Teaching Ideas
The Aztecs
Did you know the Aztecs had two different calendars? Or that Aztec men could have more than one wife? Find out more about this ancient civilization including how they lived, what they ate, and their cultures and beliefs with a set of 20...
Curated OER
Paper Fortune Tellers for Exploring Upsetting Emotions
What kinds of thoughts help us to cope with problems and approach difficult situations? Support learners on the autism spectrum in exploring their emotions and considering the connection between our thoughts and our feelings using one of...
Theodore Roosevelt Association
Defining America's Role in the World
As the first American president to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and only one of four presidents to do so in United States history, Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy achievements and preservation of peace are often overshadowed by his...
American Museum of Natural History
What's the Big Idea About Archeology
The American Museum of Natural History offers a website sure to engage young anthropologists. Learners can dig into a site that offers an explanation of the field of archaeology, the kinds of questions archaeologists ask that launch...
Museum of the Moving Image
Developing Critical Analysis
To gain an understanding of how images and sounds are used to influence viewers, class members analyze these features in Presidential campaign commercials from 1952-2012.
National Constitution Center
Abraham Lincoln's Crossroads
History enthusiasts participate in an interactive website that brings Abraham Lincoln to life as he shares his personal experiences between 1854-1864. Scholars listen and read carefully to form their own opinions and discover if they...
Diversity and Dialogue
Communication and Trust-Building Exercises
Help learners build trust and develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills with a variety of interactive activities outlined in this resource.
Visa
Home Sweet Home: Purchasing a Place
While the process of buying a home can certainly be overwhelming, give your young adults a leg up for their future by introducing them to the components of a mortgage, as well as exploring the basic concept of credit and how to become...
Global Oneness Project
At-Risk Communities
"Waiting to Move," a photo essay by Ciril Jazbec, brings into sharp focus the threats posed by climate change. Class members examine images of Shishmaref Island and the Native Alaskan Inupiate coastal villages that are impacted by rising...
Classics for Kids
A Composer Leads the Way
What song is playing? A music activity focuses on composers throughout history, their famous works, and the instruments in each piece. As pupils complete the instructional activity they play a short game to review music theory terms.
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Day
Teaching class members all about the importance and meaning behind Veterans Day with an informative resource. Pupils complete a classroom activity guide and individual research to learn more about the brave men and women who defend the...
Reading Through History
Early History and Exploration Unit
We all know about Christopher Columbus, but who else explored the Americas, and specifically, the future United States of America? Learners find out these answers and more in a resource that includes four different reading sections,...
Institute for Humane Education
Selling "Boy" and "Girl"
Monster trucks, action figures, and video games. Are these toys designed for boys or girls? Scholars work in small groups to find and categorize examples of boy and girl toys from catalogs. Next, learners analyze the two sets of pictures...
Macmillan Education
Your Year Covered
Feeling stuck? Want to energize the class? Use activities such as quizzes and fill-in-the-blank worksheets to get class members' attention with a year's worth of holiday celebrations. From Mother's Day to Robert Burns's birthday,...
Curated OER
Virtual Connections
Students use prior knowledge to develop a survey on their peers' habits and preferences regarding video games and online gaming. They examine the social aspect of online gaming by discussing "Where Warriors and Ogres Lock Arms Instead of...
Curated OER
Direction March
Students participate in a game that explores map reading skills and intermediate directions. The teacher turns over a direction card for each player or team and announces the move, and they move towards a designated cardinal or...
Curated OER
Playing Dirty
Young scholars consider the effects of video games on students. In this current events lesson, young scholars visit selected websites to study video game ratings, their effects on children, and the violence in the games.
Curated OER
North, South, East, or West
Students participate in a game to learn cardinal directions. In this map skills instructional activity, students move around the room using cardinal directions.
Curated OER
Olympic Challenges
Students consider the impact of the Olympic Games. In this current events lesson, students prepare for the 2006 Olympics by visiting selected websites to learn how the Olympic games began, political issues of the games, and preview the...
Curated OER
A Case Study of Racial Prejudice and Discrimination
Middle schoolers participate in a simulated form of discrimination as they divide into groups of blue-eyed and non-blue-eyed students. They reflect on their experiences during the role-play and compare their observations to the former...
Curated OER
The Athens Olympics
Students explore the history of the Olympics. They read a story about London's bid to host the Olympic games. In groups, students produce an arena for the Olympics and create a creed for the competition. Students discuss and share...
Curated OER
That's NorthEastWestSouth to Me!
Students demonstrate north, south, east and west. In groups, students participate in games to decide what directions a specific bear must travel. They play a "Simon Says" game to develop single step directions. Students listen to and...
Curated OER
Explanation Expedition
In this clever research lesson, student groups research certain cultural aspects of a foreign country, and fill out a worksheet with notes. In this note taking lesson, 5th graders write about the environment, entertainment, art, and...
Curated OER
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Students identify and analyze map symbols and map grids by completing various worksheets and creating their own map using these skills. Students identify and analyze what latitude and longitude are on a map to play a game of Bingo....