InquiryTeaching

Regarding Current Events: We recognize that our democracy is under incredible stress today, and that the majority of Americans think  Congress is a broken institution.  With the release of this product, we hope that teachers can show students how the Legislative Branch is supposed to function.  With this inquiry based learning, students will also be better equipped to consider what reforms might improve and enhance this part of our government.  We have spent decades working on our Simulation of

This activity is a classroom research project where students create a “newspaper” for the Roman era.  Given nearly all newspapers have moved to digital formats, there is also an opportunity to teach about this vital form of communication that dominated media for so long, too.  This handout provides directions and suggestions for how to use this research activity.  A sample assignment handout is provided. May be used in a World History, Humanities or Language Arts setting. Subject Area: World His

This lesson uses the song and lyrics from R.E.M.’s “The Flowers of Guatemala” from their Life’s Rich Pageant” album to  teach students about making deductive inferences and the limitations of using the Scientific Method with the Social Sciences. Instead of deduction which uses only logic to explain an outcome when all other possibilities have been examined, social scientists must use deductive inference which is a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning alone. Much of our stu

Sometimes a simple writing and art project can act as a closure activity for any unit.  We had students create a “postcard from history” with attention to details including the drawing of the stamp, who was the card written to and/or by, in addition to what was written and drawn on the card itself.  This lesson always worked well and pairs well with a quick read-around follow up.  See our  free Teacher’s Guide for Read Arounds if you wish to add that feature to your lesson. This handout is creat

This lesson plan format is often one used in a “Writer’s Workshop” environment.  It is simple to execute and highly effective.  This lesson is easily adapted for use with any written assignment in any subject area. Broken into small groups, students spend an entire class period reading one another’s work, comparing and contrasting the quality of writing, and providing feedback in an anonymous manner.   It works with any grade level. The activity requires students to have completed a written draf

Most teachers are well versed in handling directed discussions where students are asked questions and guided to a particular conclusion.  Open ended discussions where there might be no single “right” answer are a very different kind of discussion, and much harder to do well. Creating a successful open ended discussion takes planning. This free teaching guide will provide you with direction and guidance on how to use this teaching strategy to motivate and stir interest in for any topic in your

We like to begin or end a lesson with a simple writing prompt.  If at the end of the lesson, often the prompt was “What was learned today?”  Having students focus their thoughts and put them into written words always aids retention and the follow up discussions were insightful and sometimes led to entire other lessons. We would refer to these writings as “Learning Logs.” This list of over 80 writing prompts will also help stimulate lesson ideas for you.  Please consider downloading our  free Tea

Is it moral to give an order in wartime when you know the majority of your troops will be killed?  Officers in World War I faced this decision often, fighting from trenches against new mechanized weapons of war. This dilemma is intended for a high school or middle school history class and works well with English classes reading  All’s Quiet on the Western Front, or perhaps  A Farewell to Arms.Be sure to download our free Cognitive Moral Dilemma Teacher's Guide, too, as it provides the methodolog

The Civilization Dilemma is part of our popular Cognitive Moral Dilemma series and can be used in conjunction with a Government, Psychology, Sociology, or even Literature class.   We have often used it to begin a deeper look at a current event. This dilemma asks students to consider when might it be a more civilized act to break the law.Be sure to download the free Cognitive Moral Dilemma Teacher’s Guide, too, as it explains the methodology and process behind this lesson plan. Subject Areas: So

If you are teaching a World History class and about the Roman Empire, this simple cognitive moral dilemma is a good class activity for getting students interested in learning more about how the Roman Republic was changed under Julius Caesar. This lesson plan includes all materials needed but be sure to download the free Cognitive Moral Dilemma Teacher’s Guide, too. Subject Areas: World History, HumanitiesMaterials Required: Whiteboard or displayTime Needed: Typically most of one class period

If your classes are studying philosophers or the classical Greek period of time, this is a lesson plan to consider.  This rather simple dilemma never failed to get a good debate going in our middle school World History classes.  Students were far more interested in learning about Socrates afterwards. Be sure to download the free Cognitive Moral Dilemma Teacher’s Guide, too, which provides the methodology and lesson plan process. Subject Areas: Social Sciences, Sciences, Humanities, PhilosophyMat

Whether you are teaching about the Vietnam war, America in the 1970s, censorship in media, the Nixon Presidency, or covering current events — this dilemma will engage your students with a real world problem faced by Daniel Ellsberg and the publishing of the Pentagon Papers.  This lesson is part of our very popular cognitive moral dilemma series. Be sure to download the free Cognitive Moral Dilemma Teacher’s Guide, too, as it provides the methodology and process for using this lesson plan. Subjec

This lesson is intended to teach students how to differentiate between ten different propaganda techniques: BandwagonRepetitionTransferTestimonialExigencyGlittering GeneralityCard-StackingInnuendoSnob AppealJust Plain FolksThis is useful instruction in most Social Studies and we use it with current events and a review of political speeches like the State of the Union address. Be sure to read our free Teaching Guide for the Concept Attainment Strategy first as it provides the methodology and proc

This lesson is intended to teach students how to differentiate between six forms of governments: Monarchs/OligarchiesMilitary JuntasDemocratic RepublicsDemocraciesConstitutional MonarchiesAnarchiesThis is useful instruction in most Government, Civics and History classes and can be very helpful in some Language Arts classes. This lesson plan has been used successfully with both middle school and high school students. Be sure to read our free Teaching Guide for the Concept Attainment Strategy firs

This lesson is intended to teach students how to differentiate between the concepts of: Terrorism and Guerrilla Warfare,Civil Disobedience,Martial Law,Revolution,Civil War,Wars of Independence, andCoup D’é Tats.This is very useful instruction in most History classes and especially in Government classes.  This lesson plan has been used successfully with both middle school and high school students. Be sure to read our free Teaching Guide for the Concept Attainment Strategy first as it provides t

This handout is geared towards Social Studies and provides a list of six research based projects that students can choose from to create a culminating final project, working as individuals, pairs, or groups.  We always let students decide how they wanted to approach this task letting them choose if they wished to work in a group or individually. The different project ideas here allow for the various learning styles your students have to be utilized. The projects themselves provide good review ma

This lesson plan is intended for use with any study of the Cold War, or reading any post-apocalyptic literature.   It can also be used to facilitate discussions of the power of the President in the modern era.  The debriefing questions used for this lesson highlight what is hoped to be learned: How was our game similar to the real world?Does Mutually Assured Destruction “work”?What facilitates trust?What makes M.A.D. stronger and more believable?Do these forces work against one another?If you co

dditional applications can be drawn from this simple simulation. We’ve also included several extensions that can be used for follow up or additional analysis by students. Be sure to also download our free Teachers Guide to Instructional Simulation Games for more information about using this active learning strategy. Subject Areas: Social Sciences, Sciences, Humanities, GovernmentMaterials Required: A chairTime Needed: Typically an entire class period

This simulation game never fails to get student involvement and lots of enthusiastic responses. It has worked very well with 5th graders all the way to high school seniors.  When introduced properly and followed up with a complete debriefing, usually runs an entire class period. Be sure to also download our  free Teachers Guide to Instructional Simulation Games which provides details about this lesson format and the methodology behind it. “Win as Much as You Can!” is designed to show how a perc

This free teaching guide provides details about using instructional simulation games. In simulation games, students may role play being legislators, mayors, parents, national leaders, Civil War generals, or even criminals. The designer builds the game so that the player can experience some of the everyday responsibilities, decisions, rewards, and pressures found in a slice of historical or social life, whether it is of the Congress, the family, or a small economy. This teacher’s guide provides