Students discover world geography by writing persuasive letters. In this literacy activity, students discuss what percentage of children are illiterate in our country compared to other geographic locations. Students utilize writing...

Over the course of three classes, tech-saturated youth review their cyber portraits, map their virtual lives, examine their relative anonymity, and establish a "virtual conscience" to guide choices that foster privacy protection and...

Many of the issues facing 21st Century learners are challenging and even discussing these issues can be a challenge. So how do teachers prepare learners for these difficult conversations? How do instructors create a safe classroom where...

Tenth graders read examples of writings by women authors showing their dissent. After completion of their reading, they brainstorm on why they believe female authors have criticized society. In groups, they use the Internet to research...

Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the American Revolution based on the novel, 'Johnny Tremain.' They define key vocabulary terms, develop a timeline, write a report on a colonial craft, make a colonial flag, and create a...

With so many ways to follow the news today, it is imperative to think critically about the sources of information we are turning to. Here is a fantastic graphic organizer that will help your learners develop the skills to...

Students interact with MapPoint tools to view maps of the past and the present in multiple ways. They participate in mini-lessons aimed at locating certain points of interest or famous routes taken in history.

High schoolers examine and analyze visual media and its messages critically. They determine whether specific media messages inform, entertain, or persuade and what factors influence the media. Using primary sources, they participate in...

Trace Columbus' voyages by locating them on 21st Century maps.  Using a navigators lesson, 4th graders will examine the Age of Exploration and trace Columbus's routes accurately on laminated world maps using different maps. Note:...

Eleventh graders analyze primary source cartoons depicting discrimination against immigrants. They study the historical relationship Dominican Republic has had with the United States. They assess how this relationship is linked to...

Learners consider modern applications to the Bill Of Rights (how does Ammendment 4 apply to locker searches?) students prepare and role play a mock trial to explore the finer points of the relevance ot the Bill of Rights in the 21st...

After learning the main ideas of the Decadent movement, students work in small groups to read and translate poems by the French poet Charles Baudelaire using basic etymology skills. They then read the accurate English translations to see...

Students interact with the whole progressive movement and its impact on the U.S. They list the goals of the movement. In addition, they organize primary resources and interpret political cartoons. Each student shares one of their...

Students determine that thriving African cultures engaged in international trade and exploration before the emergence of European civilization. The study ancient Ghana, its geographic locale, the diversity therein to include its people,...

Students complete a technology integration project using Publisher. In this technology lesson, students use Publisher to create magazine activities for the American Revolution, indigenous cultures, California missions, colonization, and...

Students observe a documentary on "Escuela" to explore the life and education of migrant families. After discussing the related topics in the movie, students share their conclusions migrant farmworkers. Using the Internet and other...

First, introduce rank badges, which were used during the Qing Dynasty. Then, the class will work together to uncover the meaning of the images they see. They'll examine and research the meaning behind the symbols found on Leopard Rank...

Social media and United States history combine as your young historians design a Facebook page for two major defendants of landmark Supreme Court cases. The resource includes a detailed rubric for research and page design, as well as a...

Students listen to data on African American women in Texas before the Civil War. For this Civil War lesson, students compare and contrast the lives of slave and free women, and discuss case studies, locating areas on a map. Students...

What is a parfleche? It is a box used by the Plains Indians to carry goods as they traveled. First, the class will discuss the uses of these highly ornate boxes and the nature of the Plains Indians' nomadic lifestyle. Then, the class...

Imagine you are a Plains Indian, a nomad getting ready to follow a herd of buffalo. Now imagine what you would have to pack for your trip. Little ones examine images of a traditional parfleche (packing box), and then create packing lists...

Young scholars explore the concept of financial literacy. They read an article about the lack of financial literacy among teenagers, discuss what if means to be financially literate, the research a career that will allow them to live...

Students review the meaning and application of primary and secondary sources in research. They determine how researchers locate primary source documents before looking at signatures as a validating factor on many primary sources....