Constitutional Rights Foundation
Special Order 40
The city of Los Angeles' 1979 Special Order 40 states: "LAPD officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." After reading a fact sheet that details the history of Special Order...
J. Paul Getty Trust
Picturing a Story: Photo Essay about a Community, Event or Issue
Picture this. Class members follow in the footsteps of W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, James Nachtwey, and Lewis Hine by creating their own photo essay about a local event or issue.
Curated OER
A Leader's Lifetime and Legacy
In this instructional activity, students consider their prior knowledge about Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat and consider the immediate events surrounding his death. They then create timelines and write papers examining his political...
Curated OER
The Affect of Music on Visual Images
Eighth graders consider cross-curricular connections between social studies, singing, and current events. They listen to the song, "I Can't Cry Hard Enough." view scenes from September 11, then create presentations using images, a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
George Washington: The Precedent President
Everyone knows that George Washington was the first president, but do your scholars know why that was so important? The lesson plan, the third in a sequence of three, allows learners to understand how George Washington set a precedent...
Curated OER
A World of Special Celebrations
Brainstorm lists of celebrations with which your class are familiar. This activity can be adapted to many different grade levels as they research ethnic and religious occasions/events celebrated by people around the world, and present...
Curated OER
Outreach and Distribution Lesson Plan
Young scholars study the process for outreach and distribution of films. They design outreach and distribution plans for films which they create.
Curated OER
Explore Elizabeth I
Students explore the events of a coronation and how people dress for a special event. In this key events lesson, students view pictures of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I. Students discuss special occasion and dress up. Students...
Curated OER
Current Issues Lesson 4: Local Police and Immigration Law: The Case of Special Order 40
High schoolers examine immigration issues. In this immigration lesson, students prepare for a panel discussion regarding Special Order 40 in Los Angeles as they read an article regarding the order and role play local lobbyists in the...
Curated OER
And Now, A Word From Our Sponsor
Students act as groups of event planners to invent large entertainment events, determine appropriate sponsorship categories for them, identify potential sponsors within those categories, and pitch their ideas to those companies.
Curated OER
Arab-Israeli Conflict Lesson Plan
Students identify the key participants in the Arab-Israeli conflict. They create a caricature that is both Israeli and Arab. One side should be labeled with the feelings, thoughts, emotions of the Arabs and the other side is from an...
Curated OER
Old Stone House Lesson Plan
From stagecoach to railroad tracks, your class will discover how advancements in travel in the United States during the nineteenth century played an integral role in the industrialization and development of American society. The main...
ReadWriteThink
Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments
A speaker, a message, an audience. After analyzing these elements in Queen Elizabeth's speech to the troops at Tilbury, groups analyze how other speakers use an awareness of events, and their audience to craft their arguments....
Curated OER
Anne Frank: One of Hundreds of Thousands
Students conduct research to put Anne Frank's diary into historical context. They use maps, timelines, essays and websites to examine the early victories of the German army, paying special attention to the Netherlands and experiences of...
Channel Islands Film
Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island: Lesson Plan 2
After watching West of the West's documentary The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, class members imagine how Juana Maria/Karana may have felt about living alone on the island for 18 years and craft a blackout poem or a narrative in her...
Curated OER
Where Oh Where
Students read a current event article orally and make connections regarding the geographic themes of the newspaper location. In this current event article instructional activity, students use a map to locate where the event from their...
Curated OER
Past Presence
Students examine British Black History. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to research the history of Blacks in Great Britain. Several lesson enhancement ideas are included.
Curated OER
It's Not Easy Being Green
Students investigate the environmental costs of operating golf courses. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to study golf course needs and green design options.
Core Knowledge Foundation
Christopher Columbus
Take some time to focus on Christopher Columbus, his three ships, the purpose of his voyage, and the new land he discovered. Pay special attention to the included additional materials, they are the real value in this resource.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Monroe Doctrine: A Close Reading
Students identify specific passages in the Monroe Doctrine to events in early U.S. diplomacy.
Curated OER
The Function of Music
Explore concepts of audience, purpose and symbols in this lesson from Media Smarts that asks students to consider all the functions of music. Through a series of discussions and activities, your class will brainstorm possible functions...
Curated OER
Breaking News: Bin Laden Photo To Be Released
Students explore current events by completing worksheet activities in class. In this Osama Bin Laden lesson, students read the news article of Bin Laden's death and subsequent photo while discussing the event with classmates. Students...
Curated OER
Hamilton and Burr : Compare and Contrast
Who were Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton? High schoolers examine the character traits of these historical figures and watch the video, The Duel. Hamilton vs. Burr: An Event that Changed History (available from PBS), to gain an...
Judicial Branch of California
Separate But Equal - Is It Black or White?
The story of Ruby Bridges and the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education are fantastic tools for discussing the concept of separate but equal. Kids tackle some big questions about what is fair, what is civil, and what rights or laws...