Curated OER
Creating Nonviolence: A Theatre of the Oppressed Approach to Things Fall Apart
Eleventh graders analyze Ahimsa and complete activities for nonviolence. In this nonviolence lesson, 11th graders define violence and relate it to their lives. Students adapt prose into a dialogue to act out and analyze the violence in...
Smithsonian Institution
Art to Zoo: Life in the Promised Land: African-American Migrants in Northern Cities, 1916-1940
This is a fantastic resource designed for learners to envision what it was like for the three million African-Americans who migrated to urban industrial centers of the northern United States between 1910 and 1940. After reading a...
Orlando Shakes
The Best of Enemies
History comes to life with the play The Best of Enemie. Scholars learn literary elements as well explore racial issues in American history. The play is based on a true story and addresses the universal truth that people are capable of...
Global Oneness Project
The Man and the Wolf
Human attitudes toward the big bad wolf come into focus in a photo essay that asks viewers to consider their own feelings about the endangered species.
Curated OER
Poems about Places
In this Poems about places activity, students read short biographies and poems of 4 selected poets. Students discuss each poem at length, and complete short answer essay questions.
Curated OER
Playing to Learn
Learners brainstorm about video games that are designed to teach. They create and perform in small groups a live action "video game" that teaches a concept covered in class this school year.
Curated OER
Television and Teens
Young scholars discuss the relationship teenagers have with the television. In groups, they watch different excerpts from various television shows and note every instance of violence including children. They also discuss the instances...
Teacher and the Rockbots
Worksheet for the "National Holidays" Song
If you can find a copy of the song, "National Holidays," you can use this learning exercise with your elementary schoolers. They read the lyrics to the song and answer questions about it. Along the way, they examine the reasons that we...
Curated OER
Health Grade 1
First graders explore tattling. In this lesson about when to tell and when to not tell, 1st graders determine the difference between tattling and reporting. Students read the book The Tattle Tail Tale or Tattlin' Madeline, by Carol...
Curated OER
Appreciateion of Other's Religions and Cultures
Students brainstorm a list of items to be gathered by knowing about someone else's culture and religion. As a class, they share something related to their culture and discuss. To end the lesson, they participate in a role-playing...
Curated OER
Dr. King and His Advice for Dreams Deferred
Students analyze Dr. King's public addresses and Langston Hughes' poetry as a study of the Civil Rights' nonviolent approach to making an impact. In this protesting lesson, students read poetry of Hughes and speeches by Dr. King as a...
Curated OER
President George Walker Bush
A short article on President George W. Bush awaits your learners. After reading the article, students answer six multiple choice questions about Bush and his presidency. Answers appear at the end.
Curated OER
Literary Criticism
Students evaluate and debate whether movies, television shows, and other mass media cause violent behavior in students and whether books are the same as or different from these other media in their potential for causing violent behavior...
Curated OER
The Chocolate War
Students scrutinize the story, "The chocolate War" by Robert Cormier for examples of nonconformity in the face of power. The nature of the relationship between students in the story is compared to the associations of the reader.
Curated OER
Animal Farm
Students read Animal Farm and examine how power corrupts. They role-play situations involving power and control. They investigate corruption and abuse of power in society. They write propaganda articles and hold panel discusssionsabout...
Curated OER
Shot Down
young scholars examine a Maine law concerning the destruction of guns used in homicides. They explore the advisability of destroying these guns and whose responsibility it is to notify families about what happens to these guns.
Curated OER
Can We Live in Peace? Middle East: A Region in Turmoil
Seventh graders analyze three monotheistic religions as an appreciation of the Middle East. In this world religions lesson, 7th graders analyze the beliefs and the leaders of the three major religions. Students research a topic and...
Curated OER
Black Boy By Richard Wright
Eleventh graders create a flow chart of the events most influential in Wright's life. They produce a talk show where students discuss autobiographies with other students. Websites imbedded in this plan are used to research Richard Wright.
Curated OER
Political Cartoons About Community Problems
Middle schoolers research problems faced by their community and create political cartoons for the issues. In this community problems instructional activity, students brainstorm problems their community faces and draw a political cartoon...
Curated OER
Creating a World of Peace at Home and Abroad
Students are introduced to the various lives of children in other countries. Using current events, they compare and contrast the events in America with that of the country they chose. They review the importance of peace and the spirit...
Curated OER
English Novel: Fallen Angels
Students identify a character in Fallen Angels and discuss the changes that occur in that character throughout the Vietnam war. For this Fallen Angels lesson, students participate in literary circles in which each student has a...