American Documentary
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains
The outcome of 90 percent of criminal cases in the US is determined by plea bargains. Clips from the documentary Better This World create the backdrop for an investigation of the benefits and drawbacks of the plea bargaining process....
Curated OER
The assassination of the Archduke: Exploring Perspectives
Use political cartoons for a multiple-perspectives strategy, as pupils learn about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. After an anticipatory discussion, they are split into 2 groups. The class reads a primary source account...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
A Geography Lesson
Fewer and fewer people have a strong grasp of world geography, but this activity helps students understand geopolitics by creating their own original historical map. The activity requires selecting a country from the list provided,...
Curated OER
Solar History
Using the sun's light as a source of energy is not a new concept. Give your environmental studies, engineering, or physical science class this list of how humans have used solar energy throughout history. Assign groups a certain time...
Curated OER
Research Paper
An outline for a research paper assignment lists the expectations, grading rubric, and due dates for an extended research writing project.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Conducting a Panel Discussion and Civil Conversation
The final instructional activity in an 11-session study of immigration asks class members to engage in either a panel discussion or a civil conversation of the controversial legal and policy issues they have investigated as part of the...
Anti-Defamation League
Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill: The Power of Symbols
How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the $5,...
Channel Islands Film
The Legendary King
After viewing two documentaries about the history of the Channel islands, individuals craft an essay in which they compare the lives of Juana Maria, the Lone Woman San Nicolar Island, to Lester Holt and his family featured in the...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Alabama and the Treaty of Versailles
As part of a study of the treaty that ended World War I and the seeds of resentment it planted, class groups compare President Wilson's Fourteen Points and the articles of the Treaty of Versailles.
Center for History Education
To What Extent Were Women's Contributions to World War II Industries Valued?
Women rose to the challenge when the nation's war effort called them—but were sent home when the GIs came back from World War II. Young historians consider whether the United States valued women's contributions during the war using a...
Curated OER
Geography And The Gulf War
Students develop maps, tables, graphs, charts, and diagrams to depict the geographic implications of current world events, and analyze major human conflicts to determine the role of physical and cultural geographic features in the...
Curated OER
President Who? Forgotten Founders and Their Capitols
Students explore the beginning of the United Colonies that were formed in 1774. In this history lesson plan, students discuss the Articles of Confederation and then answer questions about the events surrounding the development of the...
Curated OER
Afghanistan: A Rich History
Students study events in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s. They discuss the role of the international community in the rise of the Taliban to power, and consider what can be learned from our country's involvement in Afghanistan.
Curated OER
Superhighway Scholars
Students study the states of their choice by using Superhighway Scholars website. In this Unites States history lesson plan, students create a collage using information collected about a state of their choosing. This lesson plan provides...
Curated OER
North Korea's Nuclear Threat
Students participate in a lesson that focuses on the events of how Korea became a nuclear threat in the world. They use essential questions to help guide the research and come to right conclusions from the information.
Curated OER
Korean Road Trip
Students research the geographical regions of Korea. They plan a hypothetical road trip that could be taken in the country. Students also write a study journal for the trip that records possible events that could take place.
Curated OER
Volcanoes in Washington State and Tanzania
Students research volcanoes in Washington State and in Tanzania and create a poster on one specific volcano in each area. Once research is complete on each area, students compare and contrast volcanoes in Washington State and Tanzania.
Curated OER
Crisis in Darfur
High school social studies teachers addressing the crisis in Darfur could use elements of this plan to increase social studies vocabulary and research skills. It includes a page of lecture/discussion notes, instructions for creating...
Curated OER
The Nile: A Gift to Egypt
Sixth graders discover the Egyptian culture. In this Nile River lesson plan, 6th graders examine why the river is so important to Egypt.Students study the religions, geography and the people of Egypt. Students create an exhibit where...
Curated OER
PUBLIC POLICY AND THE GOVERNMENT
Students analyze the pros and cons of public policies. They analyze how public policy issues are influenced by government actions (e.g., transportation, the environment). They research the elements and requirements of the...
Curated OER
Lesson on Ethnic Discrimination
Young scholars study ethnic discrimination. In this discrimination lesson, students define ethnicity and ethnic discrimination in the global community as well as steps against it. Young scholars examine their own ethnic backgrounds...
Curated OER
Environmental Risk Management
Students are engaged in cooperative learning strategies and critical thinking activities to introduce topics of analysis, probability, assessment, and management as they apply to environmental risk. They choose a risk from the class...
Curated OER
Pirates: Fact or Fiction?
Students gain an understanding of what pirates are and to prove they really did and do exist. They discuss the different myths the students have about pirates as compared to what the documentary discusses.
Curated OER
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
Students discover the art of writing letters. In this writing lesson, students read letters written by President Harry Truman and then write a series of their own letters that would give insight into the times in which they live.