Curated OER
Grab a Winning Book to Read on March 3
Learners identify periods of history and read a news article about a librarian who wrote an award winning book. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a class challenge and a vocabulary activity, then...
Curated OER
Jet Delivers Books to Kids Overseas
Students identify the function of organizations, then read a news article about an organization called Room to Read that is sending books to poor countries. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a...
Curated OER
Presidential Election One Year Away
Students identify political parties, then read a news article about the 2008 election. In this current events instructional activity (written prior to the 2008 election), the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and...
Curated OER
Teacher-Astronaut Offers New Lessons
Students read about teacher-in-space Barbara Morgan and life in space. In this space science and current event lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a vocabulary activity, then students read the news piece and participate in a...
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...
Heritage Foundation
Substantive Amendments: Amendments I and II
The First and Second Amendments remain some of the most famous, even to this day. Learners read about several clauses from the US Constitution through a variety of captivating activities including before and after reading, group work,...
Carnegie Mellon University
Marcellus Shale: Who Pays?
After viewing short clips of unfortunate events, your class will consider two sides of a homeowner's court case, and then learn about the Marcellus shale deposit beneath the state of Pennsylvania and the hydraulic fracturing process. In...
Curated OER
Pay to Learn?
Students discuss the concept of schools paying students as an incentive for scoring higher on standardized tests. They debate the key issues of this question and write a letter to the local board of education expressing their position.
Teaching Tolerance
The Power of Words: Ethnocentrism and Xenophobia
Students discover articles of current events dealing with the experiences of immigrants in the United States. They brainstorm words used to describe immigrants. They answer questions to end the lesson.
Facing History and Ourselves
Fishbowl Discussion
Filter young teenagers' opinions and perspectives with a classic fishbowl discussion. Given any topic relevant to your curriculum, a group of class members engage in discussion for their peers to observe.
Curated OER
Do's and Don'ts of Teaching Black History
Middle schoolers complete activities for Black History month. In this Black history month activity, students complete assignments their teacher chooses after they have examined the do's and don'ts of teaching the subject.
Curated OER
Conflict Resolution in the World Today: Introduction to Current World conflicts, their Antecendents, the Progression, and their Potential Conclusions
Students write a paragraph describing a conflict they had with a friend or a family member and a paragraph explaining how it was resolved. In this social science lesson, students share their paragraphs with a partner and then will...
Curated OER
Keep It Academic
Students study various methods to learn about religion in the classroom. In this religion study lesson, students read and visit links to learn about various ways of teaching religion in schools. Students learn the model world religion...
Curated OER
Jurassic Park: The Science and Ethics of Genetic Engineering
Explore genetic engineering through an engaging "Jurassic Park" unit, which is an extensive use of a cross-curricular teaching event. Planned for AP Biology, English, and Calculus students, learners and teachers are involved for 4-6...
Learn NC
A Christmas Carol Chronology
Which comes first? The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future? What clues can readers use to establish the chronology of A Christmas Carol? The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Marley, and Tiny Tim provides the text for an activity that...
J. Paul Getty Trust
Historical Context: Discovering a Painting
Class members are presented with the image of a painting and asked to record their first impressions and analysis. They then research the time period in which it was painted and discuss how their research impacted their first impression...
Curated OER
Journalism: Potential Bias
Students investigate a current event involving the United States from different journalistic viewpoints. They compare a Western newspaper with one from the Middle East and submit written evaluations noting agreements and disagreements in...
Curated OER
A Picture is Worth How Many (unfiltered) Words?
Students explore Google search engine in and out of China, examine events surrounding confrontation at Tiananmen Square between Chinese forces and the Tank Man, and discuss how censorship affects what the media reports and what the...
Scholastic
Dear Miss Breed
This compelling plan based on the letters in the book Dear Miss Breed engages readers in learning what it was like for Japanese Americans following the attacks at Pearl Harbor. After reading the letters, young scholars will partake in...
Curated OER
A VIP - Present Perfect Simple and Continuous
Here is an interesting way to teach the present perfect and present perfect continuous. Individuals practice these verb tenses as well as the simple past by asking a partner questions about an imaginary biography. The biography is...
Curated OER
Civil liberties: Fundamental freedoms
Students explore civil liberties. They list and describe the fundamental freedoms guaranteed to Canadians. Students illustrate how Charter rights are applies. They examine current issues and suggest how the courts might apply Charter...
Curated OER
CNN Interactive: Reading, Discussing and Writing
Students access the internet for current news articles; increase awareness of issues in world news; to read critically; and to write critical reactions.
Curated OER
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
The Tank Man
Students explore the events surrounding the confrontation at Tiananmen Square between Chinese forces and "The Tank Man." They discover how censorship affects what the media reports and what the public learns. Students research China's...