National Endowment for the Humanities
George Washington: The Precedent President
Everyone knows that George Washington was the first president, but do your scholars know why that was so important? The lesson plan, the third in a sequence of three, allows learners to understand how George Washington set a precedent...
The New York Times
Decision Point: Understanding the U.S.’s Dilemma Over North Korea
Simulate the Situation Room and analyze the US's relationship with North Korea. The plan starts off with a quick review and an examination of a online timeline that updates as the situation continues. Next, the class reads an article and...
Curated OER
What is Meant by Returning to Fundamental Principles?
What did the Founding Fathers mean by the importance of continually returning to fundamental principles? Your young historians will analyze a series of quotations illustrating the fundamental ideals and principles of the...
Global Oneness Project
Reclaiming Rivers
Robert Hass's article "Rivers and Stories" underscores the importance of rivers in the development of civilization and the importance of reclaiming supposedly dead rivers and implementing policies that protect river health. Groups...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Morse v. Frederick
If you stop a student from expressing views that advocate drug use, are you violating their right to free speech? Use the 2007 Supreme Court case Morse v. Frederick to discuss a nuanced interpretation of the First Amendment....
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Defense of the Electoral College
Each presidential election year, the debate about the electoral college rages. Michael C. Maibach's "A Defense of the Electoral College" offers young political scientists an opportunity to examine a reasoned argument for why the...
Syracuse University
Civil War
What was it like to enlist as a soldier in the Civil War? By using enlistment papers, young scholars consider this question. After they've looked at the primary source and discussed it, they create a short story of a fictional soldier to...
K12 Reader
The Apprentice System
Readers are asked to identify the central idea and two supporting details that develop this main idea in an article about the apprentice system popular in colonial America.
PBS
The Diary of Anne Frank
While designed to supplement a viewing of the PBS Masterpiece Classic The Diary of Anne Frank, this resource can also serve as an excellent informational text and activity source for your learners on the historical context and timeline...
Global Oneness Project
Recording a Dying Langauge
Is there value in preserving indigenous languages that are almost extinct? That's the question posed to viewers of a short film about the attempt of one Native American woman who is creating a dictionary for Wakchumni, the language of...
iCivics
Constitution Day
Celebrate Constitution Day, September 17, with an activity that asks class members to identify the responsibilities of the three branches of the U.S. government.
US Institute of Peace
Responding to Conflict: Active Listening
Did I hear you right? You need a great instructional activity on active listening? Through large- and small-group activities, learners differentiate between poor and excellent listening skills. The resource, 7th in a series of 15,...
Curated OER
What Makes the Writer Write
Students chose a novel which includes social criticism to read. After reading the book, they use the internet to research the issue in the novel and work with others to develop a presentation. In their presentation, they identify the...
Curated OER
Media Literacy Discussion Guide
Students examine and analyze visual media and its messages critically. They determine whether specific media messages inform, entertain, or persuade and what factors influence the media. Using primary sources, they participate in peer...
Curated OER
Colonialism in Africa
Young scholars examine Africa from a regional perspective. They appreciate the historic and geographic relationships that unite and divide the regions of Africa. Students create a comprehensive document outlining problems in the assigned...
Curated OER
Presidential Election 2008:Making Decisions about Political Candidates
Students think critically about political candidates. In this election activity, students research candidates and use information sources to explore their stands on issues.
Curated OER
Everyday Marvels
Students consider the meaning of innovation and analyze the design of objects. In this object design lesson, students examine revolutionary objects and their design. Students complete discussion activities for objects like Band-Aids,...
Curated OER
Happiness is a Warm Puppy
Students view the film "Dogs: The Early Years" from PBS then participate in different activities revolving around dogs. After researching different breeds, students select a dog that best fits their personality and living situation as...
Curated OER
Paradigm Shift: Gandhian Nonviolence and the Concept of Power
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this social justice lesson, students examine sources regarding the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi pertaining to nonviolent...
Curated OER
Community Explorations
Learners identify the strengths and weakness in their community. They take a community walk and take pictures of people interacting with the environment and the "green spaces" in their community. They then write a persuasive essay...
Curated OER
Land of Milk and Honey: Propaganda and the Colonies
Fourth graders explore the concept of propaganda. In this colonial settlement lesson, 4th graders examine primary resources pertaining to the settlement of North Carolina by colonists. They write a persuasive journal entry convincing a...
Curated OER
What Do We Owe To Thoreau?
Students use this design as an electronic reading and writing guide to Henry David Thoreau's famous essay, "On Civil Disobedience." They use activities to familiarize students with the political issues of Thoreau's time. Comprehension...
Curated OER
Constitutional Convention
Learners engage in a role-playing situation to illustrate the kinds of compromised that were made a teh Constitutional Convention. They write three short 1-2 paragraph arguments and then present their arguments to the class at the...
Curated OER
The Rest Cure: Gender in Medicine and Literature
Read and discuss "The Yellow Wall-Paper" and the gender issues that the story brings up. Use articles from the time period to analyze, complete with specific discussion questions. After two days, scholars write an essay based on topics...