Curated OER
The Wonders of Ancient Civilizations
Bring excitement and interest to your social studies with a unit on ancient civilizations.
Curated OER
Globalization: Threat or Opportunity for the U.S. Economy?
Students study the pros and cons of globalization. They highlight the economic concepts of comparative advantage, specialization, and opportunity cost. They read and discuss the "FRBSF Economic Letter: Globalization: Threat or...
Curated OER
Landscape Confection: Pre-visit Activity
Upper graders explore the concepts of landscape art, man, nature and their inter-relationship. This is a critical thinking and analysis activity intended to prepare the class for an up coming trip to a local art museum. They analyze,...
Library of Congress
Child Labor in America
Students investigate child labor during the Great Depression. In this US policy activity, students evaluate multiple layers of the social, economic, and political affects of policy during the Great Depression. Students will engage in 5...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Relationship with Nature
After a class discussion that focuses on kinship and extended family, young learners explore how Native Americans have lived in clans and other forms of extended family divisions. Pupils also see how Native Americans relate to the...
Advocates for Human Rights
Mock Immigration Court
As part of a unit study of immigration, class members participate in a mock Immigration Court activity in which they argue four cases before an immigration judge.
Federal Reserve Bank
Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building
How tall is the Empire State Building? Lead your class through a collaborative estimation activity to determine the number of quarters it would take to reach the top and teach the following concepts: human capital, human resources,...
Curated OER
Price Elasticity of Demand
A series of economic activities should keep your class busy for a while. Six different worksheets review the concepts of price elasticity, demand, and U.S. economics. Multiple real-world applications and scenarios house each of the ten...
Federal Reserve Bank
Gini in a Bottle: Some Facts on Income Inequality
Delve into the hard numbers and fundamental concept of income inequality in the United States, using graphs, detailed reading materials, and an organized learning exercise.
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,...
Federal Reserve Bank
Unintended Consequences
What would your class members say to the opportunity to take two years off of school between grades 10 and 11? Examine the economic concepts of costs, benefits, and unintended consequences with this unique and engaging approach.
Federal Reserve Bank
Diversification and Risk
After being given a portfolio of investments, your young economists will learn how to assess the relative risk of the portfolio's products and understand the importance of diversification, relating these economic concepts to real-life...
Visa
Using Credit Wisely
Receiving credit can be both a benefit and a curse. Prepare your learners to make wise credit choices by studying how credit influences credit scores, identifying the different components of credit cards, and exploring major consumer...
Federal Reserve Bank
Dealing with the Great Depression
As part of their study of the Great Depression, young economists examine statistical data to determine the effectiveness of FDR's New Deal recovery programs.
Global Oneness Project
Learning with Nature
Think outside the box - and think about education beyond the classroom walls - with a resource that has your critical thinkers watching a video about a nursery in Scotland that lets youngsters roam wild in a forest....
Curated OER
The Social Contract
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about The Social Contract by Rosseau. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.
Facing History and Ourselves
Eyes on the Prize Lesson 2: Six Steps for Nonviolent Social Change
High schoolers explore the concept of nonviolent protest. For this Civil Rights instructional activity, students examine the attributes of nonviolent protest as they investigate the student protests that took place in Nashville in...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Segregation, Jim Crow Laws, Plessy vs. Ferguson
Learners examine the concept of segregation. In this civil rights lesson plan, students discuss the separate but equal theory as well as the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. Learners also research women of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim...
Curated OER
Thematic Unit: Beginning Holocaust Studies
Fifth graders discuss concepts of diversity, culture, and prejudice, gain understanding of harm caused by prejudice, and demonstrate ability to think critically and a desire to act morally.
Curated OER
Bullying and Core Democratic Values
Middle schoolers explore the concept of core democratic values. After completing a survey of student populations regarding bullying, small groups analyze their findings and present their findings to the Student Council, principal,...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Biographical Guide
Fifth graders create a class Powerpoint presentation of historical figures. They each research six names for their assigned alphabet letter and include a thumbnail sketch for the persons. Students present the finished project to other...
Curated OER
Using Social Studies in Five Shared Reading Lessons: Geography
After several short 15-minute mini-lessons, your learners will gain an understanding of the characteristics of a non-fiction text. Using the book Map It by Elspeth Leacock, your class will become acquainted with non-fiction terms...
National Park Service
A Tale of Two Men
Theodore Roosevelt and the Marquis de Mores were both born in 1858, and both came to the Dakota territory in 1883, but they influenced the developing country of America in different ways. Elementary and middle schoolers apply written and...
Center for Civic Education
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Power of Words
It is easy to forget the power that written or spoken word can have in effecting change. Using quotations from such inspirational leaders as Maya Angelou, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., encourage your class members to...