Curated OER
Student Travel in the Shadow of War
Students research and discuss pros and cons of study abroad during times of war, and document decisions and positions of local school administrators on topic. Students then write editorials voicing their opinions.
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
Curated OER
Missions Accomplished?
Students examine how the war on Iraq is progressing by looking at current events and comparing them to the goals outlined by General Tommy R. Frank; they then create a progress report assessing how close the coalition forces are to...
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Drums of War
Students research the political climate prior to major American wars of the past, then reflect on the current call for power to confront Iraq. They create posters using newspaper articles and headlines to highlight the major opinions of...
Curated OER
Date with Destiny
Students examine the outcome of the war in Iraq. In this Iraq history lesson, students discuss the effects of the war and the regime of Hussein. Students write and design textbook pages that feature the contemporary history of the...
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Debating Iraq
Students analyze the main themes of President Bush's UN Speech and discussion of the NewsHour report on the Iraq Debate. In this debate lesson, students answer pre-listening questions and view a transcript of the speech. In groups of two...
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War In Iraq Comparison
Fifth graders use the internet to research the Silver Star given to those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Using the information, they write a short report on one of the recipients of the Silver Star. In groups, they visit a...
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Helping Students Understand the War in Iraq
Students ask and answer questions about the war with Iraq. Advice is provided on how to help them cope. There are activities to prompt students to discuss their feelings. Other sites let students post their artwork online or send a...
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War and International Law America’s Foreign Policy: Military Intervention
Students analyze America's foreign policy. In this military intervention lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on U.S. military interventions since 1989. Students respond to discussion questions about the lecture.
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UN resolution on Iraq
Learners take a quiz and examine the decision making exercise: How the UN Security Council makes decisions on global security. Three main areas covered: UN membership, UN Security Council and the UN resolution.
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Body Shields: Peaceful Protesters or Iraqi Pawn?
Students research human shields, mostly European peace activists who stand against war. They guard civilian sites to prevent attack on schools, hospitals, etc. Student research is to include articles by those who support the war as well...
Curated OER
Reconstruction of Iraq: A Lesson of Historical Precedents
Students view a video clip about the reconstruction efforts in Iraq. They work together to compare and contrast the reconstruction plans after the Spanish-American War and World War II. They compare those results to the situation in Iraq.
Curated OER
War Games
Students examine the issues outlined in Vice President Cheney's speech about potential United States military action against Iraq, then participate in a role-play activity.
Curated OER
The Cost of War
Students view a video clip about the cost of war. They discover what goes into paying for a war. They examine the need for a budget in the government. They read a news story about this topic as well.
Curated OER
Reporting On War From Korea To The Persian Gulf
Students explore the reporting practices from three wars in more depth, and assess how reporting techniques were similar, how they differed and how each of them may have contributed to the reporting practices from the war in Iraq. In a...
Curated OER
Recurring Nightmares
Does history really repeat itself? Encourage your middle and high schoolers to answer this age-old question by reading the attached articles on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Iraq Crisis of 2002. How similar or different are...
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Veterans' Voyages
Introduce your middle and high schoolers to a different perspective on war: that of soldier's. Read Guisseppi Ungaretti's poem "Vigil" to kick-start this lesson plan. After discussing his perspective, read "The Screaming Eagles Fly to...
Curated OER
Breaking News English: Iraq
In this Iraq instructional activity, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions, write,...
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Journalism in War Time: What Does the Public Need to Know?
Students view the film "War Feels Like War" about journalist's experiences in the Iraqi War and discuss the role of journalism in war. They evaluate different media sources for war reporting and determine the questions they want to see...
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THE PEN VS. THE SWORD: LYRICAL RESPONSES TO A NATION AT WAR
High schoolers brainstorm lists of songs that were written in response to American wars; consider the patterns in the lists they create.
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Al Qaeda & the Taliban: What threat to the U.S.?
High schoolers examine the War on Terror. In this national security lesson, students read articles about the War on Terror and President Obama's foreign policy. High schoolers respond to discussion questions and debate the presence of...
Curated OER
Iraq: How Did We Get Here?
Students examine the role of the Department of Defense. They explain the process in which the government decides it is going to go to war with another country. They identify key decision makers and explore the role of the United Nations.
PBS
Historical Perspectives: Coming Home from War
What do the homecoming experiences of soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan reveal about the politics and culture of the US during the time period of each war? Young historians view The Way We Get By, which tells...
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Fire Fight
While somewhat dated (young scholars write letters to President George W. Bush about the Iraq War), this lesson could be a good way to reinforce rhetorical reading and critical thinking. Students examine information regarding Operation...