Educator Resources Educator Resources

In 1898, the U.S. officially annexed Hawaii—but did Hawaiians support this? In this lesson, students read two newspaper articles, both hosted on the website Chronicling America, which make very different arguments about Hawaiians’ support for—or opposition to—annexation. Students focus on sourcing as they investigate the motivations and perspectives of both papers and why they make very different claims.

Go on a virtual field trip to the Museum of the American Revolution with Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived… books! You’ll go behind the scenes to meet a museum curator and a museum educator, to examine real and replica artifacts, and to learn stories of real people – including kids and teens – who lived during this dynamic time. This program is presented in partnership with Scholastic, Inc.

In this lesson, students read a text that examines recent research into the question of whether democratic forms of government are in decline in the world and whether young people have less affinity for democracy than in the past. Next, they participate in a Civil Conversation (CivCon) based on the reading; in this structured discussion method, participants are encouraged to engage intellectually with challenging materials, gain insight about their own point of view, and strive for a shared understanding of issues.

Students play a game modeled on the classic ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ economic theory to explore the problem of collective action in managing the Earth’s resources. They reflect on the way their short-term self-interest clashes with the long-term interest of the collective. Students identify strategies that will help them to act in the collective interest of the human race and the planet.

This DBQuest will walk you through the primary sources that illustrate the interplay between Congress and the executive branch during the negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Students examine the global footprint of everyday items to better understand how they are connected to the people who make and transport them. They explore a case study demonstrating the impact of their purchasing habits on the people who make and transport the things they buy, prompting them to identify strategies that will help them become more responsible consumers.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) among Canada, the United States, and Mexico took effect on January 1, 1994. Students may be aware of current debates about the trade deal but may not know that the agreement has been contentious since its inception. In this lesson, students read different perspectives on free trade and globalization to answer the question: What were arguments in the U.S. against ratifying NAFTA?

This lesson is an excerpt from the teacher’s guide of One Survivor Remembers, a teaching kit built around the incredible life story of Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein.

U.S. History pop-up cases are short, one-page scenarios based on foreign policy issues in U.S. history. Use the cases to spark discussion and put your students in the shoes of policymakers. This case asks students to consider the following 1845 scenario: with thousands of American settlers migrating west to the contested Oregon Country and a campaign promise from President James K. Polk to annex the entire territory, how should the United States respond to British naval buildup in the region and a deteriorating U.S.-British relationship?

Students will place a primary source within its historical context to examine how Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union turned early space exploration into the “Space Race.”

In this lesson students analyze primary source documents and a timeline of foreign affairs and domestic events to understand the role of U.S. foreign policy in world events and its impact on events in the U.S. The timeline and documents include information on the United Nations and UNICEF (The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) to illustrate the important role played by international agencies in advancing U.S. foreign policy and improving living conditions around the world.

U.S. History pop-up cases are short, one-page scenarios based on foreign policy issues in U.S. history. Use one of the cases to spark discussion and put your students in the shoes of policymakers. This case asks students to consider the following 1917 scenario: British intelligence has decoded a secret German telegram to Mexico that proposes an alliance against the United States and shares Germany’s plans to resume submarine warfare against U.S. shipping in the coming month. How should the United States respond?

Pop-up cases are short, one-page scenarios based on issues reverberating in the news today. Use one of the cases to spark discussion and put your students in the shoes of policymakers. This case asks students to consider the following scenario: at the start of a new presidential term in 2021, the president must decide whether to prioritize a multilateral or unilateral approach to foreign policy over the next four years.

Pop-up cases are short, one-page scenarios based on issues reverberating in the news today. Use one of the cases to spark discussion and put your students in the shoes of policymakers. This case asks students to consider the following scenario: at the start of a new presidential term in 2021, the United States reassesses its policy toward China in light of the ongoing repression of Uighurs in Xinjiang.

This Teaching Idea helps students understand how the United States’ complex asylum process works and asks the question: who has an obligation to asylum seekers?

The United States’ role in the world has been a source of debate throughout the nation’s history. As the US has experienced growth and development in its global influence, unparalleled economic gains, and dramatic shifts in both immigration and social movements, citizens have argued over how the US should act internationally.