Friends of Fort McHenry
A Just War or Just a War?
What, if anything, makes a war "just"? This is an interesting and important question to explore with your class, and you can utilize an excellent lesson plan to support your group inquiry. The American Revolution and the War of 1812 are...
American Documentary
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains
The outcome of 90 percent of criminal cases in the US is determined by plea bargains. Clips from the documentary Better This World create the backdrop for an investigation of the benefits and drawbacks of the plea bargaining process....
Curated OER
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...
Curated OER
A Leader's Lifetime and Legacy
In this lesson plan, students consider their prior knowledge about Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat and consider the immediate events surrounding his death. They then create timelines and write papers examining his political career.
Curated OER
Smart Design
Share pupil responses to an interactive slide show about a design initiative intended to help the world's poor. The class works in groups to brainstorm ideas, and then prepares sketches of their own design solutions. Each rendering...
Curated OER
Marriage and Financial Goals, Budgeting Strategies
There is no more useful life skill to learn than budgeting and setting financial goals. It's math that is used by every person, everyday. Learners examine the responsibilities and costs involved in family economics. Through a series of...
Curated OER
Worried Sick
Is health insurance a luxury? The class examine the increasing number of uninsured middle class Americans; they then research and present information on various aspects of medical coverage and care at a classroom forum entitled "The...
Curated OER
Making a Case
Start the day by sharing opinions about human rights. Then, read "A Defiant Hussein Pleads Not Guilty to Mass Execution" with your middle and high school class. Your pupils research the specific charges in the case against Saddam...
Curated OER
Information Overload: Looking at News
How do events reported in mainstream newspapers, on television news, blog posts, and social network sites differ? Ask your class to investigate the way the same news item is presented in the many information sources available. Groups...
TryEngineering
Networks
Ever wonder how the Internet works? The instructional activity teaches scholars the basics of graph theory and how it applies to the Internet. They perform simulations to see how information is sent on the Internet.
Curated OER
History Trifold in Publisher
Students create a timeline of events happening around the world. In this timeline lesson plan, students use Microsoft Publisher to create a timeline of events happening around the world as they live their lives presently.
Curated OER
This Just in! Nile Network News Update
Have your young reporters research contributions of the ancient Egyptians, draft scripts, and broadcast their stories live on the Nile Network News. Depending on class size and age, topics may be brainstormed or assigned. The detailed...
Curated OER
Social Studies: MySpace as Crime solver
Students research how police use MySpace to apprehend criminals. They debate the pros and cons of this method and decide if the local policy needs to be changed. Students create a better policy for using the Internet and present it to...
Curated OER
Message in a Bottle
Students acquire a pen pal in a foreign country and write letters at least twice a month throughout the year to exchange with them. At the end of the year, they write an essay that compares one important difference and one important...
Brain Scape
Learn About Religions
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism. The major religions of the world are the focus of a resource that uses flashcard decks to engage users in a study of the principles and practices of these belief systems.
Curated OER
What Does the Public Know About You? --Does it Matter?
Young people today have to be very careful with how they present themselves online. Show them the possible impact of their online activity and what employers might see when performing a basic search. The lesson provides a video clip...
PBS
Technology: Conveniences and Consequences
It's a delicate balance—using technology to improve our lives while still protecting the environment, and ourselves, from the hazards of technology use. Class members examine statistics about the increase in media use, complete a survey...
Curated OER
The DIY: A Hands-On Look at the New Industrial Revolution
Upper graders explore the new industrial revolution and how the tech boom in recent years is similar and different to the Industrial Revolution of the past. They watch a video, explore web sites, and discuss what they see. They work...
The New York Times
The Horror! The Horror!
Gear up for Halloween by studying the horror genre with your class and analyzing films and texts to uncover the genre's traditional conventions.
Curated Video
Online Reputation and Cyber-bullying
Combat cyberbullying with information. During this plan, learners watch a couple of videos, consider online behavior scenarios, brainstorm long- and short-term consequences, and discuss how to react to bullying in order to build up to...
TED-Ed
The Silk Road: Connecting the Ancient World Through Trade
Introduce learners to The Silk Road, the first world-wide web. The narrator of this short, animated video traces the pioneers of globalization and the impact they had on culture and economy. The Scythians, Darius the First, and Alexander...
Museum of the Moving Image
AdMaker, Nixon vs. Humphrey, “Convention” (1968)
After viewing the infamous 1968 Presidential campaign ad, "Convention," groups use AdMaker to create their own 30 second ad that features Richard Nixon rather than Hubert Humphrey.
Curated OER
A Holiday Card in KidPix
Students create a holiday card using computer software. In this computer card making lesson, students design an original holiday card using a variety of tools. Students navigate the software utilizing various tools.
Curated OER
A Holiday Calendar in MS Publisher for Elementary School
Students create a holiday calendar using ms word. In this technology activity, students create their own calendar while learning basic Publisher skills. Students use clipart, explore how to change fonts, and how to use templates.