Curated OER
Liberty, Equality, Uniformity?
Students examine the French draft law to ban religious symbols from public schools. They research "secularist" and "pluralist" positions regarding this ban, debate the topic in class, and draft a position paper on the ban.
Curated OER
Rock Around the Map
Students research the geographical histories of various musical genres and make maps that note important places in music history. They Write geographical biographies about one of their favorite musical artists.
Curated OER
Beyond Burma
Students consider the relationship between religion and society in Myanmar. They study about recent military violence against Buddhist monks in Myanmar by reading and discussing the article " What Makes a Monk Mad". Students research and...
Curated OER
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Students read about and discuss the fifty-three recommended travel destinations for 2008 from the Travel section of The New York Times. They list three places they would each like to visit, read and discuss the news article, and create...
Curated OER
Gotta Dance
Young scholars share dance moves that reflect their personalities or depict how they are feeling, explore popularity of recreational and competitive social dancing by reading and discussing the article "Follow the Flying Feet,"
present...
Curated OER
Let the Music Play
Students create auditory presentations on festivals and celebrations around the world. They begin by reading about how the New Orleans high school marching bands have overcome many obstacles to keep their music traditions alive. Then...
Curated OER
The Powers That Be
Students 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 this...
Curated OER
WWII: The War Effort at Home
Students explore the different ads used by the military. They use media reports and the internet to research the war effort at home during World War II.
Curated OER
The Cold War: Civil Defense or Nuclear Disarmament?
Students research the positions of civil defense and nuclear disarmament during the Cold War era. They participate in a class debate to support a given position.
Curated OER
The Drug Dope Show
In small groups, students research an assigned drug category including its physical effects, addiction treatments and the societal, academic and economic impacts of drug abuse. They engage in a "talk show" and discussion about drug...
Curated OER
Serving Memory
Students read an article about a woman who lost her fiance in Iraq. Reading a letter he left his son, they discuss how his words will affect his son once he is old enough to understand. They research the number of casualties in the war...
Curated OER
Navigating the Straits
Learners research the players and events that have influenced U.S.-China relations since World War II, with specific emphasis on the two countries' relationships with Taiwan. They write a briefing paper, advising the president on the...
Curated OER
Out of This World Writing!
Miss Frizzle's class provides the inspiration for your young learners! Read "The Magic School Bus Explores Outer Space," and discuss the solar system. First learners will complete a KWL chart about a planet they're assigned to. Then, as...
Curated OER
Good Schools For Everyone
Students work in groups in order to brainstorm the type of criteria needed to assess the quality of a secondary school. They use several case studies to establish the context for coming up with ideas. Then students conduct research into...
Curated OER
How Are Boundaries Made, Kept, Broken?
Students perform raps and analyze issues among the rich and poor. They explore how countries are labeled as "third world" and "first world." They create a dialectical journal and examine the country of Nigeria through the reading of...
Curated OER
Who's Hungry?
Students research the importance of a healthy diet and the world's nutrition. For this health and diet lesson, students discuss the foods animals and people eat. Students discuss the food chain and create a food chain. Students create a...
Peace Corps
Celebrating Our Connections Through Water
Water is vital for survival, but how does it help global cultures flourish? Elementary and middle schoolers learn about the different cultures around the world that celebrate water and incorporate it into their festivals or traditions.
Curated OER
Ecosystems
A critical look into the structure and function of ecosystems is here for young learners as a series of lessons and worksheet activities. Topics covered include land-based and marine ecosystems, connections to the water cycle, food...
C-SPAN
Judicial Review and Marbury v Madison
The Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison may not be widely recognized but the landmark case is particularly significant because it established the precedent for judicial review and that the Supreme Court had power as an interpreter of...
NPR
Same-Sex Marriage
The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...
Curated OER
Gulliver's Travels Discussion Questions
Good discussion questions are hard to find and even harder to craft. If you're looking for questions that will stimulate in-depth discussions for all four books in of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, check out this resource.
It's About Time
Diversity in Living Things
How diverse is the world we live in compared to the way things used to be? Young biologists explore diverse organisms and relate the structure of each organism to its ability to survive in our current environmental conditions....
It's About Time
Electricity and Your Community
Young scientists read and interpret a data table about energy generation around the world. Next, they use the Internet to investigate energy generation in their own state, and, finally, pupils read a passage and answer questions about...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Ellis Island—The “Golden Door” to America
Are you one of the 100 million Americans whose ancestors passed through the doors of Ellis Island? Learn about the historic entry point for immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with an informative reading passage. After...