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Current Events

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research current events and simulate a newscast of a current news story. They watch the evening news and write a summary of a story of interest, conduct Internet research and complete a worksheet on a current event, and...
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The Texas Social Studies Controversy

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Examine the Texas social studies curriculum controversy with your class. Using a current events lesson, learners read the article "A Christian Land Governed by Christian Principles," respond to the discussion questions, and participate...
Lesson Plan
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Words In The News

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
A complete resource from BBC World Service provides informational text for English or ESL classes to teach vocabulary, grammar, and reading skills. Learners participate in small group work, whole class discussions, and role-plays to...
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Nuclear Weapons: What Should Our Policy Be?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate nuclear weapons policies. In this global issues lesson, students research policies that the United States could institute to control nuclear weapon production. Students participate in a simulation to determine the...
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Organization of Nations Project

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research the priorities and needs of an assigned country. They come together and debate current events from the point of view of the country they are representing.
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Taking to the Airwaves

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the purpose of talk radio and examine its importance in the new democratic Iraq. They enact mock talk shows based on current events and reflect on the value of free speech and the role audience members play in radio...
Lesson Plan
US Mint

Absolutely and Relatively: The Puerto Rico Quarter Reverse

For Teachers 5th - 8th
How much does your class know about Puerto RIco? How much can they learn from the back of a 2009 quarter? Use the coin, part of a series of quarters that depict US territories, to teach learners about the geography, culture, and history...
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The Decision to Americanize the War in Vietnam

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students research the major events of the Vietnam War and construct a timeline. They do the same with the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson or the 1960's. They act as an advisor to President Johnson to recommend a course of action...
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News From Home

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the feelings of Iranian immigrants in California by reading an online article. They write an article on immigrants' thoughts on current events in their home countries.
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There's No Place Like Home

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore how the tourism industry was affected by the events of September 11, 2001, examine the impact that tourism has on their state's economy and design aggressive promotional campaigns for local tourism to be presented to the...
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Taking Stock of Iraq

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research key people, places, organizations, and nations involved in Iraq's "transition." Then they present their research in a lesson plan format to fellow classmates at a teach-in.
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A Day in the Life of Parliament

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders watch excerpts from a parliamentary session, assume membership in a political party from a fictitious country and conduct a parliamentary session of their own covering a range of topics of current relevance.
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A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: A SIMULATION

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students discuss two computerized options to change the current U.S. government. In this Constitutional Convention lesson plan, students write a statement advocating for one of the choices and participate in a mock modern Constitutional...
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Family and Physical Education Nights

For Teachers K - 5th
Young scholars, in grade levels, perform a program of events that they have participated in throughout the year. Each grade level has their own night and extra nights are arranged for family nights. They then are asked to teach their...
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What Do You See?

For Teachers K - 1st
Students listen to "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and then act out the events in the story. They demonstrate what a bear looks like, and discuss the different locomotor movements a bear would use. As they listen to the story, each student...
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Bill of Rights

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students work in collaborative groups to research an amendment of the Bill of Rights. They then design and present a skit that demonstrates and communicates the core values and concepts of the amendment to the class.
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The Battle to Save Bats

For Teachers K - 4th
Students investigate the disease that is causing the global decline of bats.  In this animal health lesson, students read an article which discusses white-nose syndrome, the number one killer of bats.  Students discuss ways to...
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What is effective communication?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students practice a series of communicaton activities. In this communication skills instructional activity, students role play listening and active listening strategies to improve communication. Students write a set of guidelines for...
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Mid-term Elections: The Impact of Local and National Issues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the right to vote and the significance of mid-term elections. They research and discuss mid-term issues and the importance of voting in these elections.
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It's Debatable!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the basic elements and vocabulary of debating. They research an issue and write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper, and role-play a Parliamentary debate on a particular bill.
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Hafta Do NAFTA?

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students examine the benefits and problems of U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement. In two groups, students represent the campaign team for a presidential candidate, one for and one against NAFTA, and research...
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The Selection and Variation in the Egyptian Origami Bird

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes. They study divergent and convergent evolution and how it is isolated in sub-populations.
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Paper Airplane Contest

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students research principles of flight. They design their own paper airplanes and make predictions about the performance of different designs. Students keep track of their findings in an electronic journal.
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Social Issues Facing Children

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the issues facing children in society. In groups, they participate in a simulation to discover the lack of connection between child-support and how it affects the children and society as a whole. To end the lesson,...