PBS
Who Knows Best
Finding an expert in a given field when conducting research can be a challenge. This guide provides step-by-step directions as well as links to resources that help young sleuths find the authorities and experts they need. As a bonus, two...
US Institute of Peace
The Process of Negotiation
What does it take to be a great negotiator? Learners discover the factors that affect the negotiation process through group discussion and brainstorming. An installment in a series of peacebuilding activities compares the needs and wants...
Facing History and Ourselves
Do You Take the Oath?
Why did so many go along with Nazi policies during World War II? An investigatory unit includes four handouts, reading analyses, classroom discussion topics, and intriguing philosophical questions, helping learners understand the...
National Council for the Social Studies
Analyzing a Product or Political Advertisement
How do advertisements evoke specific thoughts and feelings? Class members find out through the exploration of the Internet, videos, television, magazines, radio, and posters. Learners investigate commercial advertisements, political...
Peaceful Solution Character Education
Self-Control Starts With You
How can negative thoughts affect your life? Learn about the ways you think about yourself can define your personality, and how self control can be the answer to higher self esteem.
Novelinks
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle: Problematic Situations
When is it okay to go against authority and what can happen if you do? This is the leading question in this activity to accompany your classroom reading of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. After reading chapter eight,...
Center for Civic Education
What Is Authority?
Young scholars examine the concepts of power and authority as they begin learning about government in this elementary social studies lesson. Through a series of readings, discussions, and problem solving activities, children learn about...
Curated OER
Evaluating Potential Sources: Deciding What to Use and What to Reject
Teach young researchers how best to choose sources. This PowerPoint presentation underscores the need for accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage.
Curated OER
The Juvenile Death Penalty
Sensitive material is discussed in this instructional activity. Please review to ensure that the content is suitable for your class. The topic is the Eighth Amendment and how the U.S. Supreme Court makes determinations about what...
Curated OER
Tell Me; I’ll Listen
Encourage respect, responsibility, and caring within your classroom with a collection of lessons that spark dialogue and self reflection. To address character traits, lessons touch on topics such as staying safe in the cafeteria,...
Curated OER
Asking Shows Respect for Privacy of Others
Fourth graders explore how to hold conversations and respect the privacy of others. They discuss why it is important to ask those in authority for help and to respect others' belongings. They review signs they have observed in public and...
Curated OER
Respect for Authority
Students examine the country of Mongolia and how it is trying to form a democracy. As a class, they participate in a class meeting about a new class rule and they voice their opinions. They read excerpts of a letter of a Peace Corps...
Curated OER
The Hippies vs. Authority
Students, in groups, explore the dynamics between hippies and authority figures and create a T-chart outlining the concerns and arguments of both sides.
Curated OER
Accepting Authority
Second graders in a 2nd grade classroom review "self control" and begin a lesson on "accepting authority." They discuss people who have authority over them and review what they should do in a variety of scenarios where they will be...
Curated OER
The Credibility Challenge: In Search of Authority on the Internet
Students identify and interpret the background and practice in determining authority on the Internet. Then they identify how to tell whether an author has expertise or not, and whether they're getting the straight story. Students also...
Curated OER
Authority Figures
First graders simulate that they have been stranded on a desert island. They are not going to be rescued and they have to figure out who is in charge, form a government, and how many levels of leadership there needs to be.
Curated OER
Why Do We Need Authority?
Students examine the problems created by a lack of effective authority described in Mark Twain's Roughing It. They explain how we use authority to protect our rights, to provide order and security, and to manage conflict.
Curated OER
What A Beautiful Baby!
In this career worksheet, students imagine that they are adopting a baby. They create a budget chart for all of the expenses needed to properly care for a baby. Students calculate the costs for a month, including babysitting.
Curated OER
Cuban Missile Crisis
Seventh graders explore, analyze and study all the various aspects that happened concerning the Cuban Missile Crisis. They assess documents from the Cuban Missile Crisis and make decisions about what the United States should do based on...
Curated OER
Spending Public Money
Learners work in small groups. They imagine that they are the council committee. Students choose from a list of projects to be funded. They have one hundred thousand dollars to spend and they have to spend the money on a project that...
Curated OER
Why Do We Need Authority?
High schoolers examine a situation in which there is no effective authority and identify problems which the lack of authority creates. They explain how authority can be used to deal with these problems.
Curated OER
Who's Boss in a Fairy Tale?
Learners analyze the story of Cinderella to determine who is the authority and how justice works in the context of the story as well as determining which elements of the story could happen and which are fanciful.
![Center for Civic Education: What Is Authority? [Pdf] Lesson Plan](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Center for Civic Education: What Is Authority? [Pdf] Lesson Plan")
Center For Civic Education
Center for Civic Education: What Is Authority? [Pdf]
This in-depth lesson plan teaches the meaning of authority, the benefits and drawbacks of someone having authority over another person, where authority comes from and who uses it, how it helps to solve problems, and how leaders are...
Center For Civic Education
Center for Civic Education: Orb and Effy Learn About Authority [Pdf]
Using the story Orb and Effy Learn About Authority, young students are guided to develop an understanding of what authority is, how it is an essential part of a democratic society, and what limits a society puts into place so that...