Curated OER
A Presidential Portrait: Andrew Jackson
Eighth graders examine the role of intended meaning in Ralph Earl's portrait of Andrew Jackson. They, in groups, research periods in Jackson's life and use gathered information to create their own portraits of Jackson.
Curated OER
Who? What? When? Where? Asking Questions
Sixth graders interview Veterans or role play to answer who, what, where, when questions. In this Veteran's Day questioning activity, 6th graders learn about the events in the military service of veterans. Students may simulate...
National Endowment for the Humanities
On This Day With Lewis and Clark
Walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as they discover the wonders, beauty, and dangers of the American frontier. After gaining background knowledge about Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, young explorers use primary...
Henry Ford Museum
Transportation Systems
Learners analyze the evolution of cultural attitudes through the lens of transportation, examining several artifacts, documents, and photographs. Topics covered include how American attitudes have influenced society's evolution into a...
Council for Economic Education
Satisfaction Please! (Part 2)
Simply understanding consumer rights may not help people solve their problems. Understanding who to turn to becomes key in many different scenarios. Teach the value of various organizations that fight for consumer rights through...
Lisa Staab Shadburn
Play Therapy Activities to Enhance Self‐Esteem
Discover activities to help learners increase self-awareness, build peer and family relations, and develop positive self-esteem. Here you'll find six suggestions for instilling a sense of confidence and self awareness in youngsters. Each...
Curated OER
Grandparents Day: Make a Grand Connection!
Help your class celebrate National Grandparents Day by engaging in these special family activities!
Curated OER
Taboo Table Talk
Create memories for your family that are enjoyable, as well as helping to enhance their ability to read and understand information.
Curated OER
Environment: Clouds of Changing Times
Here is a wonderful instructional activity which has youngsters interview family and local elders about the seasonal history of their local area. They focus on climate change by asking questions about rainfall, temperatures, length of...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Contemplating Nature vs. Nurture
Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a instructional activity that encourages...
Curated OER
Families and Heredity
Personality traits and physical appearance traits within families are the focus here. Learners make a poster which lists the shared physical traits they have with their family. Peers look at each poster and write down the traits they see...
Curated OER
The Life of a Veteran
Middle schoolers interview a veteran or he/her family to gather information about the person's life. They produce an iMovie that describes the veteran's military experience.
Curated OER
The Grapes of Wrath: Problematic Situation
To prepare for a reading of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, kids must prioritize a list of items to take with them on a journey to Texas.
Curated OER
Creating Interesting Characters
What makes a story interesting? Complex characters! As part of a series of worksheets that prepares middle schoolers to write their own novel, the exercises included explain the role of the protagonist, the antagonist, and the supporting...
National WWII Museum
“My Dear Little Boys…” Interpreting a letter home from the war
Letters have long been prized by historians as primary sources for what they reveal not only about events but also about the emotional responses of the writers to these events. "My Dear Little Boys," a letter written by Leonard Isacks on...
D-Day Normandy 1944
D-Day Normandy 1944
No study of World War II would be complete without an in-depth examination of the events of June 6, 1944. Pascal Vuong's D-Day Normandy:1944, is the perfect vehicle to convey the sheer magnitude of the events that have been called the...
Social Studies School Service
“Duck and Cover” (Civil Defense)
Bert the Turtle models for viewers the 1950s Civil Defense Duck and Cover strategy that was supposed to protect citizens from a nuclear blast. After viewing the video, watchers are asked to consider the motivations of the producers of...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Vocabulary: Word Meaning, Dictionary Cube
Scholars work together to define words and answer questions using a dictionary cube.
Thoughtful Learning
Seeing Emotions in Body Language
Scholars test their skills of reading body language with a collaborative learning experience that focuses on showing and identifying emotions. Pairs take turns acting out an emotion, one uses body language while the other guesses what...
College Board
Civic Knowledge and Action in AP U.S. Government and Politics
Vote, it's your civic duty! The high school lesson focuses on voter turnout and civic participation with a series of activities. Young scholars analyze data to discover voter turnout trends, complete worksheets, and participate in group...
Curated OER
The Relative Location of Relatives
Students map the distribution of their family members within the town, state, country, or world using their own personal knowledge and information from interviews. They create a mental map of family members, and develop a sketch map...
Curated OER
My Heroes Picture Book
Students create picture books about family members and friends who are heroes.
Curated OER
I Appreciate You
Students make a list of all family members, including themselves, on a piece of paper (family activity). Beside each name, write one thing you really appreciate about that person. Also, write beside your name what you think others in...
Curated OER
Ayiti Lesson 1: Play the Game
Students participate in an economics role-playing video game demonstrating social responsibility In this economics lesson, students play "The Cost of Life" game which requires students to think critically to make decisions, identify...