Lesson Plans
Abraham Lincoln & Me Activity Book
Students become familiar with primary sources and learn about Abraham Lincoln and his accomplishments while fostering a personal connection to this U.S. president. Cross-curricular extension activities for each page provide numerous options for extending learning and all pages are available in both English and Spanish with accompanying audio files.
Women Land Ownership & the World Economy
Students analyze a map to investigate woman land ownership around the world, then conduct research to better understand and female land ownership and its importance to global economic health.
Monumental Men
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt made significant contributions to the United States. Through the lens of both primary and secondary sources, students learn about the characters and contributions of these presidents and determine for themselves the qualities and accomplishments that make someone, including themselves, worthy of a lasting tribute. The lesson also includes extension activities for ELA, math, science, and music connections.
Diagramming the Federal Government
Students analyze data from an historical diagram of the U.S. federal government, then research infographic design and explore types and methods of presenting data to help facilitate understanding by a modern-day audience.
Data Analysis to Drive Civic Action
Students consider civic action through primary source analysis, then examine and interpret data and use knowledge of civic life, politics, and government to discuss potential civic engagement.
Graphing Bullying Data to Create Change
Students define types of bullying through primary source analysis and use skills in of calculating percentage and graphing to examine data on bullying. Students then create a poll for the school community that would provide data on bullying in the school. As a follow up, students can implement the poll and create reports and solutions.
Stop Bullying with Data Percentages
Students use percentages to examine data on bullying while building civic skills of explaining and analyzing information and arguments. Using previous knowledge of fractions and percentages, students examine current data about bullying from the CDC. Students then create a campaign for the school community that would provide data on bullying in the school. As a follow-up, students can present their campaign to the larger governing bodies in their schools.
Gerrymandering: Voting by Numbers
Students learn about the application of ratios and proportions to the real political issue of gerrymandering. In Part I, students conduct a primary-source analysis of the original 1812 political cartoon about Elbridge Gerry’s redistricting in Massachusetts to build background knowledge. In Part II, students analyze a historical map of Massachusetts’s gerrymandered voting districts in 1812 and compare it to the political cartoon to discuss issues of fairness. In Part III, students solve a hypothetical problem about fair representation on a student council, using their knowledge and understanding of gerrymandering and ratios. Finally, students role-play state legislators in a hypothetical state to solve problems of representation, including gerrymandering.
Electoral College: Are All Votes Equal?
Students examine the process of voting and the Electoral College. Applying mathematical percentages, students experience how population and voting impact elections in this country and consider if everyone’s vote matters. Then students consider the use of the Electoral College and how it aligns with the popular vote.