Curated OER
Fact or Fantasy Writing
First graders see that some written text is for pleasure and enjoyment while some is for relaying information. They get to experience both types during the lesson. They brainstorm ideas for a story about a new kid in school to write about.
Curated OER
A Song for Every Headline - Lesson 1
Young scholars identify popular songs from 1968 and make connections with the year's current events They recognize popular music as a reflection of the culture. They focus on songs of the Vietnam War era.
Curated OER
ESL News Press
Students assume the roles of editors and news reporters and develop and create a school newspaper. Working in groups they brainstorm article topics for different sections of the paper. They conduct research about current events,...
Curated OER
Films About World War II
Ninth graders focus on how filmmakers have changed their view of the Second World War. They create portfolios or their own documentary to investigate the various screen interpretations of the wartime era and explain different points of...
Curated OER
Global Eyes
Twelfth graders consider global issues and their effects. They identify the themes of human needs, human rights, and the environment, select a topic and research articles for a Global Current Events Portfolio. Working in small groups,...
Curated OER
Organizaton of American States Project
Young scholars discover the Organization of American States by researching currents issues in those countries. They create a PowerPoint presentation and share with the class.
Curated OER
Vocab Grabbing the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
Students identify concrete and abstract nouns in the preamble to the Constitution, and complete Frayer Model graphic organizers using history and current events as examples of American values. In this preamble lesson plan, students use...
Curated OER
Cartoon-Truth or Tale
Students examine Nazi propaganda. In this Holocaust lesson, students investigate the power of symbolism as they examine Nazi propaganda cartoons and then create their own cartoons using propaganda regarding current events of their choosing.
Curated OER
Olympic Challenges
Students consider the impact of the Olympic Games. In this current events lesson, students prepare for the 2006 Olympics by visiting selected websites to learn how the Olympic games began, political issues of the games, and preview the...
Curated OER
Keep It Academic
Students study various methods to learn about religion in the classroom. In this religion study lesson plan, students read and visit links to learn about various ways of teaching religion in schools. Students learn the model world...
Ohio Center For Law-Related Education
Four Activities: Thurgood Marshall and the Nomination and Confirmation of Federal Judges
The process of nominating and confirming federal judges can sound like a lot of bureaucratic hoops, but a resource breaks down the steps of the Supreme Court nominations in a simpler manner. Learners participate in four activities that...
Curated OER
Lesson: Tlatelolco: Mexican Student Massacre 1968
The Massacre of Tlatelolco is the focus of a discussion-based instructional activity. Civil-minded learners consider the nature of student movements that have ended in violence based on over-reaction and government oppression. They...
Curated OER
High-fliers
Learners take a closer look at Heathrow airport. In this current events lesson plan, students visit selected websites to learn about the history of Heathrow Airport and the current opening of terminal 5.
Curated OER
Who Invented Religion?
Students explore religious controversies with the release of the film "The Passion of the Christ." For this current events lesson, students discuss religious beliefs and the place for violence in religious and historical films.
Curated OER
Constitution
Ninth graders simulate a U.S. Supreme Court hearing concerning a First Amendment case about school prayer by participating in a hearing.
Curated OER
Take Your Students Behind the Veil
Students consider race relations in Britain. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to understand religious dress, Muslim practices, and the crisis regarding multiculturalism in Britain.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Intro to China
Understanding the global interconnection between people of other nations is extremely important in our ever-shrinking world. Emergent global thinkers examine the significance of Chinese culture, religion, and political power. They then...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
Freedom of speech is not always free. Scholars investigate how the First Amendment provides for the right to express opinions. Through the court case Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, they analyze free speech using primary documents—and hopefully...
Curated OER
Can History Be Rewritten?
Can history be rewritten? Or, more precisely, is history documented accurately? High school juniors and seniors compare primary source material with secondary sources. For example, they compare President Roosevelt's December 29, 1940...
Curated OER
Evaluating the Strength of Scientific Evidence: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine...
Curated OER
Lesson 3: Japan's "Southern Advance" and the March toward War, 1940-1941
High school historians interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources to decide if the southern advance was a reckless step toward war, or if it was reasonable. They research the Japanese southern advance tactics during the...
Jim Noble, Richard Wade & Oliver Bowles
Pyramid Model
Seeking to derive the formula for the volume of a square pyramid, geometry learners construct six square based pyramids that, when pieced together properly, form a cube. Two short videos demonstrate the relationship...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons: Literacy
Readers decode and deconstruct political cartoons to heighten critical thinking, extra-textual literacy, and making meaning from symbolism and metaphor. A compatible activity to use in English class when your 8th or 11th graders are...
Curated OER
Lesson: Paul Chan: "Score for the 7th Light"
Music, art, and poetry coalesce in a single exhibition, and in a single lesson. Critical thinkers analyze the Fluxus art movement as it's seen in the work of Paul Chan's 7 Lights. They consider the use of poetry and music in his...