Positively Autism
When I Feel Angry
Everybody feels angry sometimes, and it can be hard to know how to handle such a big emotion. This story was written with a learner with autism in mind. It provides clear guidelines the child can follow when he is feeling upset or angry....
Teach with Movies
Learning Guide to Thirteen Days
While Thirteen Days is a fantastic film to use in the classroom in reference to the Cold War and the Cuban missile crisis, it is important to take care to effectively and properly incorporate its contents into your curriculum. This...
Penguin Books
An Educator's Guide to the Works of Laurie Halse Anderson
Laurie Halse Anderson tackles challenging topics for teens. An educator's guide shares activities for many of her novels such as Prom, Shout, and Wintergirls. Questions, perfect to use as either discussion or as essay prompts, accompany...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 7: Revisiting the Circle of Life
Scholars revisit the Circle of Life to examine positive character traits—mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional. Pupils discuss how those character traits could help them make responsible decisions and not contract HIV/AIDS. Learners...
Curated OER
A Voice for Hard Issues
Ouch! The final lesson in the 12-resource poetry unit models for young writers how poems can be used to voice hard truths.
Curated OER
Advance Notice
We often wait until adulthood to start analyzing learning styles. This informative and interesting presentation delves into how we learn. It is a quick and insightful look at how students perform in school. The information could be...
Western Justice Center
Culture and Identity
To conclude a study of conflict resolution, class members watch and discuss a series of five videos that frame the conversation in terms of culture and identity, understanding bias, oppression, and interpersonal biases.
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Can’t We All Just Get Along? Conflict Resolution Strategies
Respond rather than react—that's the big idea behind a lesson on conflict resolution strategies. A richly detailed plan teaches high schoolers strategies for resolving conflicts. Pupils play charades, engage in verbal and non-verbal...
California Department of Education
Who Am I?
Inspire scholars to strive for a career in a field they love. Using a game that looks at likes and dislikes, learners discover their Holland code using a three-interest area survey. With their targeted interests confirmed, pupils...
Nemours KidsHealth
Online Safety: Grades 6-8
Recognize risky behaviors and avoid them! That's the big idea behind two activities designed to teach middle schoolers to think critically about online safety. After reading background articles about protecting online identity,...
Nemours KidsHealth
Diabetes: Grades 6-8
After reading a series of articles that provide background information about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, class members design a meal plan and an activity plan for a weeklong summer camp for 5- to 8-year olds with diabetes. A second...
Overcoming Obstacles
Identifying Strengths
A game of Jeopardy helps participants identify their strengths and those of their classmates. Players use five index cards to identify their strengths in five categories (Sports & Fitness, Arts & Music, Friends & Family,...
Facing History and Ourselves
Notable Quotable
Engaging learners in the classroom can be a challenge. Here's a bell ringer that can easily adapt to any subject area. Instructors post a "Notable Quotable" and ask learners to respond to it in their journals.
Overcoming Obstacles
Taking the Initiative
We can all use a little help sometimes. Middle schoolers engage in a series of activities that teach them about taking the initiative, how to make the effort, how to ask questions, and who to ask for help. They then listen to a guest...
Overcoming Obstacles
Gathering Information
Before making important decisions, gathering as much information as possible is best. That's the take-away from the second instructional activity in the Decision-Making module of the Overcoming Obstacles course. Middle schoolers engage...
Overcoming Obstacles
Understanding Nonverbal Messages
The Overcoming Obstacles course for middle schoolers continues with a unit module on communication. In the first lesson, participants engage in a series of activities that help them recognize nonverbal clues and the importance of making...
Facing History and Ourselves
Verifying Breaking News
The attempts of journalists to verify the events surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown take center stage as individuals analyze three of the initial newspaper accounts of the story. The whole class discussion then focuses...
Curated OER
Promoting Disability Awareness and Acceptance in Childhood
Create a safe and respectful school environment with the help of this special education teaching guide. Offering dozens of instructional ideas and activities for raising awareness and acceptance of children with disabilities, this is a...
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Feelings and Emotions
The focus of the second in a 10-session course on Social, Physical, Emotional, Cognitive and Spiritual (SPECS) health is on learning to express and manage feelings appropriately. Class members learn different ways of...
Scholastic
Mindful Listening
Teach your middle schoolers to use their ears to their highest potential! Pupils practice active listening skills and reflect on how careful listening might prove to be important in and out of the classroom.
Lindon Character Connection
Being Truthful in Words and Actions
Here you'll find a hodgepodge of mini-activities, quotes, and worksheets on the concept and practice of honesty.
Curated OER
Responsible Abbie, Responsible Me
Students develop their social skills and learn what it means to be responsible. In this responsibility lesson plan, students read a book about the topic, discuss the book, and list reasons why to act responsibly. Students work in groups...
Curated OER
I Have Emotions
Pupils read books and discuss different emotions that they have. In this emotions lesson plan, students make different facial expressions to that express specific emotions and role play emotions.
Anti-Defamation League
Toys and Gender
As you walk down the toy aisle, it's easy to see that toy packaging is based on gender stereotypes. Here, a lesson challenges scholars to look past the stereotypes and value a toy for what it is and the joy it brings. Through thoughtful...