TESOL
Are You a Good Listener?
Your learners talk to each other every day, but are they really listening? Use a instructional activity based on listening skills to ensure that class members feel heard and respected. It includes games, discussion topics, and...
K20 LEARN
Show Me Your Credentials: Voting In America
The debate over voting rights continues. To begin their study of voting rights, class members first vote on proposed new classroom rules. After a discussion of the activity, groups are given a copy of the 1965 Alabama Literacy Test and...
Journey of a Substitute Teacher
Group and Partner Posters
Partners and Groups become acronyms on these posters that encourage kids to respect others, stay on task, participate actively, ask questions, and more when working with others.
Curated OER
Hands are for Helping (Responsible Personal Conduct)
Youngster learn the importance of cooperation and sharing through a fun art project! Following a brief introductory discussion in which the class brainstorms how they can use their hands to share, youngster get divided into pairs to...
Nemours KidsHealth
Bike Safety: Grades 6-8
Two activities teach tweens and teens about bike safety. After reading articles about bike safety, class members design tags with important safety reminders that can be attached to bikes. Groups then create a dance video that...
Curated OER
Behavior Bingo
Celebrate and track good classroom behavior through the classic game of bingo! Pick a new number each time your class is complimented for the behavior, whether by a substitute teacher, class visitor, or yourself!
Facing History and Ourselves
Do You Take the Oath?
Why did so many go along with Nazi policies during World War II? An investigatory unit includes four handouts, reading analyses, classroom discussion topics, and intriguing philosophical questions, helping learners understand the...
Center for Civic Education
What Is Authority?
Young scholars examine the concepts of power and authority as they begin learning about government in this elementary social studies lesson. Through a series of readings, discussions, and problem solving activities, children learn about...
Curated OER
Rules and Responsibilities: Youth and the Process of Change
First graders analyze politics by participating in a class rules instructional activity. In this democracy instructional activity, 1st graders identify several class and school rules they dislike and conduct discussions to examine if...
C-SPAN
The Impact of Citizens United v. FEC
What began as an effort to show a movie by an interest group has impacted financing of federal elections. Did the Citizens United case lead to more "dark money" in politics, or did it shine a light with more speech? Using video clips...
Missouri Department of Elementary
I’m A Star!
A lesson encourages scholars to be star community members. Pupils take part in a class discussion that challenges them to brainstorm at least two ways to show responsibility within one's community. Small groups play a game in which...
Sports Museum
Boston vs Bullies: Facilitator's Guide
Score a big win for your school's environment with top-notch bullying prevention resources! The downloadable materials feature prominent sports figures from the Boston area talking about their experiences with bullying. Appropriate for...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Shine the Light on Your Government
What don't we know about our government? Explore the concept of transparency and freedom of information throught this analysis handout, in which scholars examine 2 political cartoons. Background information provides context, explaining...
Curated OER
Silly to Serious Cards and Panels
What are the unwritten rules of formality in different social situations? Help learners identify when it is the appropriate time to be silly, funny, or serious with this collection of illustrated panels and cards.
Judicial Learning Center
The Players in the Courtroom
Courtrooms are complicated. In addition to the many rules, there are a number of people whose jobs are not very clear to the casual courtroom observer. With the resource, individuals identify some of these roles and review more...
PBS
Journalism Ethics
As a journalist, would you publish everything you heard or saw? Discuss the ethics of journalism with a lesson plan from PBS. Young reporters imagine themselves to be the editor of their school's newspaper, and as they read five...
Flag House
Play Well with Others…Be Active Against Bullying!
Bully-free is the way every school should be! How can you help create that kind of culture in your school? A well-written teacher's guide containing lessons for grades 6-8 may be just the ticket. Each unit, separated by grade level,...
Missouri Department of Elementary
STAR Deputies
Scholars become STAR deputies in a lesson that encourages them to be problem-solvers. Small groups gather to complete a worksheet by answering questions. A discussion presents a scenario in which a problem occurs on the playground. Small...
Curated OER
Explaining Factors Causing Conflict and Cooperation
Students discuss what causes conflicts amongst groups especially pertaining to Native American tribes. For this conflicts lesson plan, students have discussion questions that they verbally answer and write in a journal.
Curated OER
Reading Club: Sex Ed
If you teach health, sociology, ethics, or a class that addresses controversial issues, this resource related to schools' sex education programs may be useful. The New York Times' Learning Network provides a lengthy article on a unique...
Curated OER
Student Opinion: How Should Schools Address Bullying?
Spark a disscussion about a current issue, bullying, in your classroom. This resource, published by The New York Times, provides a short article discussing a Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights passed into law in the state New Jersey followed...
Curated OER
Rights and Responsibilities
Start a discussion about individual rights and responsibilities with your class. As they will find out there is a difference between a person's rights and their responsibilities. Included are four discussion questions, activity...
iCivics
Limiting Government
While this lesson includes several nice worksheets to identify and discuss the various limits on government (i.e. a constitution, the rule of law, separation of powers, consent of the governed, etc.), its main value lies in a case study...
Curated OER
Safer Sex - Lesson 1
High schoolers investigate the practices related to safer sex and define what it means in our society today. Guiding questions are used to facilitate classroom discussion. The goal is for high schoolers to define and identify the...