Federal Reserve Bank
Cotton in My Sack
As part of a study of saving choices and opportunity costs, class members listen to a reading of Lois Lenski's Cotton in My Sack, and then evaluate the spending choices made by the Hutley family.
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Managing Influences and Making Decisions
Does patience help people become more responsible? Class members explore the topic with a What's It To Do With Me? quiz to assess their personal responsibilities. They engage in a whole-class discussion about pros and cons of instant...
Boston University
South African Short Stories: Apartheid, Civil Rights, and You
How are short stories from South Africa connected to issues of civil rights in the United States? A unit plan uses South African short stories to discuss issues such as apartheid, colonization, and civil rights. Questions and activities...
US House of Representatives
Women Pioneers on Capital Hill, 1917–1934
As part of a study of the women elected to Congress from 1917 to 1934, groups research and then design a museum exhibit that describes the life and the congressional service of one of these women.
New York City Department of Education
Theater Units for Lower and Upper Elementary Levels
Introduce middle schoolers to playwriting and the elements of drama with a six-session storytelling unit that encourages kids to expand their acting and writing skills. The 12-page packet includes overviews of the lessons,...
Free Library of Philadelphia
Resources for Ghost Boys
Jewell Parker Rhodes, the author of Ghost Boys, wanted to bring the historical legacy of Emmett Till and the current topic of racial prejudice into today's young readers' mindsets. Use a reading guide and set of discussion questions to...
Curated OER
What Experiences Shaped the Founders' Thinking about Government?
High schoolers study the ideas and experiences that shaped the founding fathers' perspective about government. In this the government lesson plan, students examine the Articles of Confederation as they relate to the power of government....
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Self Concept
Reflect on your identity, the past events that helped you form your personality, and your future aspirations with a lesson about self concept. Eighth graders examine their own traits and the ways they are unique from their peers before...
Federal Reserve Bank
Keep the Currency
Each day, people throw currency away in different ways because of a lack of financial knowledge. Introduce your learners to the importance of financial literacy and assess their understanding of banking and personal finance.
Deliberating in a Democracy
Freedom of Movement
Class members examine human migration. For this population lesson, they read an article entitled, "Freedom of Movement" and respond to discussion questions about the article related to guest worker programs.
Federal Reserve Bank
U.S. Income Inequality: It's Not So Bad
What is the difference between a flat tax, progressive tax, tax deduction and transfer payments? Pupils examine the ability-to-pay principle of taxation through discussion, problem solving, and a variety of worksheets on topics from US...
PBS
Unions Today
Three scenarios that examine the role of unions in the fast-food industry and pro sports are used to launch a discussion of present-day union influence.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 1: On the Road with Marco Polo: A Boy in 13th Century Venice
Learners investigate Marco Polo's life as a young boy in 13th century Venice. They analyze maps, explore various websites, complete a chart and answer discussion questions, and create a travel brochure about visiting 13th century Venice.
Curated OER
Who’s Got Your Back?
You can explore art, social studies, and history all at the same time with a great lesson about the painting Rodeo-Pickup Man. The class examines several close-up images of the piece and then considers what the painting is telling...
PBS
The Little Red Hen: A Tale of Cooperation
Ensure that your kids don't even consider saying "Not me!" when it comes time to read by engaging them in this set of lesson plans based around "The Little Red Hen." The class reads the story together before starting in on additional...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Presidential Qualifications
Can anyone grow up to be president of the United States? As part of their study of the 2020 election, groups research the constitutional requirements to become president. The class then brainstorms a list of qualifications beyond those...
Curated OER
Simply Dazzling!
Color, shape, and pattern can be found and analyzed in almost any setting, but the context in which they are considered here will help connect art, social studies, and acculturation. Little ones check out the piece Eyedazzler Blanket to...
Western Illinois University
Holocaust Unit Plan
Would it have been you? Scholars investigate the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II. They view, interpret, and analyze the video The Holocaust to gain insight into who exactly was impacted by the events Europe. They then...
State Bar of Texas
McCullough v. Maryland
Can a state government tax the federal government? The Supreme Court case McCullough v. Maryland explores different governments in the United States. Scholars research the court's decision with a video and discussion. They formulate...
Curated OER
Contents and Containers
There is no better way to understand a different culture than to participate in its traditional or ceremonies. This lesson kicks off with a discussion about a tea container made during the Edo period in Japan. After examining the vessel...
PBS
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson - A Journey Back to Separate but Equal Conditions
Baseball great Jackie Robinson fought for social justice. His efforts to push for equal access are detailed in an episode from from the Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection. After viewing the clip, class members engage in a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Power of the Majority over Thought
While Alexis de Tocqueville mourned a lack of "freedom of discussion" in America in the early republic, today's pupils are concerned about peer pressure. Using excerpts of de Tocqueville's writing and discussion questions, scholars...
Federal Reserve Bank
Little Nino's Pizzeria
Engage your youngsters in basic economics by connecting the terms to dessert and pizza! After a discussion about intermediate goods and natural resources, learners read and connect a pizzeria to economic terms.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Elders' Stories
Very young learners study the ways that oral traditions play such a huge part in the culture of Native Americans. They see how Elders pass along stories to the younger generations. If possible, a tribal Elder comes into the class to...