Lesson Plan
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We Need More Than Money

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify examples of private resources. In this philanthropy lesson, students read the book A Chair for My Mother and identify the private resources the characters used in the text. Students name private resources that can help...
Lesson Plan
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We Don't Waste Money, So Where Does It All Go?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the concept of financial planning. In this financial planning lesson, students read an article about different families' financial plans. Students select 10 stocks to monitor over the next four weeks.
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Homelessness

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners study homelessness and the associated vocabulary. For this homelessness lesson, students work with a classmate to determine the definitions of words that are associated with homelessness. They attempt to define the words and...
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Keeping the Past Alive

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students read about the oral histories of West Africa and complete related activities. In this oral histories lesson, students read about the importance of oral customs in African cultures. Students interview a family member about oral...
Lesson Plan
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WHERE DO I COME FROM?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze the struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties, the social and economic impact of the Great Depression, and the economic boom and social transformation of post-World War II United...
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POWWOW

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students investigate the significance of the Powwow to the Native Americans. They write a story about a special tradition or custom from their own family, play Native American children's games, prepare Indian fry bread, and participate...
Lesson Plan
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Dance: Cultural Dance Festival

For Teachers K - 5th
Students participate in a folk dance presentation. In this multi-cultural lesson plan, students and their families work together to learn and perform folk dances at a school sponsored festival. The teacher acts as facilitator, working...
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The Magnificent Medici

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners watch a video about the internal power struggles of the Medici family of Renaissance Italy. They compare the Medici family to the Mafia and produce a written response to the film.
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Colonial Vacation Planner

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students plan a family vacation to states that were among the original 13 colonies. The groups determine which state they visit, map their route, calculate the mileage, and determine how much money they spend on gasoline.
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Mediation/Conciliation

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders discuss the court system in Japan, and assume roles of family members and friends of air crash victims. They discuss whether they would file suit against airlines, compare methods of achieving justice in United States and...
Lesson Plan
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Surviving the Struggle: Ruby Bridges, Ryan White, and Anne Frank

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders develop a deeper understanding of Anne Frank's survival. They select significant subject matter for a family photo album, write photo captions expressing feelings as well as facts, and sequence material in a logical,...
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Economics

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review economic trends from the past 30 years. They compare and contrast GDP and GNP. They identify other social indicators of economic progress as well.
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Creating a Primary Source Archive: All History Is Local

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners explore personal, local, state, and national history. In this historiography lesson, students search the Library of Congress digital collections for primary sources regarding their family histories framed in local, state, and...
Organizer
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Portable Pittsburgh Timeline

For Students 7th - 12th
In this timeline template activity, students add details to 3 timelines regarding the history of their families, their community, and Pittsburgh.
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Prairie Voices: German Immigrants Move to Iowa

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students create historically accurate travel journals. In this Iowa history lesson plan, students research the German immigration experience as they write travel journals that feature a German family's move into an Iowa county.
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What is History? Timelines and Oral Histories

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students determine that their lifetime shows just a small piece of history. They determine how two or more accounts of the same event can be different. They write an account of the same event from two perspectives.
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US Immigration

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine the history of immigration in the United States. Using primary source documents, they identify the areas of origin for people settling in Minnesota and describe the push and pull factors that brought them there....
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Three Alaska Native Leaders

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover the contributions of 3 Alaskan leaders. In this Alaska history lesson, students research the leaders Nathaniel Bowditch, Ki'ianaa'ahu'ula, and Elizabeth Peratrovich. Students present their findings through drama and...
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Exploring Diversity: What We Share and How We Differ

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students discuss the amount of diversity at their school. They examine a culture other than their own and share it with their classmates. They discuss the importance of diversity to end the lesson plan.
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The Rule of Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners review the concept of rule of law. They discuss how the rule of law can give society a positive view. They explore the role of the judiciary as well.
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Addressing Student's Questions in the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attacks

For Teachers Pre-K - 12th
Students discuss peacemaking. In this political policy and emotions lesson plan, students explore ideas for expressing feelings in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Students reflect on punitive and restorative justice.
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Guided Reading: Family Picnic

For Teachers K - 1st
Students blend phonemes. For this guided reading lesson, students create words by blending isolated phonemes. Students read a book discussing families.
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Pinckney Benedict's "The Sutton Pie Safe" from Town Smokes

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students read Pinckney Benedict's "The Sutton Pie Safe" to learn about family symbols and social commentary. In this close reading lesson, students read four journal prompts for the story and answer the listed questions for each section.
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Planning: To Get Enough Money for Food

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students investigate methods that families use for planning meals and budgeting for them. In this nutrition lesson, students complete activities that require them to determine how much it costs to feed children at different ages....