Although recycling is definitely beneficial, reducing our waste and conserving our natural resources should really be the focus of environmentalists. Encourage the future generation to create a public service announcement about a...

First, young citizens learn about water consumption by doing some research themselves on their home water usage and sharing their findings with the class. Then, they do some brainstorming and devise a plan to reduce water consumption.

Students describe the characteristics of wetlands and identify their ecological functions. They inspect items and use them to create metaphors about wetlands.

Consider various aspects of world hunger in this writing lesson. After taking a pre-test, middle and high schoolers play a map game, analyze and discuss world statistics, and write a report on an assigned country. The lesson can apply to...

Young readers explore philanthropy and its effects on the public good. They discuss athletes and their examples as philanthropists. They research a sports hero and play "The Match Game" to determine what they know about other sports...

Who doesn't love music? Poems and songs will engage your high school class in a discussion about irony. Use songs like "Rockin' in the Free World" or "Born in the U.S.A." to illustrate the ironic point of view. Print the lyrics so...

Students research water in Lesotho. In this water instructional activity, students watch videos showing how  water comes to Lesotho Africa, they will compare this to how water is acquired in the US. Students will then create a...

Young scholars research senior citizens who were heroes during the Reconstruction Era. They interview senior citizens who they believe to be heroes and write a biography about them. They explain how small acts can contribute to the...

Students examine and then discuss opposite sides of controversial issues such as neighborhood curfews, lowering voter age, etc. They learn civic responsibility and cultivate tolerance for others' opinions.

Students examine events of September 11. They examine Muslims, dealing with loss, and the attacks on the World Trade Center. Students observe a slide presentation. They read guides concerning September 11 and related current events.

Students compare and contrast legislation passed in Japan and the United States in regards to the elderly. Using the Internet, they research how the government has put programs into place to improve the health of older citizens. They...

Students participate in kindness and good citizenship activities in this lesson. Each month of the school year, they are assigned a different activity. For example, in August the theme is "Getting to Know You!" The students hand out...

Students analyze the funding strategies of a modern central government. Individuals or groups construct a plan for increasing spending and making cutbacks in various government programs. Students examine the importance of taxes on the...

High schoolers survey flags of Europe. Students read news stories dealing with the European Union. They discuss the importance of symbolism and identity. High schoolers design one flag to represent all members of the European Union.

Third graders use a variety of information resources to identify local environmental issues and examine the ways that people have tried to solve these problems. They read "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs" and create a list of three...

Students explore how artists contribute to the public good. In this art and community lesson, students identify a community's needs and wants, identify how characters in a story meet their needs and wants, and identify ways that arts...

Students study Manuel de Zavala and his role in the history of Texas. In this character education lesson, students read about Manuel Lorenzo and underline the responsibilities he took on in his life. Students then answer questions about...

Students research studenT rights in democratic and non-democratic societies. They create group projects such as advertisements and posters, which demonstrate their awareness of civic involvement.

Learners examine data about the effects of speed in car accidents. They create their own media campaign about safety while driving. They share their ideas with the class.

High schoolers are introduced to the concept of racial profiling. In groups, they analzye the case between Oregon and Dominguez-Martinez and evaluate the use of racial profiling as a tool of policemen. They also discuss the laws in place...

Students create their own HyperStudio cards which include scanned images of at least one member (designated reader) of each group. They add the text of a predetermined amendment. The designated reader then reads the selected amendment.

Learners examine the economic value of property rights. In a classroom activity, "You're the Economist," they analyze actual research data from establishing land holding titles in Para, Brazil. They assess several case studies about the...

Third graders describe local services being provided on a tour of their town. During community-based instruction, they visit several local government buildings. Upon their return, 3rd graders document in their journals, the services...

High schoolers examine the procedures to elect the President of the United States. In groups, they create their own political cartoon presenting a consensus of their point of views on the process. They identify the strengths and...