The old aphorism, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions," might well serve as the title for a resource that asks viewers to consider the plight of the people of the Gamo Highlands, an area in southwestern Ethiopia. These...

Ninth graders examine how modern issues of the world affect their lives. They listen to a lecture about the differences between developed and developing countries, act out physical representations of charts and pictures on the overhead,...

Students participate in a lesson that investigates post-modernism in American literature. They conduct the lesson with the help of reading "America" by Ginsberg to create context. Then students define the genre and the culture that has...

Fifth graders examine the impact of Benjamin Franklin's ideas on the goods and services available in Colonial America as well as analyze the importance of Franklin to modern society. While listening to "How Ben Franklin Stole the...

Understanding where our food and textiles come from is key to understanding business, economics, and the importance of modern agriculture. Learners play a game, read text to determine farm fact from opinion, and itemize a grocery receipt...

Do you want to implement technological skills along with social studies concepts but don't know how? Then this plan was made for you! Sixth graders storyboard and present a multimedia presentation to their class while also learning...

To set the stage for a study of the Aztec Empire, groups use the provided definition of civilization and generate a list of elements that make up our modern day civilization. The whole class then examines an image of an Aztec city and...

Students design and promote technological devices for Father's Day gifts that reflect evolving social trends. They consider the new image of dads cast by today's media and advertisements and its influence.

Students research the Native Americans living in the regions explored by Lewis and Clark. They identify the modern-day names of sites claimed by the Lakota Indians, and create a poster of the original Native American names.

Students critically examine the life and contributions of Lawrence of Arabia to the modern Middle East. They view a video on Laurence of Arabia. Students discuss the movie. Students create a propaganda posters or stories identifying...

Students examine what were preconceived perceptions of the areas Lewis and Clark explored. They compare and contrast past and modern maps of North America. They accurately place route and site information on the map.

Students explore social practices and technological advancement of the 1920s and 1930s and relate this to modern life. They explore the events of Amelia Earhart's life and her poetry. They write their own poetry.

Second graders examine the development of the first Thanksgiving. They develop a list of the resources and technologies both the Pilgrims and the Indians shared with each other, listen to the book "The First Thanksgiving," and...

Students examine the physical obstacles that the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered on its journey. They report what challenges these physical obstacles might have posed. They review a modern-day map and explain if the obstacles...

Seventh graders study the Erie Canal and New York state. They design a three-day vacation itinerary using tourism sites, which highlight historical facts and include the modern remains of the New York Canal system.

Young scholars explore the history of flight, specifically the Wright brothers. Pupils create paper airplanes. They discuss considerations in building an aircraft such as drag, thrust, and weight. Classmates compare the Wright...

Fourth graders explore lumbering in Michigan.  For this lumbering lesson, 4th graders examine the life of a modern day lumberjack and how technology can interfere with natural ecology.  Students create a list of products from...

Stories from "The Great Lakes Mariner" provide pupils with an opportunity to practice their synopsis-writing skills. The tabloid, which focuses on the Great Lakes region, is filled with stories written by sea captains, that are filled...

Enable young scholars to use the blues to explore urbanization, technology, and their effects on everyday life in the 20th century. Musicians were among the large number of people who, between 1914 and 1945, participated in the Great...

Students estimate the time needed by the Corps of Discovery to complete its expedition. They problem solve and estimate the distance covered by the Corps on its expedition. They compare their findings to the expedition's actual rates...

Students explore transportation systems through history. In this transportation lesson, students determine how modes of transportation affect quality of life and design transportation plans for cities.

Eighth graders compare a present-day social issue with a medieval issue. They use technology tools to conduct their research and demonstrate their new knowledge. Students present their findings to the class in the form of a PowerPoint.

Students study humanitarian intervention and its role in society.  In this politics instructional activity students view a video on Darfur and discuss what they learned. 

Learners study the history of Chinese technology by identifying when and where items were invented or discovered.