How do you explain democracy to a middle school classroom? A social studies resource breaks elections and the democratic process down for your class. Discussion questions, worksheets, activities that build critical thinking skills, and a...

Did you know that in some states your pupils can pre-register to vote? Teach the advantages to pre-registering and engage the classroom in an intriguing discussion about youth voting trends. Class members participates in a live polling...

Does a Christmas display on government property violate the Constitution? Learners study the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and learn about the landmark Supreme Court case Lynch v. Donnelly through watching a documentary and...

When, if ever, is the government justified in restricting individual rights? When, if ever, should the "greater good" trump individual rights? To prepare to discuss this hot-button topic, class members examine primary source documents,...

Most people have heard of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, but few have heard of Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin. Who were these guys and what did they have to do with this famous landmark event in...

Identifying the tone of a piece of writing or the author's attitude toward the subject matter can be difficult for learners. Simplify the process with a instructional activity that begins with skits, moves to songs and their lyrics, and...

Following in the tradition established by John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton, the Inauguration Ceremony of Joseph Biden  featured an Inauguration Poem. National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman's powerful recitation of her Inauguration...

The ever-engaging Kid President hosts a video that details the life story of Martin Luther King, Jr. Kid President covers the time from when Martin Luther King, Jr. was born to the extent of his life and includes words of encouragement...

The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...

Teach the importance of showing gratitude at any age with a teacher's guide comprised of thirty activities. Browse the extensive table of contents to find the array of exercises designed to meet the needs of your learners. Scholars take...

Using the announcements of presidential candidacies, pupils consider how contenders make their initial arguments to the public. A worksheet helps structure collaborative work to analyze 10 video clips. Writing prompts allow for extension...

It's that time of year, and the year. Once again the race is on for the White House. It's important that young voters, and would-be voters, understand the process for becoming the United States President. Class members research the...

Confirmation bias makes it difficult to overcome our preconceived notions of others. That's the big idea in a lesson that teaches learners strategies to recognize and question their biases.

The focus of the second lesson in the Standing Up for Democracy unit is on the power of assumptions based on a single experience or point of view. Class members begin by journaling about assumptions others make about their identity based...

Talk about perseverance! Introduce young historians to Sojourner Truth with a richly detailed lesson plan that includes a video overview of Truth's life, background vocabulary, as well as before and after viewing discussion questions. A...

Catalytic events wake people up. For Mary Church Terrell the lynching of her friend Thomas Moss lead to her involvement in the catalytic events of suffrage, anti-lynching, and desegregation. Learn more about this amazing woman and her...

A 10-page interactive explains different facets of implicit bias, demonstrates how implicit bias works, and how people can counteract its effects. The interactive tools permit users to save their information in "My Work" folders, to take...

Looking for some tools to help you incorporate social and emotional learning into your curriculum? Then check out this 79-page kit packed with ideas for developing social-emotional learning competencies. The first section provides...

Teaching scholars about the concept of partisan-based cognitive dissonance is essential now more than ever. A short video explains how partisanship works and often causes irrational responses.

Although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X both work for equal rights, social change, and political empowerment, their approaches were radically different. To better understand these contrasts, class members compare King's "I...

A 10-lesson unit explores the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Over the course of two weeks, scholars read nonfiction excerpts, discuss their findings, and complete activities. An assessment equipped with multiple choice and matching...

When Aki Kurose was 16 years old, her family was forced to relocate from their home in Seattle with other Japanese Americans. The government feared that despite their loyalty to the United States, they were operating on behalf of the...

Resistance to the Holocaust took on many forms. Learners explore the passive and active resistance of Jewish people who continued their practices and observances, as well as organized resistance against the evils of the Nazis. An...