Get your pupils thinking about some of the big ideas present in Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson with this anticipation guide. Learners decided if they believe a series of statements are true or false. A discussion follows.

A reading of Patrick Henry's "Speech in the Virginia Convention," Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" launch a discussion about the price one is willing to pay to...

The Election of 1912: an election with four competitive opponents. Pupils get to know the candidates with informative reading passages that provide context to the election. Then, the class engages in a debate and answers questions as one...

Students discuss cases in which juveniles were convicted of horrific crimes. They answer questions in which there are no right or wrong answers related to juvenile delinquency.

By examining two differing perspectives on the topic of abortion, upper graders will be able to build an opinion of their own. A teacher-led lecture outlines key points in the debate for or against abortion including, the role of...

Students become community philanthropists. In this social studies instructional activity, students learn the definition of philanthropy and apply it to Martin Luther King, Jr. The next day, students complete 3 T-charts for 3 historical...

Students examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They analyze the role of religion and cultural identity in shaping governments. They also examine the United States foreign policy.

Young scholars examine sources of spirituality. In this religion lesson, students investigate ties between the spiritual and natural worlds. Young scholars design community and personal projects that feature relationships to the natural...

Students visit the Holocaust Musuem through an interactive program. They examine Hitler's Final Solution and where concentration camps were located. They analyze how the situations in Auschwitz are similiar to Darfur.

Students examine the history of the National parks. In groups, they discuss the concepts of conservation and preservation. They discuss the use of natural resources and how some are renewable and non-renewable. To end the lesson, they...

Students examine a website for viewpoints on fitness as a legal issue. They form positions on communal responsibility vs. personal freedoms and present to the class their positions.

In this Marxist Perspectives on Crime worksheet, students read five pages and then proceed to complete several exercises such as supporting and rejecting a thesis, completing sentences, and categorizing statements.

Students examine the role of religion in everyday life. In this religion and ethics lesson, students investigate the use of government funds to support faith-based initiatives. The lesson calls for students to conduct research, watch...

Pupils analyze global issues. In this video podcasting lesson plan, pupils research Internet and print sources regarding selected global development issues. Pupils plan and create video podcasts that feature their research findings.

Students explore the health crisis presented by AIDS. In this AIDS lesson, students find out how nations around the world are dealing with AIDS and the stigma attached to it. Students plan an implement a service project...

Students examine faith-based initiatives. In this religion and ethics instructional activity, students consider the separation of church and state in the United States as they examine government funding of social service programs that...

Students consider the effectiveness of faith-based initiatives. In this religion and ethics lesson, students research issues relative to the separation of church and state. Students investigate the Bush faith-based initiative proposal...

Upper graders investigate how the Seventh Day Adventists are objectors to the practice of war. The lesson plan covers the Civil War and examines the church's position about the practice of war. The research extends to modern wars and...

How skilled are your class members at summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting from a text? Find out with this assessment that asks readers to identify the thesis statement, the summary, the paraphrases, and the quoted material in an...

Fourth graders study civil rights leaders. In this Civil Rights lesson, 4th graders investigate what it means to stand up for something you believe in after reading about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Obama. Students create a...

Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy and identify specific acts of philanthropy that have affected them personally. They plan and carry out acts of philanthropy focusing on giving back to their community.

Students write and perform a scene using Elizabethan language. They study the language of William Shakespeare.

Third graders read, discuss, and memorize the poem "Jenny Kissed Me." as an example of lyrical poetry. They write a letter to Jenny reliving the memory of her kiss from an elderly person's point of view. They illustrate their poems.

Students investigate contemporary hate groups and then participate in a debate on tolerating their existence of the Holocaust. They work in groups to conduct research. Students use print and Web resources to identify one or more...