If the world were 100 people...17 would not have access to safe drinking water, 18 would not be able to read or write, and 52 would not have a primary education. Using the theme of "100 people," this resource explores other major issues...

"Without concerned citizen action to uphold them (human rights) close to home; we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. . ." Eleanor Roosevelt's comment is used to set the stage for the conclusion of a five-lesson unit...

What are the different ways we are susceptible to identity theft? Impress the importance of protecting personal information and privacy with this resource, which includes an excellent video clip, discussion prompts, and worksheets for...

A rich series of activities introduces learners to the concept of culture by closely examining the behaviors, practices, and art of three distinct peoples: the Highland Maya of Guatemala, the Hmong of China and Southeast...

Immigration, refugees, and cultural change due to the movement of people around the globe is discussed. Learners examine the work of Michael Blum to gain an understanding of how national and cultural identities shift due to immigration....

Fair or unfair? To begin a study of the American Revolution, class members review the treatment of the people of the American Colonies by the King of England and decide which were fair and which were unfair. Class members then annotate a...

The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...

Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech,...

Energy conservation is a hot topic these days; introduce your kids to the Smart Grid solution through a video clip and several interactive online tools. They discuss areas of household energy consumption, examining a pie chart...

Students identify possible social studies themes that can come from the video, "Voyage of Discovery". They list the five themes of geography. They develop elementary-level interdisciplinary unit plans for social study content. They...

Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the development of skills needed for the teaching of Social Studies. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used to solidify the importance of...

Students identify activities that promote social studies education and enjoy an international food tasting session. On food item sheets, they write the origins of the various food items. On a laminated world map, each cook circles the...

Pupils engage in a study of incorporating literature into the Social Studies classroom. They review a variety of literature sources and then create a bulletin board with the information. Then students practice using the Reader's Theater...

History comes alive as groups work cooperatively to create short iMovies about a specific historical period of their choice. Ideal for late elementary grades, the instructional activity includes a video demonstration and a short...

Learners study maps. In this social studies instructional activity, students draw a map of either their room at home or the route they take to school. Learners label items on their maps.

Many young people know India had a caste system that prevented social mobility and structured Indian society. The connections between the caste system and economics may not be as clear, however. A reading, chart activity, and PowerPoint...

Tenth graders examine how primary source documents help authors and museum curators interpret historic events.  In this social studies lesson, 10th graders research primary source documents.  Students create a powerpoint to...

Exploring the similarities and differences between the Black Death and HIV/AIDS, learners write persuasive essays answering which is the "worse plague." This cross-curricular activity between Language Arts and Social Studies addresses...

Encourage scholars to become a productive community member with a kite-themed instructional activity. Following a review and discussion, learners complete a Venn diagram that displays the connection between character traits needed to...

Imagine seventh graders developing a school wide plan to promote respect in their school. That's the vision behind the second instructional activity in the R-E-S-P-E-C-T series. In preparation for designing a school-wide media campaign,...

As part of a series of critical thinking exercises, kids consider issues of social justice, especially the factors that must be considered when trying to balance conflicting rights and freedoms.

Did the Emancipation Proclamation free all slaves during the Civil War? Why was it written, and what were its immediate and long-term effects? After reading primary source materials, constructing political maps representing information...

Middle schoolers learn how to protect themselves from risky behaviors with a lesson that has them role play several scenarios and demonstrate ways that they might do to stay safe. Class members then use what they have learned to build a...