HIV/AIDS
Learners examine "President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief", identify important U.S. policy events related to AIDS/HIV from the last 25 years and hold a policy debate on the funding for AIDS/HIV programs.
Curated OER
The Return of the Taliban
Students view a news program from Frontline. They discover who the Taliban are and identify their locations on maps. They compare and contrast the changes in Pakistan from 2004 to 2006.
PBS
Making Change: Revolutionary Tactics of the Civil Rights Movement
The film American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs introduces viewers to the differing philosophies of and strategies employed by 1960s civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. and the debate over...
Curated OER
Visualizing Jazz Scenes From the Harlem Renaissance
Learners identify themes of selected nonfiction, fiction, poetry and art to Harlem Renaissance jazz and describe the impact of jazz on African-American literature of the Harlem Renaissance
PBS
The Planets of the Solar System
Launch a lesson that's sure to capture middle schoolers' interest! Exploration enthusiasts examine the planets of our solar system using an activity from PBS's Space series. The resource includes images and information for each planet,...
Curated OER
I Don't Ever Want to Smoke!
Students investigate the negative health effects of smoking. They listen to the book "Dog Breath" by Dav Pilkey, watch and discuss a PBS Mr. Roger's video clip, and create a list with their families of activities they like to do together.
Curated OER
All in the Family
Students examine activities they can do with their family to encourage exercising as a family. They listen to and discuss the book Mama Zooms, and watch a video clip from the PBS show Zoboomafoo. They create a "Things I Like To Do With...
Curated OER
That's Exercise?
Young scholars examine a variety of ways to exercise and keep their bodies strong. They make letters of the alphabet with their bodies and listen to the book Baseball Brothers. Students watch a video clip from the PBS show Teletubbies,...
Curated OER
Getting Up the Nerve
Middle schoolers examine the basics of the nervous system through an interactive program. They discover how the brain is linked to muscle movement. They can test cells through the interactive program to see how it reacts to different...
Curated OER
Religion and Ethics: Living with Special Needs
Students explore human behavior by exploring mental and physical disabilities. In this learning disability lesson plan, students identify the different disabilities students have which prevent them from working at the same pace as the...
Curated OER
Steroids: The Hard Truth
Students view a PBS "In the Mix" video about the use of steroids. They identify health risks, consider the emotional consequences of drug abuse and discuss the legal ramifications. They also research a variety of nutritional supplements.
Curated OER
Divorce And Stepfamilies: Breaking Apart, Coming Together
Pupils view a PBS "In the Mix" video about the challenges teens face when their parents divorce and/or remarry. They participate in a class discussion about the video, role-play related situations and explore media depictions of...
Curated OER
Live By the Gun, Die By the Gun
Students view a PBS "In the Mix" video about handgun violence and gun safety laws. They participate in a discussion about the video, speculate about the causes of gun violence and its prevalence in the U.S. and identify current gun laws.
Curated OER
Patagonia or Namib, Where Do I Belong?
Young scholars compare and contrast the African Ostrich from the Namib Desert and the Rhea from Patagonia. They watch and discuss a PBS video, identify and record characteristics of each bird in their science journal, and create...
Curated OER
Happiness is a Warm Puppy
Students view the film "Dogs: The Early Years" from PBS then participate in different activities revolving around dogs. After researching different breeds, students select a dog that best fits their personality and living situation as...
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Killing Fields
Students view a television program that explores people's perceptions and expectations in war prior to and after WWI. They discuss the effects of trench warfare and write a journal entry or short oral report reflecting on their...
Curated OER
On the Line
Students view a television program that traces the use of the assembly line in mass production and the subsequent conflict between workers' rights and management. They analyze and discuss the portrayal of the American worker over time...
Curated OER
Guerilla Warfare
Students view a television program comparing conventional and guerilla warfare. They compare and contrast guerilla movements in Cuba, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Students also consider the American Revolutionary War from the perspective of...
Hotchalk
Affluenza Teacher's Guide
Affluenza will expose students to the problem of overconsumption and its effects on society and the environment. The one-hour program takes a hard, sometimes humorous look at the American passion for shopping, and how it leads to debt...
Curated OER
Fractions and Decimals and Percents; Oh, My!
Fourth graders watch a PBS video about fractions, percents and decimals. They fill in fraction circles and rename them in decimals and percents. They visit and interact on a fractions, decimals and percents website and solve problems.
Curated OER
People Power
Students view a television program that explores many Eastern European residents' discontentment with communism. They work in groups to research living conditions in an Eastern European country before communism, under communism and...