National History Day
No More Sticks and Stones: Technological Advancements in World War I Warfare
Remind young historians that many technological advancements influenced the events of World War I. After analyzing technology's evolution through primary sources, discussing the changes over time, and watching various video clips,...
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Hong Kong Symphony: Heaven, Earth, Mankind
Students complete a unit on the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. They watch and discuss a documentary, write an essay about unification, conduct Internet research on three artists from the film, complete a data sheet, and...
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The Ultimate Athletic Background
Eighth graders analyze the criteria used to identify "Soul of a Champion" athletes. In this Current Events lesson, 8th graders write, edit and organize a script for a “live” documentary on the athlete. Students rehearse and perform...
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High School Sikh Lesson Plan
Students examine post 9/11 backlash. In this hate crimes lesson, students watch "Dastaar," a documentary featuring Sikh discrimination. Students discuss their impressions of the documentary.
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Young and Restless in China
Students examine push and pull factors at work in China. In this modern China lesson, students research primary and secondary sources in electronic and print formats to investigate the plight of migrant workers in China today. Students...
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Undercover in the Secret State
Learners examine the current conditions in North Korea. They view and analyze a CNN documentary, research a dissident, answer and discuss questions about the documentary on conditions in North Korea, and identify the technology used by...
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Hollywood and Higher Learning
Learners watch a varietry of films showing college life. In groups, they take different scenerios from the films and determine how they would have reacted. As a class, they discuss more in depth the issues they might face in college. ...
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A Bishop's Description of the Christianized Indians of Spanish Florida, 1675
Students explore mission life in La Florida as observed by a Spanish bishop who visited in the 1670s. In this Spanish Florida lesson, students recognize the value of primary sources in illuminating the past and consider factors such as...
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Fidel Castro: El Comandante
Students view a documentary on Fidel Castro. After nearly forty years of rule, he remains one of the most controversial political figures of the twentieth century. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and research the Cuban...
Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Choosing to Remember
Mamie Till, the mother of Emmett Till and civil rights activist, believed that her son's murder was the last straw before public outrage over racial injustice spilled over into the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. A history...
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Rights and Responsibilities: Grass Born to Be Stepped On
Students research an event in history in which rights and responsibilities are involved. They create a movie of the information they find.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Albert Sabin and Bioethics: Testing at the Chillicothe Federal Reformatory
Do the ends justify the means? Getting a drug approved in the US is a long and involved process. But at some point out, it involves testing on humans. The ethics of such testing is the focus of a resource that uses Dr. Albert...
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Trade Secrets
Young analysists explore how global trade and free market policies might personally affect them. They read an article, view a series of documenteries, and engage in a class discussion. Great instructional activity!
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The Influence of Hip Hop
Young scholars consider the influence of Hip Hop on their own language use and various segments of American society; they reflect on and demonstrate their knowledge of Hip Hop vocabulary and its use.
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The Debate in the United States over the League of Nations
Students investigate Woodrow Wilson's ideas for peace through the League of Nations. They examine how he attempted to encourage American support for the League and the opposition to it that was found in the Senate.
Brooklyn Museum
Lorna Simpson: Gathered
Lorna Simpson is a photographer who has put together a collection of photos from the 1950s in order to challenge the idea that primary source documents are objective in their portrayal of history. Learners are introduced to Ms. Simpson's...
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No Bigger Than a Minute
Students view a video clip about ideas displayed through images. They work together to analyze paintings and complete activities. They discuss how media representation of an issue can affect one's viewpoint.
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A Historical Presentation
Eighth graders review a chosen social studies topic that was covered during the school year. They research the topic using a variety of sources. Students create a documentary about their topic and they create a PowerPoint presentation...
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Watching the People: 2
Students answer specific questions on the current economic climate in China. They see effects of economic reforms on people they have met in the documentary and provide the impetus for "conversation" among the people students have met in...
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KS3 Citizenship: Cathy Come Home (1966)
High schoolers view, critique and analyze a moving drama that offers a way into looking at housing problems today. They become aware of the issues, conditions and emotional side of sliding into poverty, debt and homelessness through the...
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Confict, Consensus, and Conclusion
Students debate the key issues dealing with women's rights and the rights of African Americans during and after the Civil War. They analyze the women's rights movement in relationship to the desire for suffrage. They utilize the...
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Affluenza
Students are introduced to the "disease" of affluenza. After watching a documentary, they identify the forces that have changed the nation into a consumer society. As a class, they discuss ways to avoid catching on to this phenomenon.
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Maquilapolis: Examining Incentives in a Market Economy
Students discuss the factors that influenced them to purchase a particular item. They work together to read and identify incentives of a character. They view a video on the topic as well.
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Fallen Angels
Students read the novel, Fallen Angels, and examine the theme of coming of age during the Vietnam War. They create timelines of the 1960s, highlighting important issues of the era. They write research papers focusing on one particular...