Facing History and Ourselves
Social Media and Ferguson
How can social media help or hinder civil dialogue? How can information shared on social media be verified? As the investigation of media reports of the events surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown continues, class members read...
Moanalua Gardens Foundation
The Mystery of Rapa Nui
What caused the collapse of the environment on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)? Who constructed the Moai? What was their purpose? Class members assume the role of investigators and use evidence drawn from field studies, ships' logs, and...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Where I Come From
Students research the countries of their origins and examine life there today. They write family travel logs by interviewing family members about their heritages, and they visit the Xpeditions Website for online resources about their...
Curated OER
Developing Dialogue
Why do people argue? Use the article "A Holiday Medley, Off Key" to discuss the struggles that interfaith couples face when choosing to celebrate certain holidays. Then, in small groups, encourage learners to write dialogues that...
The New York Times
The Horror! The Horror!
Gear up for Halloween by studying the horror genre with your class and analyzing films and texts to uncover the genre's traditional conventions.
Giraffe Heroes Project
It’s Up to Us
The Giraffe Heroes Program is designed for teens willing to stick their necks out to make a difference, and to create community service projects that tackle real world problems. The resource guides teens to choose an issue,...
Curated OER
Go Animate the 20th Century!
Young scholars create animations to match their social studies. in this 20th century lesson, students work in groups to read and present to their classmates World War I, World War II, The Great Depression, The Space Race, or the Civil...
San Francisco Symphony
Adding Music to Oklahoma History
To better understand Oklahoma state history, learners will use a website to find a song that supports or represents aspects of Oklahoma's history. They'll write three sentences defending their choice, and then they will create...
Curated OER
Logging In the Maine Woods, Then and Now
Students identify the major steps in the logging process in its early yeards during the mid-1800s. They research the sames steps in the logging process today and compare the two. Students explore the logging process of today and back in...
Curated OER
Service Learning--A School Violence Prevention Strategy
High schoolers analyze school violence issues. In this service learning instructional activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding school violence issues. High schoolers examine service projects to prevent...
Media Education Lab
Understanding Viral Messages
Imagine advertising for a product but not being paid to do so. Welcome to the world of Viral Messaging. Class members first view a T-Mobile flash mob video that went viral and has been seen by over 14 million viewers. After analyzing the...
Visa
Make It Happen: Saving for a Rainy Day
Every little penny counts, especially when it comes to saving for emergencies or long-term goals. Pupils evaluate different saving and investment strategies, such as a CD or money market account, through worksheets and by...
Curated OER
Where I Live…
Second graders explore their community. In this social studies lesson plan, 2nd graders use Internet tools to locate their community on a map and then locate where they live.
Curated OER
New and Different Civilizations-a Claymation Dreamer's World
Students create a movie about a new civilization using claymation. In this social studies lesson, students design a storyboard that includes various features of a new civilization, then use video and digital cameras to create a...
Curated OER
The Keys To Higher Learning
Students discuss the validity of using the internet for learning. They compare and contrast the various strategies for learning when done online and in class. Students prepare a lesson plan for an online class and write a paper...
Curated OER
Picturing First Families
Learners complete a variety of activities as they study Washington, D.C., the Presidency, and George Washington. They take a virtual trip to Washington, D.C., and visit the National Portrait Gallery, the White House, and the Library of...
Curated OER
If I Were Bill Gates
Students investigate community endowments. In this service learning lesson, students explore the function of grants within communities and write a grant application.
Curated OER
Quarters From Kids-Power, Generosity and Leadership
Learners explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students discover non-profit organizations that send relief in the wake of natural disasters. Learners organize a fund drive to support an organization and...
Curated OER
Gaining Perspective
Discuss race in the United States. Start by having each learner read a copy of Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech, "I Have a Dream." Then, have them read the article "Shared Prayers, Mixed Blessings" about a church in Atlanta,...
Curated OER
The Fabric of History
African-American history is an integral part of what America is. Learners examine important events, read informational texts, and create quilts depicting specific eras in African-American history. Each image created for the quilt will be...
Curated OER
American Colonies
Students record information in a database about the three American colonies. They are comparing and contrasting them. They are to log into a given database and fill in the corresponding sections. Once it is filled in the similiarities...
Curated OER
Budgeting Your Financial Resources
Young scholars explore the aspects of making a budget. In this money management lesson, students learn the importance of budgeting and what all goes into creating a budget by eventually creating a budget of their own including how much...
Visa
A Plan for the Future: Making a Budget
From fixed and variable expenses to gross income and net pay, break down the key terms of budgeting with your young adults and help them develop their own plans for spending and saving.
Facing History and Ourselves
Socratic Seminar
New to the socratic seminar format? Check out a resource that not only provides the rationale for the procedure and step-by-step directions, but also provides a list of suggested topics, rules and model statements.