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Lesson Plan
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iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Veto Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
No means no! Scholars analyze the impact of one of the president's most powerful tools—the veto—while also finding out ways to properly check facts for validity. They research the power of the presidential veto with paired activities and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gay '80s, '90s and '00s

For Teachers 6th - 12th
After reading and discussing a news article from the New York Times regarding gay and lesbian issues of the last thirty years, students engage in several activities to explore current events. They create a timeline, either electronically...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art Critic for a Day!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Middle schoolers practice evaluating art by creating a research project and presentation. They use the Internet and library to discover a piece of art or artist whom they feel has an impact on the world of art. Next, they create a...
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Lesson Plan
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iCivics

Mini Lesson: Supreme Court Opinions

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The court of last resort. Historians research, using current cases and issues, the impact the Supreme Court of the United States has on how our nation operates. They analyze recent decisions made by the nine judges and determine how the...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Student Symposium and Resulting Action

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Your class may not be able to vote yet, but that doesn't mean they can't feel like they're part of the presidential election! The resource creates a symposium where pupils debate about a selected topic in current events during an...
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Lesson Plan
1
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iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Filibusters

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How long can you speak without stopping? Scholars analyze the concept of a filibuster in the United States Senate using an installment of the Legislative Branch series of mini-lessons. They research recent filibuster attempts in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Collage and Photomontage

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders discuss collage and photomontage techniques and artists, and how the art form can convey cultural or current issues. They research a collage artist, then design a topical or personally symbolic collage. Present their...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

Lesson 2: Misinformation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Fake news is a hot topic right now ... but what is it? Intrepid young investigators track down the facts that separate journalistic mistakes and misinformation through reading, research, and discussion. Part three in a five-lesson series...
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Freedom of Expression

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Should democracies include hate speech as a protected right? Scholars analyze the rights found under the First Amendment to the Constitution through researching evidence. Freedom of expression becomes the focal point of the...
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

National Service

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Uncle Sam wants you to serve! Scholars investigate the role of mandatory national service in an open democracy. They research, watch a video, and hold a debate surrounding the issue of requiring one year of service to gain a better...
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Lesson Plan
Southern Poverty Law Center

Evaluating Online Sources

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
All sources are pretty much the same, right? If this is how your class views the sources they use for writing or research projects, present them with a media literacy lesson on smart source evaluation. Groups examine several articles,...
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Political Parties and Conventions

For Teachers 8th Standards
The two major parties polarize many in America today, but it doesn't have to be that way in the classroom! Teach learners about political party platforms and modern campaigns with a mock political convention. After watching a PowerPoint...
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Public Demonstrations

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Have you ever fought publicly for an idea you believe in? Scholars research and analyze the right to demonstrate peacefully. Incorporating different real-life scenarios as well as legal decisions exposes the concept of democracy and free...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Current Events - Attack on America

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore and discuss significance of what happened to the world on 9-11-01, and create a paper quilt.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking at Constitutions

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students work in groups to research and examine Constitutions from various countries. In this government and public interests lesson, students analyze primary and secondary documents to make a comparison between constitutional documents...
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Lesson Plan
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Smithsonian Institution

Changing Gender Roles on the Home Front

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Many historians discuss how gender roles changed because of World War II, but how did this come to be? An informative resource challenges scholars to do some digging and research the information for themselves. They research how...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

History of Immigration Through the 1850s

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Everyone living in the United States today is a descendant from an immigrant—even Native Americans. Learn about the tumultuous history of American immigration with a reading passage that discusses the ancient migration over the Bering...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

News Magazine: Special Issue on Iran. (It's about Perspective)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students take on the role of journalists. In this Iran lesson plan, students explore the condition of the country at this point in history and collaborate to create a news magazine that features current events and cultural issues...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fighting Hunger

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate domestic hunger. For this Current Events lesson, 8th graders read and discuss "The Fighting Mynahs". Students conduct online research for a specific topic.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

CNN Interactive: Reading, Discussing and Writing

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students access the internet for current news articles; increase awareness of issues in world news; to read critically; and to write critical reactions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Alaska's Current Issues

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars work in small groups to brainstorm a list of issues in Alaska. As a class, they discuss their concerns. Students place their issues in two lists, those that are in the domain of the local and state governments, and those...
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Lesson Plan
Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Protesting Violence without Violence

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
The ultimate legacy of Emmett Till's violent death is its role in the non-violent roots of the Civil Rights Movement. A lesson compares contemporaneous articles with the lyrics of Bob Dylan's "The Death of Emmett Till" and prompts...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Winter Olympics History Year by Year

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Investigate the history of the Winter Olympic Games. After researching this event and compiling necessary statistics, pupils use a graphic organizer to chart their findings. A template for a chart is included in this resource. Have your...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living News: Classroom Materials

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore controversial current events. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, students research selected issues and examine the issues from different perspectives. Students script and record news stories that feature their findings.