Foreign Policy Research Institute
Understanding China: The Prospects for Democracy in China
This document provides useful information for a unit on democracy in China. While it does not include detailed activities, it does have a list of democratic principles, and important facts about China that facilitate understanding of its...
Curated OER
Espionage and Sedition Acts: Mock Trial
Bring to life the severity of the Espionage and Sedition Acts through a mock trial. Learners have prior knowledge of WWI and the context of these acts. An anticipatory set gets the class discussing the ethics of wartime dissension, and...
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The First American Party System: Events, Issues, and Positions
Students identify factors which lead to the development of the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. They examine the writings of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton as well. They discuss what elements are needed for an orgainized...
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Teaching Basic Banking Principles
Students listen to the story, "Recollections of Pine Gulch, 1840-1860" to determine how banks "create" money, what reserves are, and what a "run" on a bank is.
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The Manhattan Project
Students discover the technological and scientific requirements for making the atomic bomb, the immediate effects of an atomic bomb, and the social and political changes that have resulted from the Manhattan Project.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
The People's Republic of China
This resource provides a nice framework for young scholars to explore the perceived shift in China's policymaking from the idealogical to the practical. While this lesson plan includes some dated materials (2006 is the...
Curated OER
Ratifying the Constitution
After a lecture on ratifying the Constitution, this worksheet would be perfect to reinforce your government (or U.S. History) learners' new knowledge. The activity contains ten knowledge-level and comprehension-level questions. This...
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Teaching Basic Banking Principles
Students explore basic banking principles and the value of money as they probe into the lesson. The case of Gus Mahler is examined as students discover the money making dealings of the banking industry.
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association
A Research Project: A Discussion of the Recreating and Populating of a Colonial Village
Primary source research, secondary source readings, and discussion provide the understanding necessary for students to create a colonial persona, and simulate a situation appropriate for this person, time, and place. While the...
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Equal Rights
Learners experience what it would be like for any one group to make the laws that all people are to follow.
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Greek Geography
A riddle and a class lecture kick off this instructional activity on Greek Geography and city features. Learners use a worksheet to answer questions related to what they learned in lecture and complete a homework assignment. Note: This...
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The Mass Media and Politics
What effect do the prevalence of televisions in homes have on the American political stage? Challenge your students to consider this idea with these ten questions, both true/false and multiple choice. You could use this activity as a...
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The Glory That Was Greece: A Test
Did your class just finish a unit on Greek life, culture, and conquest? If you think they know everything there is to know about Ancient Greece, then put them to the test with this exam, which contains thirty multiple choice questions.
University of Minnesota
The Ladder of Torture
The awful practice of torture is the focus of this sociology lesson. Young scholars examine their own personal values regarding torture. They participate in a class discussion that considers the moral issues surrounding the use of...
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The War for Independence: 4th Grade
Here is a great interactive idea that may need a little refining. Students play 3 rounds, where they answer questions explaining how different countries have gained independence throughout history. While this resource has music and...
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Primary vs. Secondary Sources Notes
What’s the difference between primary and secondary source materials? Here’s a handout, designed as a reference for learners, that does a good job of distinguishing between primary and secondary source materials and providing examples of...
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Interstate Relations
Your class might be clear on how the federal government relates to states, but what about how states relate to each other? Challenge your students with this worksheet, which could function as a review activity or as a quiz. Questions...
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Bullying and Homophobia
Having difficulty in class broaching controversial issues? This lesson offers several linked online tools to get students engaged in discussion about bullying and homophobia. Coastkid.org offers an interactive scenario activity, which...
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Inflation and Money
High schoolers examine the relationship between inflation and money. Defining key terms, they define money in terms of its functions and give examples of money. They discover what happens when inflation occurs unexpectedly. They also...
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Putin: 'No way back' from democracy
Imagine a meeting between President Bush and Putin. Get your class thinking about global awareness, democracy, and totalitarian modes of government. They examine how two leaders approach major governmental issues and run their countries...
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Willing to Participate: Political Engagement of Young Adults
Students consider what it means to be politically involved. In this civics lesson, students discuss voting as a privilege or right. Students also discuss how they may be able to effect social change through political involvement.
Curated OER
Academic Raceway 500
In this community government PowerPoint, students participate in a game with a race track format in which they answer questions about local government, the election process, and the decision making process used in a democracy.
Curated OER
The White House: To Catch A Spy
In this government instructional activity, students fill in the blanks to government questions by researching the website given to them. Students fill in 5 blanks.
Curated OER
A Look at Individual Federal Income Tax
Students investigate the concept of a personal federal income tax. They conduct research and participate in class discussion in order to deal some of the issues. They include why there is an individual income tax and how the money is...