Interactive
Mr. Nussbaum

American Revolution

For Students 3rd - 5th Standards
Test scholar's reading comprehension skills with a practice that challenges pupils to read an informational text about the Amerian Revolution then answer 10 questions. 
Interactive
Mr. Nussbaum

Alexander Graham Bell

For Students 4th - 6th Standards
An interactive practice challenges scholars to read an informational text then answer nine questions. The topic of the text is Alexander Graham Bell. Questions are a mix of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank.
Article
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)

Ascd: Building Literacy in Social Studies: Ch 1: Reading Social Studies Texts

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Article provides excellent tips and strategies for building comprehension and critical thinking skills in Social Studies. It describes some of the challenges students have with reading and understanding their textbooks.
Unit Plan
CPALMS

Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Integrating Information: A Titanic Challenge

For Students 5th Standards
Read about the sinking of the Titanic and learn to identify key ideas in multiple texts, review similarities and differences between those key ideas, and identify the difference between important and interesting key ideas. This...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: The Challenge

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with the "The Challenge" by Gary Soto, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher and...
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Challenges Facing the Nation

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The new United States had no blueprint to follow in establishing a new democratic government. Read about the challenges facing the new nation, and how it dealt with ways to make the government work.
Unit Plan
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Assimilation and the Crucible of the City: Reading Guide to Yerzierska

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Two short stories from Polish immigrant, Anzia Yerzierska, about the challenges of Americanization that immigrants faced in the early-twentieth century. Includes questions for discussion.
Unit Plan
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Assimilation and the Crucible of the City: Reading Guide: Two Stories

For Teachers 9th - 10th
An excerpt from Abraham Cahan's novel, "Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto," and Charles Chesnutt's short story, "The Wife of His Youth," that describe challenges of assimilation into American culture for both European immigrants and...
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Years of Crisis

For Students 9th - 10th
It's not surprising the United States would have challenges in its first years. Read about the problems with foreign countries, its own citizens who resisted taxes, and dealings with Native Americans.
Website
Other

Finding Dulcina: Strom Thurmond Ends Longest Filibuster in Senate History

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Senator Strom Thurmond's epic filibuster in an attempt to forestall the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. There is a brief biography of Thurmond and his political life, as well as information about the use of the...
Article
Curated OER

Kids Health: Teens Health: Dealing With Bullying

For Students 9th - 10th
Site provides an article on bullying explaining what it is, why some teens are bullies, and how to handle the situation if one is being bullied. Easy to read and filled with good information.
Lesson Plan
Other

Internet4 Classrooms: 8th Grade Interactive Language Arts Skill Builders

For Students 7th - 8th Standards
This interactive Language Arts skill-building site provides links to interactive activities that focus on finding the main idea of a reading selection. Online lessons, games and quizzes challenges learners understanding of main idea.
Handout
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Centers for Disease Control: Body and Mind: U Can Do It 2

For Students 3rd - 8th
Do you ever wonder whether you can be an athlete? Anyone can. At this website, read about individuals who have overcome their disabilities and have become world-class athletes. Be inspired to be a great athlete, too, and learn about the...
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Dictator for a Day

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
A lesson plan challenging students to identify the pros and cons of dictatorship and applying those to understand what life was like in Ancient Rome. Find adaptations for younger students, discussion questions, assessment, enrichment, as...
Article
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Fake or Real? How to Self Check the News and Get the Facts

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Read a story on Facebook. Read the headline and think it's too good to be true, but it looks like it's from a news site. Experts offer tips to help sniff out fact from fake. One of today's greatest challenges in a media bombarded culture.
Website
Other

Mesopotamia: Astronomer: Astronomers of Babylon

For Students 3rd - 8th
Study the Babylonians accomplishments in astronomy. This early civilization developed a calendar and were able to predict near-future events based on the reading of the stars. Scroll through a story and engage in a challenge reinforcing...
Graphic
Other

Metrocosm: Visualizing the Great Migration

For Students 9th - 10th
The Great Migration had a profound impact on many aspects of American life. Watch this map to see how the growth of African Americans living in the north grew from 1910-1970. Read the reasons for the migration and the challenges they...
Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Martin Luther, a German monk in the sixteenth century who spoke out about the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. He also used the printing press, which had been recently invented, to spread his ideas more widely and thus...
Website
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: A Small Step to the Moon, a Giant Leap to Mars

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the article or listen to the story of remembrances of the Apollo program, especially Apollo 11. Explains some of the challenges of sending astronauts to Mars.
Activity
Shmoop University

Shmoop: The Fall

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Written by Albert Camus, The Fall is one of his most challenging works that explores the belief that each of us is responsible for everything. Read about the characters and themes in this site.
Lesson Plan
PE Central

Pe Central: Cooperative Learning: Team Bowling

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The activity described at this website allows students to not only practice working with other people but also "Refine the skills of rolling and catching." Read a description of the activity and learn how to assess students' performances...