What Makes Democracy Work?
Explore this collection of lesson plans that cover a wide range of themes related to democracy, including citizen power and civic participation, the rule of law, the role of a free press, and more.
![A magnifying glass over the definition of democracy in a dictionary.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-07/shutterstock_1202650933.jpg?h=790be497&itok=PduYr60h)
Identity & Community: An Introduction to 6th Grade Social Studies
Intentionally designed for middle school classrooms, this unit explores themes of identity and community by using students' knowledge of the Memphis, Tennessee, community.
![Students participate in a group activity.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/2015_20150813_TreyClark_0419_FH221009.jpg?h=2f6148de&itok=YBxcFD7A)
Teaching Mockingbird
Learn how to incorporate civic education, ethical reflection and historical context into a literary exploration of Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird.
![Mockingbird Graphic.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/WebRedesign_Wrapper-card_Mockingbird.jpeg?h=24afd704&itok=qskeXCqD)
Teaching Mockingbird Media and Readings
Enrich your teaching of To Kill a Mockingbird with this set of videos, photographs, and readings that will help students contextualize the novel.
![Mockingbird Graphic.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/WebRedesign_Wrapper-card_Mockingbird.jpeg?h=24afd704&itok=qskeXCqD)
Confronting Apartheid
Explore South Africa’s tumultuous history from the early interactions between white European settlers and native African tribes to the implementation of apartheid and the long struggle for democracy.
![Group of people waving South African flags in back lit.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-05/Democracy_2018_SouthAfricaConfrontingApartheidBannerunedited_FH282249.jpg?h=40d6a7d7&itok=gii2H08Z)
My Part of the Story: Exploring Identity in the United States
Help students understand that their voices are integral to the story of the United States with six lesson plans that investigate individual and national identity.
![An illustrated collage of silhouettes in bright colors.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-08/MyPartOfTheStoryHeroBanner.jpeg?h=24d1b2c2&itok=G64Pvbce)
Developing Character Inferences
Students are introduced to the concept of inferencing; they draw inferences from the opening scene of the play, and consider what messages Priestley sends through the language, character and setting.
![Male uniformed British students work on a classroom assignment.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-09/UK_Classroom_Male_Uniformed_Students_Sikh_2015_FH137600.jpg?h=56d0ca2e&itok=OXt0jVSF)
Differing Perspectives and Conflict
Students begin Act Two of the play, reflecting on the differences in perception emerging between the characters and considering how conflict can arise from such differences.
![Boardman Robinson cartoon of Robert La Follette attacking newspaper press](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-07/411px-Boardman_Robinson_cartoon_of_Robert_La_Follette_attacking_newspaper_press.jpg?h=4666f868&itok=19Kmw8UP)
Entering the World of the Play
Students begin reading the play, having applied what they have learnt about Priestley and the relevant sociohistorical context to make predictions about its content.
![Simple illustration of a silhouetted woman against a cityscape that is comprised of soot from chimneys](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/AIC_USSR_Poster_Medium_res.jpg?h=1d36513c&itok=K2rjuqQJ)
How to Bring Spoken Word Poetry into the Classroom
For National Poetry Month, introduce students to spoken word poetry and explore its power to give voice to issues that impact our communities.
![Smiling student gesturing during classroom discussion](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-07/_DSF7139-10.jpg?h=c3635fa2&itok=Q2T3mPi7)
How to Read the News Like a Fact Checker
Reading “laterally” is a key media literacy strategy that helps students determine the quality of online sources. This mini-lesson trains students to use this technique to evaluate the credibility of the news they encounter on social media feeds or elsewhere online.
![Two high school students look at a laptop screen in a school library](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/NewEngland_Classroom_2017_%20FH256241.jpg?h=a141e9ea&itok=i6eK1LBI)