The New York Times
Teaching Orwell and '1984’ with the New York Times
Doublethink and alternate facts? Big Brother and Facebook? 1984 and 2019? Sales of 1984 have surged and so has the use of George Orwell's dystopian classic in classrooms. Whether new to teaching the novel or a seasoned veteran you'll...
Curated OER
Teaching about the First Amendment
Students defend the Constitution against a group of Senators who decide that all media must be approved by the government, all Americans must take a loyalty oath, join an official U.S. religion and subscribe to approved clubs.
Council for Economic Education
Satisfaction Please! (Part 2)
Simply understanding consumer rights may not help people solve their problems. Understanding who to turn to becomes key in many different scenarios. Teach the value of various organizations that fight for consumer rights through...
Curated OER
The Physiological and Psychological Development of the Adolescent
Students examine the life of a teenager from their own perspective and an adult's. In groups, they focus on the biological changes and how they are different in a girl and a boy. Individually, they write a paper about these changes and...
Curated OER
Faces of Courage: Teenagers Who Resisted
Learners read true stories of teenagers who defied Hitler and avoided participation in the Hitler Youth. They discuss the stories paying attention to the dangers and incredible peer pressure that these children faced. They consider how...
Curated OER
How to Teach the Legacies of the 1960s
Learners consider which aspects of world around them have roots in 1960s, research and compare 1960s to today with regards to Civil and Women's Rights, Vietnam, counterculture, music, voting, and economic rights, and explore legacy of...
Curated OER
Surviving the Teenage Years
High schoolers examine how to survive the teenage years and beyond. They research and collect data pertaining to career choices, health issues and legal concerns. Students develop a brochure about how to survive the teenage years.
Curated OER
I Am Seventeen Going On ?
Students explore the differences between going through adolescence in New York City in 1980 and today by reading and discussing the article, "When He Was Seventeen." They write a script for a podcast about the teen/parent relationship...
Curated OER
Calling All Teens: Exploring Product Designs and Marketing Strategies Geared Towards Teenagers
Students consider the marketing of cellphones to teenagers as a springboard to designing products and related marketing strategies aimed at specific segments of the teen market.
Curated OER
Cause Célèbre
In this exercise, learners identify characters from an "Archie" comic and discuss the relevance of "Archie" to today's youth. They create public service advertisements featuring celebrities to address common concerns among teenagers in...
Yale University
"This is Not a Story to Pass On": Teaching Toni Morrison's Beloved
Tenth graders read "Beloved" by Toni Morrison. In groups, they research the life and works of Morrison and read a speech by Sojouner Truth. Using the novel, they discuss the experiences of slaves and the effect of slavery on their...
Curated OER
Persuasion in Print
Advertisers target teenagers. Groups select three magazine advertisements for similar products, analyze the appeals used in each, create a poster that features the persuasive techniques used, and present their findings to the class. The...
Curated OER
Nutrition Decision
High schoolers act as decision makers and research and determine the nutritional needs of young children, teenagers, and adults. They compile their findings in a nutrition portfolio. Class groups assume the role of hospital dietician and...
Curated OER
Is There a Doctor in the House?
Students research the answers to their own health-related questions, and evaluate the various sources from which this information comes after read "Teenagers Find Health Answers With a Click."
Curated OER
Teen Scene
Students examine what teenagers value most, and discuss the trend of decadent sixteenth birthday parties. They read an article, analyze forms of teen-focused media, and create a visual presentation on their media analysis.
Curated OER
Media Literacy: TV - What You Don't See!
Students examine how to evaluate what they are watching on television. They discuss hip hop music videos, compare/contrast them to other types of music videos, write a letter or press release about promoting positive teen stories, and...
Curated OER
This Is Your Brain on Pot
Students explore the causes and effects of marijuana addiction and research how THC affects different areas of the brain. They synthesize their knowledge by creating print advertisements that inform teenagers about the physiologic danger...
Curated OER
The Sonnet Challenge
Students are given information about two popular sonnet forms-English and Italian. They are given the rules for writing a sonnet. Students are asked what type of sonnet they would use. They are each given a sheet of paper and asked...
Curated OER
The Lesson: Tibet
Students discover details about Tibet. In this Tibet lesson, students visit selected websites to discover information about human rights, the Dalai Lama, and Buddhism. Students create prayers or poems in support of the Dalai Lama after...
Curated OER
The Teen Scene
Students explore the methods used by teen magazines to attract a variety of teenagers. They evaluate existing magazines and in small groups, students create their own magazine that is geared toward specific teen demographics.
Curated OER
Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? So What?
Seventh graders master the SQ3R method. They begin reading for a purpose and organize thoughts through categorizing them. They write in their notebooks what they think about the lesson plan and the classroom for the day and write a...
Curated OER
All You Need Is Love
Students discuss the differences between adult love and teenage love. After reading an article, they explore a relationship that began as teenagers and ended in marriage later in life. In groups, they create posters about famous...
Curated OER
Computers: Get Plugged In!
Learners examine the significance of learning to use the computer and the Internet. They watch and discuss a video, conduct Internet research on a celebrity or historical figure, and teach a lesson to a person about navigating the Internet.
Curated OER
Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) in the History Classroom
SAC is a specific approach to discussing history and controversial issues. Rather than adhering to an either/or debate-style paradigm, it fosters speaking and constructivist listening to enable learners to build consensus through...