Facing History and Ourselves
Preparing Students for Difficult Converstaitons
Many of the issues facing 21st Century learners are challenging and even discussing these issues can be a challenge. So how do teachers prepare learners for these difficult conversations? How do instructors create a safe classroom where...
Curated OER
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...
Curated OER
Good Sportsmanship Leads to Home Run
Pupils share examples of good sportsmanship, then read a news article about a team helping an injured player score a home run. The teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students read the news...
Curated OER
Water: Read All About It!
Students discuss newspapers and water and work in groups to develop their own paper focusing on water issues. In this journalism instructional activity, students discuss the value of newspapers and water as an issue. They work as a group...
Curated OER
Australia and Argentina: A Study in Contrast
Students study world events and their effect on economic growth. They research and interpret graphs to determine explanations for economic growth. Students compare the World Wars and the Great Depression to the growth of Argentina and...
Curated OER
Force for Good?
Students investigate attacks on Falluja. In this Iraq conflict lesson, students visit slelected Web sites to determine what insurgents are and why they have targeted Falluja. Students also take an in depth look at Operation Braken in...
Curated OER
Redistricting: How Our Representatives Select Voters
Students examine the practice of redistricting. For this American politics lesson, students read the provided articles "The Gerrymander," and "Reforming the Gerrymander." Students respond to the provided discussion questions.
Curated OER
Picturing History
Young scholars consider the value of a photograph and the circumstances under which photographs are taken, research the importance of a particular photograph. They create original photographs that illustrate the emotions, events or...
Curated OER
What is Your Issue?
Students discuss and debate critical political and social issues facing the United States today.
Curated OER
Pakistan's 'Staggering Disaster': How Students Can Help
High schoolers explore the effects of massive flooding in Pakistan. In this global issues lesson, students read an article about monsoons and flooding in Pakistan. High schoolers respond to discussion questions based on the article.
Curated OER
European Festivals
Students explore the diversity of European festivals. In this cultural diversity activity, students visit selected Web sites to research ancient festivals, the Edinburgh Fringe, and the Glastonbury. Students may organize their own...
Curated OER
Strangers in a Strange Land
Students participate in a round-table discussion about the ethnic Albanian refugee crisis occurring in Kosovo as a result of Serbian persecution. They examine another 20th century refugee crisis and compare its causes.
Anti-Defamation League
Student Dress Codes: What's Fair?
The controversy over school dress codes continues. The debate involves questions like, why is there a policy? Who sets the policy? Who enforces the policy? What is a fair policy? Tweens and teens have an opportunity to engage in the...
Curated OER
When Enough Should Be Enough
Students take a closer look at world hunger. For this global issues lesson, students discuss hunger in African nations and determine how that might organize a school-side campaign to raise money to fight hunger through the charity...
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At the Heights of Conflict
Students examine the historic and present conflict between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights. In groups students present the class with information on the Golan Heights. They write an essay defending his or her view on the future...
University of Chicago
Women and Family in the Islamic World
How does the Qur'an detail the role of women? What modern social issues are linked to Islamic law? Address these questions with your young historians through close analysis of primary and secondary source documents.
Center for Civic Education
The Power of Nonviolence: Rosa Parks: A Quest for Equal Protection Under the Law
Teach young historians about the historical legacy of Rosa Parks with a multi-faceted lesson plan. Pupils follow stations and use journals to explore prominent events, analyze primary resource documents, and engage in interesting...
Curated OER
Creating Civic Awareness Through Artistic and Literary Forms
Interpret current events using editorial cartoons and other print media. Middle schoolers explore the meanings of literary and artistic terms such as satire, irony, and caricature. They visit internet sites to develop an understanding of...
Curated OER
The 44th and 45th USA Presidents
The transition of power between former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump may be the first political process that your students have followed. Fill out the details between these two leaders with a set of vocabulary...
Curated OER
Front Page History
Learners consider how current events are directly and intricately tied to past events, decisions and other influences. The island of Guam is used as a case study as the events of WWII have continued to affect the people of Guam today.
Curated OER
Japan's Textbook Case
Students read and discuss "Japan's Refusal to Revise Textbooks Angers Neighbors." They discuss how accurately textbooks account for historical events, then collaborate to write unbiased textbook entries for current events.
Curated OER
Firing on Fort Sumter
Students assess the difficult position and decision Lincoln had to make. They determine that there were many conflicting opinions at that time. They pretend they are at a dinner table together discussing the current events. They...
Curated OER
The Way to Venezuela
Students investigate various facets of Venezuelan culture, politics, history and current events to develop an introductory chapter of a guidebook to the country.
Curated OER
Taking to the Airwaves
Learners consider the purpose of talk radio and examine its importance in the new democratic Iraq. They enact mock talk shows based on current events and reflect on the value of free speech and the role audience members play in radio...