Curated OER
Culture, Crisis and Population Explosion: A Deweyan Approach in the Classroom
Students read various arguments posed by John Dewey when it comes to population growth. In groups, they use magazine articles and the internet to find issues related to populations and complete experiments to identify the challenges...
Curated OER
In-Group Favoritism
Students discover how to cross social boundaries. In this character education lesson, students discuss the positive and negative impacts of favortism they witness in their local community as well as the international community....
Curated OER
Human Rights in the Philippines
Students examine the meaning of human rights under the United Nations system, in the U.S., and the Philippines. They conduct research, discuss the concepts in groups, and conduct a debate on the human rights situation post Marcos...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Franklin’s Fair Hand American Journalism
Scholars know him for his role in the American Revolution, but Ben Franklin was also a journalist and printer. Learners investigate his standards for what was fit to print using primary sources—including writings where Franklin explains...
Curated OER
The Extinction and Rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
An incredibly thorough, and well-designed lesson teaches youngsters about the presumed extinction and rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas. Learners discuss the environmental factors that led to the birds disappearance....
National History Day
No More Sticks and Stones: Technological Advancements in World War I Warfare
Remind young historians that many technological advancements influenced the events of World War I. After analyzing technology's evolution through primary sources, discussing the changes over time, and watching various video clips,...
Curated OER
To Kill a Mockingbird Debate
Eighth graders debate issues in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. For this debate lesson, 8th graders break into three groups and given a view to research and debate. Students must find text to support their ideas and others' ideas.
Curated OER
Place and Character in Poetry
Students examine how place in poetry helps give clues about character. In this poetry lesson plan, students read a poem while focusing on the descriptions of the room that is being described and predict what type of person would live...
Curated OER
The Great Kapok Tree Debate
Young scholars participate in a read aloud of the story, "The Great Kapok Tree" in which a logger decides not to cut down a tree. In small groups, they discuss and write about their opinion on the logger's decision. Each group then...
Curated OER
Be It Resolved: A lesson In Debating
Students examine debating procedures. In teams, students research the effects of European-Aboriginal interaction. Students collect, analyze and interpret information to support their side of the debate.
Curated OER
Issue 1 - Designed to Add Technology Jobs
Students research the statewide initiative on the Ohio ballot of 2003. They form teams to debate the issue of using bond proceeds to encourage technology research. The class votes on which individual/team presented the best argument, and...
Curated OER
Wild Dog Debate
Students participate in a mock conference addressing the possible extinction of African wild dogs. In this wild dogs lesson plan, students state their arguments and ask questions about the issues they have researched.
Curated OER
What's in a Name? Considering the Shakespeare Authorship Question
Did Shakespeare really write all that stuff? After viewing a trailer for the film, Anonymous and reading Stephen Marche’s article “Wouldn’t It Be Cool If Shakespeare Wasn’t Shakespeare?” class groups read articles about the Shakespeare...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Texas v. Johnson
Which right does the Constitution weigh more heavily: the sanctity of the American flag as a symbol of national unity, or the right to burn the flag in protest? The 1989 Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson explores a...
ProCon
Tablets vs. Textbooks
Learners decide if tablets should replace textbooks in K-12 schools. They watch four pro and con videos and discover the history of the tablets-versus-textbooks debate. As a bonus, the resource allows them to submit their own comments...
ProCon
National Anthem Protests
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in 2016 as a form of protest. Were his actions appropriate? Using the provided website, pupils attempt to decide for themselves by reading the main...
Curated OER
College Education
What do Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have in common? They're both billionaires, and neither one has a college degree! Using the website, scholars explore whether having a college education is truly worth the money it costs. They read...
Curated OER
Corporate Tax Rate and Jobs
Does lowering the corporate tax rate help create jobs in the United States? Learners explore the top pro and con arguments and quotes relating to the issue. They read background information about the creation of the federal corporate...
ProCon
Daylight Savings Time
An entomologist named Geroge Vernon Hudson is credited with proposing Daylight Saving Time (DST) so he could better study his insects. Using the informative website, scholars read a brief introduction to the topic and then explore the...
ProCon
Milk
Milk: It does a body good ... or does it? Using the provided website, scholars sort through information to answer the question. They review a chart demonstrating lactose intolerance by ethnicity and region, and they also compare the...
ProCon
Prescription Drug Ads
Bayer Pharmaceuticals sold heroin as a cough medicine in the 1900s ... who knew? Scholars discover this, and other interesting facts, when they use the resource to prepare for a class discussion or debate. They browse videos, readers'...
ProCon
School Uniforms
Americans spend around one billion dollars each year on school uniforms, but are they necessary? As pupils research the debate topic, they form their own opinions. They review the history of school uniforms and discover the top pro and...
Curated OER
Cell Phone Radiation
Should people be more worried about cell phone radiation? Scholars read extensive background information about the issue to prepare for a class discussion or debate. As they explore the website, they learn the main arguments for and...
ProCon
President Ronald Reagan
At 69 years old, Ronald Reagan was the oldest man ever to be elected president in the United States. After reviewing a thorough history of Reagan's presidency, pupils read the main pro and con arguments to determine if he was a good...