Curated OER
Words and Pictures Connect Nature and People: The American Conservation Movement
Students research some of the men and women who help to raise the environmental consciousness of the American people through their writings and drawings. They write a persuasive piece about an outdoor place which will connect their...
Curated OER
Houses or Walaloos
Investigate the legal history and application of the Fifth Amendment. Write an essay in favor of a person keeping land that has been in his/her family for decades.
Curated OER
Children's Media and Censorship
Students examine the point of censorship when dealing with Students. They explore essays by Stephen King.
Curated OER
In Defense of Elitism
Students identify the key components of an argument essay. They differentiate between claims based on facts, opinions, beliefs,and prejudice. Students develop skills of critical thinking in this lesson.
Curated OER
Genetic Engineering
Students will apply their knowledge acquired from two guest speakers to writing a three hundred-word essay on either the pros or cons of genetic engineering. They will try to persuade the reader of their essays to agree with their stance...
Curated OER
Denying Civil Rights
Young scholars continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...
Curated OER
We're On A Mission!
Learners examine the Mars Exploration Rover mission. In groups, they design their own mission while participating in a webquest. They write an essay using the information they gathered to propose their mission to the President. They...
Curated OER
Art or Artifact?
Students analyze and discuss illustrations of the New World by John White. They examine the images, answer questions about each one, and write an essay.
Curated OER
The Reformation, Golden Age and English Revolution
Fifth graders create outlines and take notes on lectures that present the Reformation, England's Golden Age and the English Revolution. They use these outlines to create filmstrips and write an essay arguing which of these periods was...
Curated OER
Chinese Politburo Simulation on Uyghur Terrorism
Students are assigned a member of the Chinese Politburo and research this person's background, position, and political beliefs. Based on their position on the Politburo, their personality, and their background before coming to power,...
Curated OER
Supreme Court
Eleventh graders explore the redistricting process. In this American Government instructional activity, 11th graders examine the electoral map. Students write an essay posing an argument for the redistricting process.
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
Marshall Plan: Convince the American People
This is an excellent resource for US history classes, especially AP history. After learning some background on the Marshall Plan, the class, divided into two groups, researches opposing positions on this aid program. Groups read and...
Curated OER
Civil Disobedience from Antigone to Hunger Games
Study the concepts and practice of civil disobedience through fiction and nonfiction texts.
Curated OER
An Overview of the THEA Writing Test
Prepare your class for the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) or any other upcoming writing test (such as the SAT) with this presentation. Complete with instructions on the composition and rubric of the test, as well as sample...
Carolina K-12
The Results are In! Examining Our First Vote Election
The 2016 election is over, and now it's time to dig in to some data! An activity revolves around data gathered from the First Vote Project in North Carolina wherein thousands of learners voted. After diving in to the data using...
Museum of Tolerance
Oral History Activity
Oral history has brought a multitude of lessons, stories, and factoids to our current knowledge of the past. Let us continue to use oral history traditions through a lesson that encourages pupils to discover and appreciate...
Museum of Tolerance
Artifact Research Activity
Artifacts give us the privilege of learning about the past, may it be family, culture, or traditions. Here, class members learn about their family's past with the help of an artifact, or family heirloom. Once an artifact is...
Museum of Tolerance
Music Evokes Memories and Emotions
Dim the lights, take a deep breath, and press play to explore the emotions and memories that music elicits. Class members begin using relaxation techniques designed to create a positive listening experience. As music plays, learners...
Curated OER
Inner Circle/Outer Circle Debate Strategy
Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...
Curated OER
Presidential Election 2000
Students examine the presidential candidates and their election platforms. They further analyze the platforms by creating a chart to determine which candidate most represents his or her beliefs and values.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "I Have a Dream," is one of the most famous in United States history, but why was it so effective? Ask your class to determine the answer to this question. While the resource includes a description of...
Curated OER
US Constitution And Federal/State Relationship
Students examine the Constitution for references to the relationship between state and federal governments. They examine Supreme Court cases for examples of the division of government between state and federal powers.
Curated OER
Speech in the Virginia Convention
“. . .different men often see the same subject in different lights. . .” but the great orator Patrick Henry used all the skills at his command to craft a speech to convince listeners to see things as he did--that liberty was worth dying...
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.9
Guided by close-reading questions, groups examine the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. In addition, they look at how the principles are presented in these two foundational US...