ReadWriteThink
Decoding the Dystopian Characteristics of Macintosh’s “1984” Commercial
Known as one of the most iconic advertisements of the 20th century, Macintosh's "1984" commercial has become more of a social statement. Present the ad to a new audience of viewers with a lesson focused on identifying dystopian...
Curated OER
Let Freedom Ring: The Life & Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Students use text and photos to visualize the delivery of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s historic "I Have A Dream" speech. They analyze Dr. King's speech for examples of imagery and allusion and create original poetry and illustrations...
Curated OER
Argument in an Athenian Jail: Socrates and the Law
Students read and discuss Socrates's "Crito" and examine the arguments he made supporting his own death penalty. They consider the still-relevant debate between the rights of the individual and the rule of law.
ReadWriteThink
Defining Literacy in a Digital World
What skills are necessary to interact with different types of text? Twenty-first century learners live in a digital world and must develop a whole new set of skills to develop media literacy. Class members engage in a series of...
Curated OER
Self-Portrait With Literal Reference
Students create self-portraits using ideas from a particular theme and piece of literature in this high school Art lesson. Emphasis is placed on combining visual and literal material in a cohesive manner.
Curated OER
The Ongoing Debate: Crime Control v. Due Process Protection
Young scholars investigate the Exclusionary Rule and other ways of to enforce the protections found in the Bill of Rights. They study how effective criminal control and public safety is carried out while citizens Constitutional rights...
Curated OER
The Evolution of Transcendentalism
Key concepts, major writers, and historical events related to Transcendentalism are explored in a student-produced PowerPoint about this movement. The presentation could be used as an introduction to a unit or as a model that class...
Curated OER
Creating Stage Designs that Reflect
Students identify and research cultural, historical, and symbolic clues in dramatic texts. They demonstrate knowledge of research sources.
Curated OER
Teaching with Poster Art: World War I Posters
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this World War I lesson, students examine World War I posters. Students investigate the use of propaganda strategies in the posters and discuss the visual metaphors.
Curated OER
Folk Traditions in the Blues
Click here to download a PDF of this lesson. (2.8 MB) Overview This lesson will enable teachers to use the blues to explore selected topics in African American folklore. Students will learn about some of the African American cultural...
Curated OER
Taming Terrorism
Students explore different organizations working to stop terrorism. They examine international summits and their recommendations. They participate in a debate about the effectiveness of the measures proposed.
Curated OER
Heroes Or Role Models?
Students recognize that "heroes" and "role models" are not synonymous terms. By analyzing heroes of other cultures and periods, they determine that many heroic figures, mythic or historical, rather than providing a model of a societal...
Curated OER
Perceiving a Culture Through Its Literature
Students read After Seventeen Years by Kim Yong Ik and discuss the cultural, political and geographical aspects of Korea that specifically affect the events in the story.
Curated OER
Afghanistan Today: Civil War and Human Rights
High schoolers examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They analyze the role of religion and cultural identity in shaping governments. They also examine the United States foreign...
Curated OER
Afghanistan and Its Neighbors: Model Summit
Students examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They discover the role of religion and cultural identity in the war in Afghanistan. They explore the arguments for and and against...
Curated OER
For the Well-being of Our Citizens Lesson 2: Poverty And Human Rights
Learners investigate the definitions of poverty and impoverishment. They design a poster that show the Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that are violated by poverty. They write an article for the school newspaper...
Curated OER
Understanding the Music of the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine protest music and songs from the Civil Rights movement. In this music of the Civil Rights era activity, students listen to selected music before working in groups to determine who the music was directed at, what social...
Curated OER
The House of Mirth - Essay Questions
In this literature worksheet, students respond to 6 short answer and essay questions about Wharton's House of Mirth. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Cursive Writing Lessons
While cursive writing lessons may seem to be outdated, they are still an important part of the class curriculum.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Issues of Asylum in the U.S.
Who gets to come to the United States? Examine cases of individuals seeking asylum with an informative reading passage that includes examples, statistics, and representations of public opinion regarding asylum. Groups then go on to...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Refugees from the Caribbean: Cuban and Haitian “Boat People”
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...
Media Education Lab
The Ethics of Propaganda
What are the short and long-term consequences for consumers and producers of modern media propaganda? Class members ponder this essential question as their unit study of ethics of propaganda concludes. After examining two case studies,...
Curated OER
Lesson: Looking Closer: The Artwork of Wangechi Mutu
Social issues of gender and media stereotypes, begins with a multi-sensory experience. Learners view the painting Backlash Blues and make critical comments based on what they see. They then read the Langston Hughes poem and listen to the...
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...