Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The End Times
Are these the end times? Combine current events with religious prophecy in this activity, where scholars analyze a 2007 political cartoon in the context of current issues. Background information explains the Four Horsemen of the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Celebrating the 19th Amendment
Eighty-eight years after women earned the right to vote, a women ran for president. Young analysts consider the role women play in politics, how they are portrayed, the standards they are held to, and if they are still treated unfairly...
Curated OER
Lesson: Taking Risks & Making Comparisons
Kids are asked how an Indian mandala was made. They devise a hypothesis and then use colored sand to test if their guesses were correct. They document the experience, examine a mandala, and write a comparative piece about the differences...
Curated OER
Beach Poetry
Familiarize young analysts with the relationship between words, meaning, and visual images. They consider the relationship between the painting Beach Poetry and the poem Sandpaper. They compose and illustrate an original a beach poem...
Curated OER
Teaming Up on Health Care
Use this political cartoon handout to help pupils understand the role the Blue Dog Coalition plays with regard to Health Care Reform. Football is used metaphorically to represent a player (Blue Dogs) tackling someone on his team (Obama)....
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Berryman, Roosevelt, and the Teddy Bear
Do your historians know the story behind the teddy bear? Background information clues learners in to the context of a political cartoon, which depicts Teddy Roosevelt on his famous hunting trip. They will read about renown cartoonist...
Curated OER
Seneca Falls Convention: Declaration of Sentiments
The Seneca Falls Convention was an amazing outlet for the female voice during the time of women's suffrage. Learners will read a short, but powerful excerpt from the Declaration of Sentiment, as spoken at the convention. They'll answer...
Media Smarts
Facing TV Violence: Consequences and Media Violence
Make your class aware of the difference between media violence and real violence. Using prior knowledge, a video clip, and a worksheet, class members explore and discuss the unrealistic portrayal of violence in the media. Learners...
National History Day
“War Is Hell. We Know it Now.” American Soldiers in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Understanding the soldier's experiences during World War I sometimes takes a newscast. Learners see the importance of understanding multiple points of view with a newscast project surrounding the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Compare and...
Curated OER
Colonialism in Africa
Students examine Africa from a regional perspective. They appreciate the historic and geographic relationships that unite and divide the regions of Africa. Students create a comprehensive document outlining problems in the assigned...
Curated OER
Lessons in Drama: Learning About American Political Thought
Students develop critical thinking skills so that they may produce their own written plays or music from their thoughts and feelings. They express their thoughts based on what has been presented to them over the duration of the course.
Curated OER
Lift Every Voice and Sing
Students analyze sculpture, poetry, and music to gain an understanding of historical events. In this critical thinking skills lesson, students take a closer look at African-American history as they examine "Lift Every Voice and Sing'"...
Curated OER
Excerpt from Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton (1848)
Answering document-based questions is a great way to build reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Learners read an excerpt from Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton, then answer two related questions.
Curated OER
Neolithic Revolution
Use the provided passages on the Neolithic Revolution to answer 2 critical-thinking questions. Passage one is informational and describes benefits that came from the Neolithic Revolution. Passage two is a first person narrative from a...
Curated OER
Sima Qian: Records of the Grand Historian
Print this resource and activate prior knowledge about Ancient China. This page includes a quote from Sima Qian and two critical thinking questions related to the dynastic system in China.
Math Warehouse
Theoretical Probability Activity
If you keep rolling a die, you'll roll a five exactly one-sixth of the time—right? A probability lesson prompts young mathematicians to roll a die 100 times and use the data to calculate empirical probabilities. They then compare these...
Curated OER
American Imperialism
Critical analysis skills can be built in a variety of ways. Using editorial cartoons (both domestic and foreign) learners will consider how American Imperialism was perceived during the late 19th century. Critical thinking questions,...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are Global CO2 Levels Changing?
According to the Mauna Loa observatory, carbon dioxide levels increased by 3 ppm in our atmosphere between 2015–2016. Individuals analyze carbon dioxide data from around the world and then share this with a home group in lesson three of...
ReadWriteThink
What is Poetry? Contrasting Poetry and Prose
Introduce middle schoolers to the different strategies used when reading prose versus poetry. Groups use a Venn diagram and a poetry analysis handout to compare the characteristics of an informational text and a poem on the same subject...
Historic New Orleans Collection
Exploring Primary Sources: Music in New Orleans
Looking for a new and exciting way to teach young historians the art of primary source analysis? Jazz up your lesson plan with a resource that asks class members to analyze photos, travel documents, and letters written by some of New...
Curated OER
Taming of the Shrew: Act 4.4, Study/Discussion Questions
This 4-question handout addresses key elements of Act 4.4 of Taming of the Shrew. It is intended for small group discussion, followed by individual written reponses. The prompts require critical thinking and analysis.
Curated OER
Writing a Book Review
Introduce literary analysis, writing skills, and purposeful reading with a book review. Pupils answer five questions that ask about plot, characters, language used, story elements, and the main character. This is a wonderful way to start...
Library of Congress
Treasure Island
For 30 years, Long John Silver has sailed the seas. An eBook version of Treasure Island introduces readers to the tales Long John Silver has to tell. This 1883 version of the text includes an introduction to encourage critical thinking...
Curated OER
The Electric Hearth
Students examine popular media. In this media awareness lesson plan, students keep logs of their interactions with media and then write an essay regarding the data.