Teaching Tolerance
Fairness Fair
How can we create a more fair world? Chances are, class members have some ideas! After reading a text about fairness, individuals create skits around the ideas of fairness. Extend the learning and make their presentations a...
Curated OER
Bias vs. Perspective: An Inevitable Aspect of Journalism?
Students explore the types of media that U.S. teens prefer the ways in which viewers identify and account for journalistic bias. They explore the ways in which media shapes one's opinion or affects their judgment.
Curated OER
Murals: Historic Walls
Students examine Mexican history in murals. In this visual arts lesson plan, students research the artistic style of Mexican murals and the artists that create them. Students then present their research findings to their classmates and...
American Institute of Architects
Architecture: It's Elementary!—Fifth Grade
Young citizens construct an understanding of urban planning in this cross-curricular unit. Covering every aspect of city development from the political, economic, and social influences to sustainable building practices, this 10-lesson...
Smithsonian Institution
POWs
Why did Vietnam POWs and their families receive more media attention than POWs in previous wars? Â To answer this question, class members view artifacts, read articles, and engage in class discussion. Individuals then assume the voice of...
Curated OER
Math: The Cathedral Project
Second graders take a field trip to a nearby church or other historical building and examine it from a mathematical perspective. In groups, they calculate the seating capacity, describe the window patterns, differentiate types of...
Curated OER
Sodbusters!
Students study American settlers, how and where they lived by observing images. They investigate how the settlers used sod to build houses that were adaptable to the plains environment. They compare living in a sod homes with their home.
Curated OER
Sizing Up The Solar System
Students investigate and design various models of size and distance related to the solar system. They work together to build a solar system model. The models should focus on distance and scale. They don't include moons or satellites in...
Denton Independent School District
World Religions
Support your class members in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of cultures and perspectives around the globe with a project on world religions.
Curated OER
Writing to Learn History: Annotations and Mini-Writes
Students use their critical thinking skills to write about historical events. For this historical perspectives lesson, students read documents about historical events and make annotations and marginal notes. Students then respond to...
Curated OER
The Japanese Military Build-up
Learners evaluate the state of Japan's military and their defense strategy under the current Shinzo Abe administration. They watch the film, 'The Raping of Nanking' and read "The Return of Japanese Militarism: Rising Sun" by Joshua...
Curated OER
Up From the Streets: Hip Hop as a Recognized Art
Students discuss the historical roots of Hip-Hop to the present as an example of an art form that arose from the street into popular culture. Emphasis is placed on in-class discussion and written reflections in this introductory lesson.
Curated OER
How Can We Create a Timeline That Reflects the Historical Significance of a Landmark Building?"
Seventh graders discover the historical signifigance of a landmark building. Using a series of timelines, they reflect different historical perspectives on the building. They develop a PowerPoint presentation to share their timelines...
Curated OER
Tibet and China
Students evaluate primary documents that provide different perspectives about the Tibet/China conflict. They identify sources of economic and governmental conflicts. Students create a political cartoon and write persuasive essay on the...
Curated OER
What It Means to Be an American Indian
Students analyze primary source documents and evaluate historical evidence to find consequences of the policies that were adopted from the 1830s to today regarding Native American Indians.
Morningside Center
Challenging the Boy Scouts of America's Anti-Gay Policy
This straightforward plan invites class members to consider Boy Scouts of America's position on barring homosexual members. It includes readings outlining the position of those against such discrimination, but little from the perspective...
Curated OER
Novel Ideas: History of the American Novel
Explore the history of the American novel in the contexts of literature and US history. How does a novel or piece of writing from a particular time showcase the mood during that historical period? After conducting research and discussing...
Curated OER
Preserving the Past with Oral History
Students engage in oral history learning by conducting interviews and recording them to documents for the local community.
Curated OER
Architecture: The Badge of Identity for Our Society
Students prepare a "camera's-eye" view of the local architecture and then analyze their findings from an historical perspective.
NASA
Unsung Heroes of Science
Scholars research scientific heroes who haven't been given enough credit for their discoveries. While many are women, there are also men to whom credit is overdue.
PBS
Women's History: Glass Windows; Glass Ceilings
Discover stories about women's history in beautiful stained glass windows. The second in a three-part series teaches scholars about a famous artistic style of stained glass windows and the influential women that used art to impact...
Smithsonian Institution
Conflicting Voices of the Mexican War
Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...
Smithsonian Institution
Who's in Camp?
Pupils complete readings, a group activity using cards, and a writing activity to better understand people's lives during the American Revolution. The resource emphasizes people such as the militiamen, women, officers, and children,...
Curated OER
Baked Polymer Clay 3D People Portraits
Students discuss methods of building forms with clay (ball and variations, snake, flat sheets). They draw a stick figure of what their sculpture may look like, including correct figure proportion.