Learners examine democratic values. In this current events lesson plan, students watch video clips about rebellions on Tunisia and Egypt. Learners respond to the provided discussion questions and participate in a critical thinking...

Learners conduct research on the events of the end of the 18th century in order to identify critical factors leading to the development of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican political parties. They summarize the key positions of...

Students formulate their own opinions about the issues in an election campaign through a critical examination of political advertisements, candidate debates, and political cartoons.

Learners critically evaluate young peoples' comments on under age drinking. They map out valleys tieing together communities and drinking problems in a variety of situation. In addition, they correlate drinking and education in schools...

Observe images and discuss what messages they convey. In this critical thinking lesson plan, students determine whether works of art are trying to persuade their audience. They also consider the media and how they communicate messages to...

Students study the Reconstruction Era after the US Civil War. In this Reconstruction lesson set, students examine the problems that were encountered by the South after the Civil War, look at different plans for Reconstruction, and...

Fifth graders recognize the steps to create a territory, a district and a state.  In this Iowa lesson, 5th graders discuss the three capitals and their importance.  Students recognize the key people in the development of Iowa....

Students explore the role of women as Congressional leaders. In this women's rights lesson, students identify and investigate the impact of women representatives and senators in the U.S. Legislative Branch. Comprehension questions, data,...

Students study late twentieth-century African American satirical literature as well as its cultural antecedents. they analyze and discuss, within the contexts of race and gender, the social criticism of the middle classes presented by...

Students create their own girandoles using common art products and Model Magic in this cross-curricular lesson suitable for the Art or Social Studies classroom. This lesson includes a short vocabulary list.

Students view a variety of artwork to determine the history and lifestyle of people from New Haven, Connecticut. In groups, they develop their individual hypothesis about why the paintings were created and share them with their group...

Students research the effects of the Industrial Revolution through art and satire. In this Industrial Revolution instructional activity, students complete a Venn diagram, a symbolism study, a satire study, and complete an art activity to...

Students study public issues and become more aware of local issues.  For this economics instructional activity students are given some local controversial issues and several viewpoints to analyze.  They then research and review...

In this 1960s and 1970s America worksheet, learners review a chapter as they define 7 vocabulary terms, eliminate 5 false statements, and identify 3 historical themes pertaining to American society during the 2 decades.

Seventh graders explore the history, geography, and culture of ancient Egypt. They research daily life and compare it with their present lives. Students, in pairs, trace their body outlines on poster paper and work individually to use...

Third graders create Powerpoint presentations of various geographic regions of the United States. They focus on the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions. Students combine their individual slides into a class presentation.

Third graders create Powerpoint presentations about the five themes of geography in regions of the United States. They focus on the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions. Students use both pictures and words in their shows.

Young scholars examine the Apartheid system of South Africa through a role-play activity. The role-play activity ends with a class discussion on how the events affected each individual. A class discussion continues after reading an...

Students evaluate First Amendment case decisions by the Supreme Court. they divide into three groups - Supreme Court justices, prosecution attorneys, and defense lawyers. Both sides present their arguments and the justices deliver...

Students use the Library of Congress Website to locate information for a world cultures project. They select countries to research, investigate visa information, currency, climate, and accommodations. Students follow the directions on...

In this simple machines learning exercise, learners read about the pyramids and the simple machines used to build them. They answer three critical thinking questions about the building of the pyramids.

Middle schoolers can analyze primary source documents to answer the question, "Why did the Aztec and Inca civilizations disappear?" They will read the provided excerpts then answer 11 different questions to uncover the ultimate answer.

If you teach health, sociology, ethics, or a class that addresses controversial issues, this resource related to schools' sex education programs may be useful. The New York Times' Learning Network provides a lengthy article on a unique...

What a cool worksheet! The full set of our Constitutional Amendments are included in this resource which helps learners know how to answer 10 questions intended to build an understanding of constitutional and unconstitutional actions.