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Refugees from the Caribbean: Cuban and Haiti "Boat People"
Students investigate the plight of Cuban and Haitian refugees. In this refugee lesson, students discover the history of "boat people" and U.S. policies regarding refugees. Students role play presidential advisers that must recommend new...
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How Does Preserving Wilderness Enhance Forestry
Young scholars identify events of the environmental movement in the United States. For this environment lesson students study Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir, who had a great impact on the environmental movement.
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Feminism Does Not Have to be an F-Word
Students analyze social activism messages in music. In this feminism activity, students explore selected music that expresses sentiments voiced in the women liberation movement in the United States. Students compare the lyrics of the...
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The Debate in the United States over the League of Nations
Eleventh graders read the words and listen to the voices of some central participants in the debate over the League of Nations.
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Fidel Castro: El Comandante
Young scholars view a documentary on Fidel Castro. After nearly forty years of rule, he remains one of the most controversial political figures of the twentieth century. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and research the...
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Terror Tantrum?
Students explore elements that help shape political and economic relationships between different countries and examine the effects of a recent terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia.
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Letters, Telegrams, and Photographs Illustrating
Students research the factors that are important in winning a battle in the Civil War. In a second activity they are assigned the role of a specific type of person during the Civil War and asked to describe what it's like being that person.
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Class A Creates Trouble
Students explore the history of drugs and drug use. In this anti-drug activity, students research information about drugs, then enhance their knowledge by digging into the subject even farther by researching the health implications,...
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Not the Stereotypical Immigrant?
Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the stereotypes of modern African immigrants to those of other major immigrant groups in the U.S. They write an essay on their observations.
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A Country Twice Divided
Students study biography from the 19th century. They read "The Red Badge of Courage." Students research a topic from the list provided in the lesson and write a 5-7 page paper. They study lyrics and melodies of the confederacy and...
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Through Their Eyes: Perspectives on Slavery
Learners examine different perspectives of slavery. They write a personal account of slavery as a slave trader, a plantation owner, and fugitives and working slaves. They role-play these roles for the class.
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Rice: The Global Crop
Students understand the uniqueness of the rice plant and how it grows. Students compare rice growing in Indonesia and California, observing the steps common to the process everywhere. Students comprehend the concepts labor-intensive and...
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Inventions 2: The Impact
Students see what inventors have to think about when making an invention, particularly the kinds of effects they can have on people.
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Liberation and Return to Life
Young scholars read testimonies of Holocaust survivors, describe conditions liberators found upon entering camps, investigate liberation, and research background of the Office of Special Investigations and Nuremberg War Crimes Trials.
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Inventions 1: Edison and the Light Bulb
Students are introduced to the realm and power of inventions, and help them to better recognize their impact on people and society.
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Studying the African Immigration Lesson Plan
Students read a narrative, conduct an interview and write an autobiographical piece highlighting their findings about an immigrant's experience leaving their country.
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Home: The Ties That Bind
Students read two novels, The Human Comedy and A Separate Peace and an autobiographical memoir, Farewell to Manzanar. They focus on the difficulties faced by the teenage protagonists in order to set up a connection between adolescence...
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Genetic Engineering
Students are introduced to the concept of genetic engineering. In groups, they participate in a variety of experiments, in which they analyze the effect of chemicals on different substances. Using the internet, they research gossypol,...
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Race, Language and Separation
Sixth graders discuss the idea of separation in today's society. In groups, they examine the laws used in the past with a focus on "separate, but equal". They review the Brown v. Board of Education case and determine if it caused or...
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Working 9 to 5?
Students identify different industries of the Industrial Revolution in America through the following: text, web research and image analysis. They evaluate a poster created by their classmates using a Poster Analysis Form.
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Bill of Rights: Rights and Responsibilities
Students explore the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students consider the individual liberties outlined in the Bill of Rights as they read the provided handouts and complete the provided worksheet activities.
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A Hero Betrayed: The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant
Students analyze the career of Ulysses S. Grant. In this Grant presidency lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of Grant's presidency. Students respond to discussion questions regarding the...
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The Constitution and Our Republic: Political Parties and the Election Process
Students discuss the role of political parties in the election process. In this election process lesson, students work in groups to examine the major functions of political parties and the role political parties play in the election...
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Reconstruction
Students investigate the historical period of the Reconstruction and the events that surrounded the abolitionist movement. Students use guided questions to conduct research. Then they complete a venn diagram in order to compare two...