US Institute of Peace
Effectiveness of Nonviolent Civic Action Simulation on Colombia
With new leadership comes new hope! After years of violence, the people of Colombia elect a new president ... could this mean an end to conflict? Civics scholars take part in a large group role-playing exercise designed to illustrate the...
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Making a Patriot Inquiry: Are Independence, Freedom, and Liberty the Same Thing?
As part of a study of the American Revolution, class members engage in an inquiry-based lesson plan that has them watch a scene from the play Slave Spy, examine multiple primary source documents, and then discuss the similarities and...
Prestwick House
Analyzing Multiple Interpretations of Literature
There is a reason why an Oscar is given each year for the Best Adaptation Screenplay. Adaptations are the focus of an exercise that asks class members to compare a work of literature with a least one adaptation of the work into a...
Annenberg Foundation
Gothic Undercurrents
Terror, mystery, excitement. American writers of the 19th century, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Emily Dickinson, used these elements to create morally ambiguous tales that challenged the prevailing belief in...
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 19: Synthesis
Wrap up your unit on The Cay with an engaging argumentative writing assignment. Writers must decide if they believe The Cay should be banned. The resource includes links to several articles, which have been addressed and examined in...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 1 - Grades 9-12
Archaeologists have discovered a cache of Native American relics. They want to preserve these relics by removing them from the rapidly eroding site to a lab where they can be studied. Native American traditions demand that the items be...
Curated OER
Individuality vs. Conformity
Spark an animated debate in your class! Young adults consider some of the fads or trends that are prevalent at their school, as well as their own level of participation in them. Just how much of a role does popular culture play in their...
Federal Reserve Bank
Natural Disasters: From Destruction to Recovery
What are the major economic implications, both good and bad, of natural disasters? Discover the effect that natural disasters can have on labor market conditions, capital, household incomes, and opportunities for reconstruction in local...
Walden Woods Project
19th Century Lessons for 21st Century Lives
The words of Henry David Thoreau on Civil Disobedience seem particularly relevant today, as are his writings and those of other transcendental thinkers who ask what it mean to live deliberately and what are the responsibilities of...
National Park Service
How Theodore Roosevelt Became a Leader: Childhood of an American President
The beginning of the 20th century began with a shock: the assassination of President McKinley. The man who would take his place—the youngest American to ever become president—led quite a life before stepping foot in the Oval Office. An...
Curated OER
Assistive Technology in the Writing Process
Students organize, write, and edit essays. They utilize graphic organizer software, and write and edit the essay using word prediction and spell checking software.
Curated OER
Character Development: Cancer - A New Treatment
Students explore the concept of character development. In this character development instructional activity, students watch a video segment regarding a family's struggle with cancer. Students examine the personality, situation,...
Curated OER
Canadian Heroes
Students examine heroes of Canada. They watch short videos about Lionel Conacher, Harry Jerome, and Wayne Gretzky, research a Canadian athlete, write an essay, and create an an athlete triptych.
Curated OER
Culture - Unit on Religion and Globalization
Students examine the impact of religious beliefs on perspectives about globalization. They watch and discuss a video, identify the role of the International Monetary Fund, read and discuss articles, and write an essay.
Curated OER
Genetically-Modified Food
Students investigate the pros and cons of genetic engineering. They watch a short Bill Moyers video, conduct Internet research, create a poster, participate in a pro/con debate, and write an essay expressing their personal feelings on...
Curated OER
To Censor or Not? The Power Of War Photos
Students view video clips from the "American Photography" series. They write an essay about the regulation and censorship of photographs. They share their opinions with the class.
Curated OER
The Civil War: A Nation Divided
Young scholars examine the clash between the North and the South. In this Civil War lesson plan, students watch segments of the Discovery video "The Civil War: A Nation Divided". Young scholars conduct further research pertaining to the...
Smithsonian Institution
POWs
Why did Vietnam POWs and their families receive more media attention than POWs in previous wars? To answer this question, class members view artifacts, read articles, and engage in class discussion. Individuals then assume the voice of...
Curated OER
Peer Pressure
Eleventh graders analyze the social impact media plays in relation to peer pressure. In this peer pressure lesson plan, 11th graders listen to Afroman's "Lets All Get Drunk" and read the lyrics. Students write about the song and view a...
Curated OER
How Prophet-able Are You? Ancient Advocates for Change
High schoolers read and analyze classical literature of the ancient Hebrew prophets dealing with societal injustices. They identify present-day prophets, and write an essay about how the common good would be affected if people listened...
Curated OER
Cultural Effects of The Great Wall of China for the Chinese
Sixth graders write a three paragraph essay describing how three areas of their culture were affected by The Great Wall of China.
Curated OER
Manifest Destiny and the Power of Perspective
Students examine the concept of Manifest Destiny and the United States. They analyze the Mexican War from the perspective of the Mexicans and the Indians. They write an essay about these different perspectives.
Curated OER
Follow the Drinking Gourd: Creative Writing
Students conduct Internet research to identify the conflicts and positions of slaves, slaveholders, and members of the Underground Railroad network in the time preceding the Civil War. Students write an essay about their findings written...
Curated OER
Gender Bias in Language
Twelfth graders study the issues between male and females. In this current events lesson, 12th graders read an article and answer questions. Students watch a video and write an essay.