Curated OER
Bring United Nations Day to School
Ideas to honor the mission of the 193-nation-strong organization that fosters peace, sustainability, and human rights around the world.
Curated OER
Sharing is Caring
By engaging in an arts-based activity, 2nd graders explore peace in the classroom. They listen to the story The Rainbow Fish, then create their own fish to hang in the classroom. They write three things that make them happy on their...
Curated OER
In the Struggle for Equality and Justice for All
Students focus on the struggle for minorities rights. They describe the civil rights movement of the late 1950's and the 1960's. They trace the roots of the movement in the second-class treatment accorded many black Americans and...
Stanford University
Observing Human Rights Day
How much intervention is appropriate for America to take in cases of human rights violations? Class members ponder a question that has lingered since the birth of America with a series of primary sources that reflect the degree to which...
Curated OER
How Would You Feel?
Sixth graders put themselves in the shoes of aborigines who were displaced from their homes in the 1800s by Europeans who came in and took their land from them. They discuss the social injustices suffered by these people, and write a...
Curated OER
T-shirts for Change
Can school children change the world? With a social or environmental issue in mind, 5th graders use what they know about advertising media to make t-shirts that have something to say. They research the issue they'd like to focus on,...
Curated OER
Mock Trial
Students rewrite a traditional fairy tale to represent the viewpoint of the villain. They participate in a mock trial of that villain in which all regular court participants (judge, jury, defendant, witnesses, plaintiff, etc) play roles.
Curated OER
Breaking the Unjust Law
Learners consider the concept of civil disobedience. In this lesson on changing unjust laws, students use primary sources to understand how Gandhi and King changed the law. Learners will then list laws that they feel are unjust and plan...
Curated OER
Why a Mock Trial?
Students participate in a mock trial. They discover how U.S. courts resolve conflicts.
Owl Teacher
Teach Ancient Rome!
Teaching the class about Ancient Rome can be fun for you and for them! Check out this incredible resource that has everything you need to bring ancient Roman civilization back to life. Begin by scrolling to the bottom of the page and...
Teaching Tolerance
Identity Portraits
When you look at me, what do you see? Young learners answer this question by creating a portrait that reflects the identity of one of their peers. First, class members create interview questions. Then, they interview classmates to...
US National Archives
Documented Rights Educational Lesson Plan
How have groups struggled to have their unalienable rights recognized in the United States? Acting as a research team for the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, your young historians will break into groups to research how people...
Curated OER
The United Nations
Students are introduced to the role of the United Nations. Using the internet, they research its history and its influence on politics and peace. In groups, they create a timeline of significant United Nations conventions since World...
Curated OER
What is reconciliation?
Tenth graders practice using empathy with an enemy. In this Current Events instructional activity, 10th graders prepare possible peace plans for Bosnia after the war. Students write a report on Nelson Mandela's use of reconciliation in...
Curated OER
Peace and Non-Violence: the Teachings of Gandhi
Students study the Gandhian philosophy. They define certain elements such as power, beauty and discuss what they know about the struggle for independence in India. Finally students collaborate to discuss Gandhian principles to extend...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King
In this Martin Luther King worksheet, students find six related words in a word search. Words include: boycott, peaceful, dream, minister, Memphis, and justice.
Curated OER
Twist and Shout Lyrics
In this handout, students examine the lyrics of popular music from the counter-culture era. Songs included are: Crimson and Clover, Turn, Turn, Turn, Have you Been to Jail for Justice, Uncle Sam, Ohio, Give Peace a Chance, Eve of...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Journalist’s Report: The Better Vision for Black Americans
After reading a series of primary source documents detailing the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, class members craft newspaper columns assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each man's vision, and present their...
Curated OER
Government
Perfect for a Christian or private school setting, this lesson has learners use their Bible to help them identify the purpose of the government. They examine specific Bible verses then use them to define the government and the...
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: George Washington, Farewell Address
Invite your young historians to consider how the first president of the United States envisioned the future of the new nation with this primary source analysis worksheet on George Washington's Farewell Address.
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: Theodore Roosevelt, Excerpt from Inaugural Address
"Much has been given us, and much will rightfully be expected from us." As part of a series of worksheets that provide readers with an opportunity to develop their primary source comprehension skills, kids examine an excerpt from...
Curated OER
Ballots, Bloomers and Boycotts
Students compare a controversial issue or policy in need of reform in their classroom to the suffrage movement of the 1800's. They research important figures in the suffrage movement, produce written pieces and complete worksheets.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Veteran's Day—Honoring All That Served
Looking for ideas on ways to recognize Veteran's Day? Check out this 92-page packet that includes exercises designed for all grade levels. Reading passages detail the history of the holiday, research projects get individuals involved in...
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Honoring All Who Served Veterans Day
November 11th, Veterans Day, is a holiday set aside to honor all those who have served in the military. Here's a resource packed with ideas, activities, projects, and materials that will provide inspiration for ways to celebrate those...