Curated OER
Create a Magic Lantern Show; Freed People in the Reconstruction South
Engage your scholars by having them create "magic lantern shows" inspired by the film Dr. Toer's Amazing Magic Lantern Show: A Different View of Emancipation. As they study the South's Reconstruction through primary sources, learners...
Gobal Oneness Project
Building a Community of Trust
Barrio de Paz is the story of Nelsa Libertad Curbelo, a nun, who works with the gang youth of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The 17-minute documentary focuses on her explanations for the rise of gangs and for how gang culture reflects societal values.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Analyzing Regional Conflicts Involving Terrorism
This is a week-long lesson on analyzing the similarities and differences between sources of tension and terrorism in eight locations around the world. The class is divided into eight groups and assigned one of the locations to research....
Curated OER
What Are Bullying And Harassment?
Fourth graders define the four types of bullying and define harassment. They complete a True/False survey, student notes, and question and answer.
Curated OER
Drug and Alcohol Awareness
Fourth graders examine the statistics when it comes to teens and drug and alcohol abuse. In groups, they research the side effects of four different drugs. Using the information, they perform a skit, or puppet show to share their data...
Curated OER
Dealing with Peer Influence: What Are Bullying and Harassment? Lesson 1 of 2
Fifth graders review definitions of bullying and harassment, respond to real-life bullying scenario from news, television, or movie, brainstorm possible solutions and consequences for negative behavior, and discuss how their peers...
Curated OER
Fatal Accident
Eleventh graders explore, examine and study the impact of personal decisions on the safety and health of self and others. They assess how to evaluate individual coping skills to manage life-changing events. Each student defines and...
Curated OER
Children's Organization for Civil Rights
Pupils analyze a speech from Constance Baker Motley, examine student Organization for Civil Rights' documents, and then create their own plan of action for what the C.O.C.R. might be like if it existed today.
Curated OER
How Much Does Smoking Really Cost?
Fifth graders discuss their future plans with the counselor and then complete the True/False survey. They read through the tobacco fact sheet and answer questions asked by the counselor. As a group, they calculate the cost per cigarette...
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
Dealing With Death
Students watch and analyze a video dealing with the topic of death. They answer discussion questions, identify examples of how death is represented in popular media, write a poem, create a memory book, and write a letter to someone who...
Curated OER
Standing Up to Bullies
Students discuss bullying. In this bullying lesson plan, students discuss facts about bullies and act out anti-bully role plays. They complete worksheets and see how they can take action.
Curated OER
First Amendment Guarantee of Free Speech (Senior, Social Studies)
Students receive a list of banned books from which they choose one to read. They read their chosen book and write a paper that includes a discussion of the First Amendment and its guarantees and the reason(s) why they believe their book...
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
Martin Luther King Jr.: From Civil Rights to Human Rights
Students read essays and participate in a discussion that examines Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stance on both civil rights and the broader issue of human rights. They conduct research about King's life and work, analyze quotes from his...
Curated OER
American Made
Students view the Film American Made and view the experiences of a Sikh family in the Western part of America. In this life in America activity, students explore the life of Americans who might by looks be thought to be terrorists. ...
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.
National First Ladies' Library
The President's Assassin: Motives and Outcomes
Students investigate the assassinations of four American presidents. Through research, groups create a dossier on one of the four men who were the assassins. After presentations of the dossiers, the class looks for common traits in...
Facing History and Ourselves
How Do Rules and Traditions Shape Communities?
Sixth graders explore the concepts of laws and customs in a community, examining the reasoning behind rules. Then then collaborate to write their own classroom code of conduct.
Curated OER
Risk Taking Behaviors
Tenth graders listen to a presenters introduction and write questions they hope to have answered during the presentation. They listen to a presentation and record notes. They participate in small group discussion and complete...
Curated OER
Analyzing Public Policy Options
Students discuss what is meant by the term "public policy". In groups, they use the internet to research a specific public policy issue affecting Fairfax County, Virginia. They analyze and report their findings of the effectiveness of...
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.