After reading an interesting article comparing the disputed presidential election of 1877 to a similar event in the year 2000, kids blog a response. They read the article, check out the embedded links, then respond to four related...

National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb," featured at the 2021 inauguration of President Joseph Biden, is the focus of a six-page guide. The guide includes before reading, during reading, and after reading...

Two poems by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman are spotlighted in a PBS lesson. Young scholars conduct a close reading and watch videos of Gorman reading her inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb" and "The Miracle of Morning." They...

Analyze a seminal speech from the 20th century with an activity focused on President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. After reading an excerpt from the address, pupils use a instructional activity to practice their...

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your. country.” Did you know that John Kenneth Galbraith, Adlai Stevenson, and Theodore Sorensen helped John F. Kennedy craft his 1961...

Young scholars discuss the purpose of the President of the United States giving an inaugural address. They describe their impressions of any inaugural speaches they have heard or read. Students research events leading up to Washington's...

Running an election campaign takes money. Class groups must effectively budget money in order to design and purchase sufficient advertising aimed at procuring classmates' votes. After completing an online tutorial, they also write and...

Students study the traditions and history of the U.S. Presidential Inaugurations. They examine the topics George W. Bush talked about in his inaugural address and determine if his remarks clearly outlined what he has done.

Students practice their public speaking skills. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students study speeches delivered by Lincoln, Wilson, F. Roosevelt, and Kennedy. Students write the text Obama's inaugural address and...

Students differentiate between positive and negative personal attributes and select a fictional character for nomination who personifies the qualities of a good leader. They use the Internet to learn about the election process and write...

Ask not what the lesson here can do for you, but what you can do with the lesson. The answer is quite a lot! Young scholars revisit JFK's famous inaugural address with a focus on his plea for civic engagement. There's a...

Who or what do you miss? That's the question that launches an activity that asks writers to craft a paragraph filled with sensory details that shows how they feel. Next, they listen to Richard Blanco reading his poem, "Translation for...

What stories can a desk paperweight and picture frame possibly tell us about the president of the United States? Pupils are transported to the desk of President John F. Kennedy through an engaging interactive site. The guide offers...

Students consider Lincoln's perspective. In this presidential perspectives lesson, students explore the political thoughts of Lincoln through a series of lessons that make use of primary source analysis. They hypothesize and take a...

Intended to build an understanding of Braille in a general education classroom. They read the book Helen Keller then write their names using a braille website. Many interesting web links are included. Could be used for a general or...

Young scholars identify examples of philanthropy in poetry or song. In this philanthropy lesson, students examine several poems such as Give by Carrie A. Thomas and identify concepts of philanthropy in the poem. Young scholars construct...

Young scholars create their own books. In this book making lesson, students pick a subject and take photographs of it. They use these photographs to write their own story using their sight words. 

In this World Television Day learning exercise, students complete activities such as reading a passage, matching phrases, fill in the blanks, multiple choice, spelling, sequencing, unscrambling sentences, writing questions, take a...

Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...

Learners investigate the life and works of Maya Angelou. They complete a Webquest, read poems, listen to a reading by Maya Angelou, answer discussion questions, and write a poem, short story, or essay based on a newspaper article.

Students compose a letter to a family member. In this writing instructional activity, students listen to the book, Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers and identify the parts of a letter.

What’s the difference between primary and secondary source materials? Here’s a handout, designed as a reference for learners, that does a good job of distinguishing between primary and secondary source materials and providing examples of...

Middle schoolers use the Internet to learn the art of persuasive speaking in order to present a speech in a convincing manner. Students analyze the characteristics of a good speech, and then practice giving one.

Students investigate how democracy in the United States makes civic virtue possible. They examine the rights and responsibilities associated with democracy. In small groups, they create public service posters that highlight these ideas.