Curated OER
That Was Then, This is Now
Students read about the effect of strict fur trading laws on the lives of the Inuit people in Canada, then use print and digital resources to compare past and present-day ways of life of several indigenous peoples around the world.
Curated OER
That Was Then, This Is Now
Fifth graders examine the world power of the United States. In this Social Studies lesson, 5th graders choose a world issue and identify ways the United States could help to solve the situation. Students determine the consequences and...
Curated OER
When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?
Today's blog topic is robotic limb replacement for amputees. Upper graders read the related article and argument, then compose a blog response that addresses the questions provided. This is a great way to get kids thinking about ethics,...
Curated OER
Whose Rite Is It?
The class explores and debates, from multiple perspectives, a petition to allow Hopi Indians to take golden eagle hatchlings from a federal wildlife sanctuary for use in a religious ceremony. Pupils defend their personal views on the...
Curated OER
Justice Is Blind, Colorblind That Is
It's so interesting to see kids respond to articles about education. To start the day, prompt learners to discuss the words colorblindness and diversity. Then, split your class in two and have one side read an article from 2007 and the...
Smithsonian Institution
A Ticket to Philly—In 1769: Thinking about Cities, Then and Now
While cities had only a small fraction of the population in colonial America, they played a significant role in pre-revolutionary years, and this was certainly true for the largest city in the North American colonies: Philadelphia. Your...
Curated OER
Then and Now: Public Health from 1900 to Today
Throughout the 20th Century, the world has become a healthier place. By examining the public-health issues and diseases doctors faced during the 1900's, students will compare and contrast life from today vs. life in the 1900's. Their...
Curated OER
That Was Then - Persuasive Essay
Student explain how geographic and cultural settings influence a person's identity. They compare and contrasting Esmeralda Santiago's Puerto Rican self with her American self by participating in a close reading of the text and writing a...
Curated OER
That's the Spirit
Is, as Walt Whitman contends, America’s “almost maniacal appetite for wealth,” the heart of the American dream? Class members grapple with this question as they read David Brooks’ article “The Commercial Republic,” and quotes that...
Council for Economic Education
Mansa Musa: Inflation Then and Now
Mansa Musa was so rich that his gifts of gold made the value of the metal drop throughout Africa. As he traveled from Mali to the Middle East to make hajj, his gifts were so extravagant, they devalued the gold already in circulation....
Norwich University
Seven Man-Made Engineering Wonders of the Ancient World
Imagine precisely cutting and then moving a 120 ton boulder more than two miles without mechanical cutting tolls, skid loaders, or hydraulic cranes. Imagine carving a stone figure that includes a drainage system that permits rainwater to...
Curated OER
He Had a Dream...I Have One Too!
What is your dream for a better world? After reading a short article about Dr Martin Luther King, kids identify something they would like to see changed, the steps that could be followed to make the dream a reality, and the effects these...
Scholastic
The Right to Vote
Who used to have the right to vote in the United States? Who has the right to vote now? Amendments to the US Constitution that have changed the definition of eligible voters are the focus of a one-page worksheet that asks class members...
Curated OER
Project Organizer: Follow an Explorer
This is both a great idea and a great way to help your class organize a themed project. They use these worksheets to assist them in writing a creative historical narrative about the life and travels of an explorer. They'll compare and...
Curated OER
Student Opinion: Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage?
Bring nonfiction into the classroom with this high-interest op-ed piece from the New York Times about love, marriage, and relationships in the 21st century. Pupils read a short article on the topic of cohabitation and offer their own...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
A Sense of Belonging
In order to understand how the land changes over time because of the people who live there, learners interview an elderly person about the past. Children ask an older family member to describe what the local area was like when they were...
Curated OER
My Community: Then and Now
Students compare and contrast their community to what it was like 50 years ago. They research various aspects of their community and compare and contrast with what it is like now. Students present and discuss their findings.
Curated OER
Blending is Fun
Use a poster picture of a slide to illustrate the blending of phonemes in words. First show your youngsters basic examples like cat and cap. Then have learners work in pairs to create some blends of their own! Provide words for them to...
Curated OER
Introduction to The Diary of Anne Frank
Get a glimpse of Anne Frank's years in hiding with this activity, which introduces The Diary of Anne Frank. Readers complete a journal entry about how they would keep themselves occupied if they were forced into hiding (without personal...
Curated OER
The Scoop on Local Business
How do local businesses support their state or regional economy? The New York Times has prepared another great lesson for your class. They begin by listing products grown or manufactured in their state or region then write interview...
Curated OER
The Powers That Be
Young scholars investigate past energy legislation, then write letters to Congress from the perspective of citizens trying to influence the original passage of these bills. Each small group does their research using a website imbedded in...
Curated OER
The Object Is Objectivity
Young scholars search for and read articles about the initial United States strike on Afghanistan from non-U.S. news sources, then describe the journalists' perspectives and reflect on how difficult it might be to maintain an objective...
Curated OER
Whose "Truth" Is Out There?
Students read article It's a Fact: Faith and Theory Collide Over Evolution, and examine different ways people arrive at what 'the truth' is, focusing on the evolution vs creationism debate that has been a hot topic throughout the 20th...
Curated OER
Two's Company; Is Three a Crowd?
Students explore the history of third-party politics in America. They research the impact of one third-party or independent candidate for president and develop a poster and stump speech representing that candidate's motivation for running.