Curated OER
Cell Phones Create Dangers
Students research what laws, if any, relate to cell phones in your state and community. Students interview local law enforcement personnel to find out if cell phones have caused accidents in your town or city. Try to get statistics on...
Curated OER
Vocabulary in the Content Area
Students make connections between new vocabulary words and what they already know by illustrating the words and writing about them.
Curated OER
Close Encounters of the World Kind
Explore the vocabulary of the government process. Using a simple technique, learners discuss the meaning of the words majority, election, democrat, republican, and independent. This can be used as an anticipatory set.
Curated OER
Entrepreneurs Should Keep Business Simple
Delve into the idea of small businesses and get reading to find out how they grow. THe class reads an article about Steve Gotty, a who made his small business grow and discuss the setbacks he faced. They also discuss ways for a company...
Curated OER
Authority Figures
First graders simulate that they have been stranded on a desert island. They are not going to be rescued and they have to figure out who is in charge, form a government, and how many levels of leadership there needs to be.
Curated OER
The Importance of Self-Governance in Changing Laws
High schoolers examine the teachings of Gandhi and King. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, students listen to a lecture that reveals how Gandhi and King educated their followers about nonviolent resistance. High schoolers analyze...
Curated OER
The Powers of Government: Montesquieu Student Worksheet
For this Enlightenment worksheet, students read excerpts of The Spirit of the Laws by Montesquieu and then respond to 9 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Perceptions of Canadians: A Sense of Belonging, Confidence and Trust
Students explore the concept of social capital. In this sociology lesson, students define social capital and discuss how it is developed in a culture.
Curated OER
Moot Court Preparation
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
Curated OER
What Would the United States Do?
In this U.S. history scenario worksheet, students use their critical thinking skills to explain how the U.S. would respond in a scenario that involves the Soviet Union sending support to Communist rebels in Nicaragua.
Curated OER
Your Land is My Land: A Look at Bootleg Coal Mining During the Depression
Students examine the extreme conditions of unemployment during the Great Depression. In this multiple perspectives instructional activity, students analyze photographs of coal mining, research and adopt the perspective of a person...
Curated OER
Ancient Chinese Philosophies of Government
Sixth graders use the four philosophies of Ancient China to investigate persceptive and resolution of a problem.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Child Abuse
Students discuss the difference between child abuse and discipline. During a discussion, they identify the types of abuse and prevention methods. In groups, students examine various scenarios and determine whether or not the situations...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Segregation, Jim Crow Laws, Plessy vs. Ferguson
Learners examine the concept of segregation. In this civil rights lesson plan, students discuss the separate but equal theory as well as the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. Learners also research women of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim...
Curated OER
The Study of the Spanish-Speaking People of Texas: Who is Russell Lee?
Students investigate the contributions of the photojournalist Russell Lee. They read a biography of Russell Lee, and create a timeline of Lee's life.
Curated OER
What Does a Cowboy Do?
Students participate in a variety of activities as they study cowboys and the cowboy culture. They read stories and sing songs about the cowboys. They study the area of the United States cowboys are from and review the tools cowboys...
Curated OER
Choices in War: What Would You Save First?
Students read and discuss articles about the current condition in Iraq. In groups, they role play as field generals for the coalition forces and they must create and present a visual defense plan for assigning 20,000 troops to protect...
Curated OER
What Shall We Remember on 11 November?
Learners take a closer look at the proposed British Day. In this current events lesson plan, students visit selected websites to read Gordon Brown's proposal and examine British cultural symbols.
Curated OER
Historical Witness: Social Messaging
Students examine the persuasive techniques of leaders. In this propaganda lesson, students discover the practices that Louis XIV and Caligula used to persuade others. Students watch "The Merchants of Cool" and discuss propaganda used...
Curated OER
No Food, No Money, No Job: What to Do?
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students research the Civilian Conservation Corps and create an advertisement that might have promoted it.
Curated OER
What was Behind the Golden Door?
Students adopt the persona of an immigrant child to explore the reasons underlying why families left their homelands. They empathize with the emotional plight of immigrants through creative composition.
Core Knowledge Foundation
Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
Young adventurers embark on a journey, setting sail along the blue ocean with Christopher Columbus. Teachers will find that this unit makes their lesson planning smooth sailing!
Concordia University
Primary and Secondary Sources
Show your class the difference between primary sources and secondary sources. The first page provides a list of examples of each type of source. While they research, pupils can refer back to the list quickly to make sure they are reading...
Curated OER
Common Good
Students identify assumptions they may have about government and research to determine whether they are accurate. They support or refute their assumptions in a presentation to the class.