PBS
Constitution Day
Travel back to 1787 as young scholars investigate the creation of the US Constitution. After first working in small groups to create sets of classroom rules, students go on to read a summary of the Constitution and watch a short video...
Positively Autism
"Share the Road" Folder/Shoebox Games
Introduce the importance of sharing and taking turns with your learners through a hands-on learning experience involving toy cars! Here you'll find activity instructions and printables to support your "Share the Road" collaborative...
Curated OER
The Conversation Box
Learners on the autism spectrum can have difficulty maintaining a two-way, reciprocal conversation. Support these students with the Conversation Box activity, in which they practice conversations with their peers using the prompts and...
Museum of Tolerance
Family Role Model Activity
What does is take to be a role model? Through grand conversation, and the use of books and a graphic organizer, scholars find out and apply the requirements to identify a role model within their family. They then journey through the...
Overcoming Obstacles
Working In Teams
Working in teams can be a challenge but also offer many rewards. Developing the skills necessary to work effectively in teams is the focus of the third lesson plan in the Getting Started Module designed for middle schoolers. Participants...
Overcoming Obstacles
Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses
Through a series of activities, middle schoolers learn how to celebrate their strengths, identify their weaknesses, and brainstorm strategies they can use to turn their weaknesses into strengths.
Overcoming Obstacles
Being Assertive
Passive! Aggressive! Assertive!. The activities in the fourth instructional activity in the Communication module teach middle schoolers the difference among these behaviors and how to develop assertive communication skills. After...
Overcoming Obstacles
Understanding Conflicts
The Resolving Conflicts module begins with a instructional activity about tolerance and learning to appreciate differences among people. Through a series of activities and games, middle schoolers learn that conflicts arise when people...
Teaching Tolerance
Fairness Fair
How can we create a more fair world? Chances are, class members have some ideas! After reading a text about fairness, individuals create skits around the ideas of fairness. Extend the learning and make their presentations a...
Curated OER
Layer Cake Archaeology
Excavating cake? Why not! Kids spoon into some layers and artifacts during this tasty hands-on activity. The cake, a simulated archaeological dig, is the object of observation and discussion.
Curated OER
Lesson 2: The Constitution: Our Guiding Document
Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second lesson of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the US...
Australian Human Rights Commission
Introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Human rights became a global focus after decades of war, recovery from war, and uncountable war crimes committed throughout. Social studies class members discuss the Universal Declaration of Human Rights before completing an interactive...
Health Smart Virginia
Inclusion
Inclusion is the focus of a lesson that looks closely at how to make equal groups in cooperative settings. Using physical education activities, scholars are challenged to create groups quickly and inclusively. After several activities,...
Facebook
Who Do You Want to Be?
Can posting art or music online lead to the career of your dreams? Inquisitive individuals consider their social media presence with a instructional activity from a series focusing on identity exploration and digital citizenship. Pairs...
Health Smart Virginia
Sporting Behavior
A game of Cooperation Tag and a Rock, Paper, Scissors Champion Challenge plays to the positive impact of good sporting behavior on one's social-emotional development. Scholars participate in these games with their peers then thoroughly...
Curated OER
An Inspiring Scene
In Guatemala, around AD 600-900, a vase was created. This vase is the inspiration for a lesson that incorporates expressive language skills, writing skills, and social studies. Children analyze the images on the vase and then choose one...
Personal Genetics Education Project
Introduction to Personal Genetics
Adolescents have the opportunity to consider how they feel about the possibilities presented by the current availability of genetic sequencing. After some instruction, they participate in a four-corners activity in which you read a...
Mr. Printables
Map of The USA Jigsaw Puzzle
Encourage young learners to explore the United States with this printable map puzzle. A fun activity that engages children in learning US geography.
Federal Reserve Bank
Piggy Bank Primer: Saving and Budgeting
Introduce young economists to basic concepts like unlimited wants, opportunity costs, saving, and budgeting with this workbook designed by the Federal Reserve Bank.
PBS
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson Living in Jim Crow America
Your class members may know that Jackie Robinson was the first African American man to play Major League Baseball, but they may not be aware of his efforts to achieve social justice. A clip from Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection...
Polk Bros Foundation
Chicago: Choices and Changes
Chicago, a city that is ever changing. A thought-provoking lesson, geared toward third-grade social studies, explains how the city of Chicago has changed over time. It discusses important leaders to the founding of the city, like Daniel...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 4: Learning About Disease
Communicable diseases are the focus of a instructional activity that primarily uses discussion, a hands-on activity, and a worksheet to drive their point home. Lotion and glitter create a strong visual for communicable diseases. A...
American Museum of Natural History
Create Your Own Time Capsule
The corona virus pandemic is indeed a historic event. A time capsule activity permits young historians to document these days of social distancing, remote learning, and quarantine by collecting artifacts that capture what their lives are...
Nemours KidsHealth
Bullying: Grades 9-12
Scholars learn to shut down the rumor mill by asking three questions: "Is it kind?" "Is it true?" "Is it necessary?" in an 11-page packet that details three activities designed to make a difference at your school. Here, pupils run for...