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Lesson Plan
Facing History and Ourselves

Socratic Seminar

For Teachers 7th - 12th
New to the socratic seminar format? Check out a resource that not only provides the rationale for the procedure and step-by-step directions, but also provides a list of suggested topics, rules and model statements.
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Lesson Plan
Ford's Theatre

Socratic Seminar/Group Discussion: The Crisis of the Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
High schoolers work in four different groups to examine the many factors that led to the American Civil War. They research an assigned topic, prepare questions, and finally engage in a class discussion using the Socratic Seminar method.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Socratic Seminar on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Key in the struggle to gain the rights of democratic citizenship was the April 1963 arrest of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil disobedience. To deepen their knowledge and understanding of events during the civil rights movement,...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Socratic Seminar

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
To conclude their study of the letters of Abigail Adams, class members engage in a Socratic seminar where they discuss her writings and what her letters reveal about her.
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

The Electoral College and the Constitution

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What is the purpose of the Electoral College? Is it antiquated, or does it have a place in today's political climate? High schoolers view a series of video clips as they analyze the parts of the United States Constitution that address...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Western Migration Lesson Plan: Socratic Seminar

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers participate in a Socratic Seminar and explore Western Migration.
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Lesson Plan
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Smithsonian Institution

Hidden Histories: Mexican Repatriation During the 1930s

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Mexican Repatriation: the forgotten deportation of American citizens. The resource focuses on the deportation of Mexican American citizens during the Great Depression. Young historians read documents, complete a free-write, and fill out...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Jane Addams and John Dewey

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Imagine living where there was eight inches of garbage on the street! These were the situations the Progressive movement sought to reform. Using video clips about John Dewey and Jane Addams, learners consider the philosophies and impact...
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Lesson Plan
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University of the Desert

What Is Extremism?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
By participating in discussions using prompts and statements provided in the lesson plan, learners identify the concept of extremism and consider what causes violent acts of extremism in the modern world. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Western Migration: Socratic Seminar

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the different experiences of the African-American migration to the West in an open-ended dialogue discussing the quote, the narrative, and the ultimate results of the western migration.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Armenian Genocide

For Teachers 8th - 11th
As your historians examine the beginnings of WWI, ensure they are familiar with the Armenian Genocide. This basic introductory lesson plan utilizes teacher-led discussion, map analysis, and a Socratic seminar. Not much detail is offered...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Refugees from the Caribbean: Cuban and Haitian “Boat People”

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Should refugees fleeing poverty be allowed the same entrance into the United States as those fleeing persecution? High schoolers read about US foreign policy in the late 20th century regarding refugees from Cuba and Haiti, and engage in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gettysburg Address

For Teachers 6th
Who was Abraham Lincoln, and what is the Gettysburg Address? Sixth graders participate in a seminar where they read and analyze the Gettysburg Address and its importance. The role of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War is also...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

George Washington's Foreign Policy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare George Washington's foreign policy to the policies of presidents who followed him. In this primary source analysis lesson, students compare Washington's Farewell Address to the Roosevelt Corollary, the Monroe Doctrine,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sustainability Project

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore alternative energy sources. In this environmental lesson, students discuss alternative energy sources and construct a plan to incorporate an alternative home technology into a bedroom. Students build a model of their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Patriotism Reflected in Art and Literature (Part B)

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders compare and contrast the patriotism of Imperial Japan to its presence in the United States today. In this patriotism lesson, 10th graders write essays and participate in a classroom debate that requires them to consider the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Feeding the World

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students participate in a Socratic discussion about world hunger. In this world hunger instructional activity, students review the Socratic discussion method and use it to discuss an initiative to reduce world hunger. Students answer...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Am More Than You See

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine their personal interests in culture/ethnicity and what they value in terms of physical vs. Personal characteristics. They discuss the forces in society that cause gender discrimination.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In Congress Assembled: Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students interpret history using primary resources and secondary research. The Constitution is examined and changes are explained within the time period they were made.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Americans During the Civil War

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders work together to discuss the various experiences of African Americans during the Civil War. Using the internet, they identify the laws and reasons African Americans were allowed to join the Union Army. Using their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Internment During World War II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify, describe and discuss the reasons why Japanese-Americans were placed in internment camps and what life was like at these camps. Then they write an unsent letter to a family member on the East Coast describing their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evaluating the "Save the Indian" Reforms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the policies of the "Save the Indian" reforms. Working in groups, they review the motives, methods, and effects of the "Save the Indian" campaign of the late 19th century. Through discussion and writing, they form an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading About Estuaries

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students practice their reading skills by reading information about estuaries. As a class, they discuss what they read and answer discussion questions. As they read, they use the right hand column of their paper to write down any words...