Capitalism, socialism, communism ... these may seem like a whole bunch of isms to your scholars. High schoolers won't  confuse them after completing an informative resource. Your class masters how to use primary sources to...

William Bell's Forbidden City is used as the basis of a study of China, Chinese culture and government, and especially of the events in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Class members select a topic for Internet research and then prepare a...

Was the House Un-American Activities Committee justified in investigating subversive influences in the entertainment industry? Part two of the three-part series of lessons that examine the anti-communism movement after World War II,...

"I have here in my hand . . ." The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1954. Joseph McCarthy takes center stage in this, the final lesson...

The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of three lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1950. This first lesson asks groups to read an introduction that describes the Verona Project and...

The television and interstate highways both came of age in 1950s America. Scholars use film, text, and discussion to explore how these and other cultural icons shaped the literature of the time. Pupils also create a family history...

Young historians research the rationales for fighting the Vietnam War, and the controversies surrounding it. They watch film clips, examine photographs, and read Lyndon B. Johnson's message to Congress to gather information for a...

How significant was the Cold War during the 20th century? After reading and analyzing speeches by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, learners consider the historical context of foreign policy decisions made during the Cold...

Students examine the difference between a communist and a free-market economy. They discuss challenges occurring in Macedonia and explain the mood of its people.

Introduce your class members to allegory and propaganda with a series of activities designed to accompany a study of George Orwell's Animal Farm. Readers examine the text as an allegory, consider the parallels to collective farms...

Students examine Margaret Chase Smith's Declaration of Conscience and discuss its impact on Maine politics. After reading it, they discuss their opinions and write short responses about them. As a follow-up activity, students write their...

On June 26, 1963 President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech close to the Berlin Wall at the Rudolph Wilde Platz. On June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan Delivered his famous "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down...

Introduce your class to topics relating to the Cold War through a brief reading selection. Class members read the passage and answer four questions, which are provided on the bottom of the page.

In this People's Republic of China flag activity, students read about the flag, its symbolism and its history, then color it according to directions.

In this Russian flag worksheet, students read the history of the flag and directions on how to color the flag. Students then color the Russian flag.

Students read and analyze a story set during the Cultural Revolution in China. They answer discussion questions, discuss political and cultural revolutions, complete a reading survey, produce graphic organizers, and complete a Cultural...

CliffsNotes provides a list of study questions to help your high schoolers grapple with The Worldly Philosophers. Some of them are simple and straight forward, while others offer an opportunity to dig in deeper! Consider printing this...

Young scholars read The Train Ride Home by Robin Solomon. In this literature response lesson plan, students will inspect the writing of Solomon to determine how she established a certain tone through her word choice...

Students compare the first day of school in Ukraine with the first day of school in the United States, including the challenges students and teachers both face in each country. They respond in class, in their journals, to the following...

Students evaluate how important it can be to speak a language other than their own. They analyze the role language plays in bridging cultural differences and compare their reasons and see if the class can reach a consensus on the...

Students examine the author's lively text to determine how she achieved her many literary effects. They discover the author's techniques in describing people and events, in setting tone, and in establishing pace. They reflect about the...

Ninth graders explore the French Revolution. In this French Revolution lesson plan, student research citizen action and public policy during the war. Students write essays regarding their research findings.

In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 14 multiple choice questions about The Joy Luck Club. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

High schoolers work together to research the history of Macedonia. As a class, they compare and contrast a free market economy with a state-controlled economy. In groups, they read a letter by a Peace Corp volunteer and compare it to...