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Cartoons for the Classroom
Students are often asked to analyze an editorial cartoon on the GED or other high school equivalency test. The free materials from Cartoons for the Classroom will help students with this challenging task. Cartoons for the Classroom provides a weekly lesson that includes editorial cartoons related to a current event and a number of guiding questions for discussion or writing. In other materials, students have to draw conclusions by writing their own caption for a cartoon; there is also a cartoon evaluation worksheet that can be used with cartoons found in other publications. In addition to current event cartoons, the site provides resources to help study editorial cartoons from different eras. Read More
National Council for Geographic Education
The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) is a professional organization for geography teachers and provides free and classroom-ready materials for both members and non-members. By navigating to the NCGE resource library, users can type in geography-related search term such as maps, climate, migration and be provided with lessons and other resources. While some of the materials are aligned to AP geography, there are many others that can be used in the elementary and secondary grade level classrooms. Read More
NewseumED
NewseumED provides a wide range of resources related to the First Amendment and media/information literacy. Along with an extensive lesson plan library, the site has created "EDcollections," which brings together archival materials, primary sources, interactives, and standards-based lesson plans for all levels of students. Activities related to free speech, media literacy, women's suffrage, the First Amendment, the Civil Rights Movement, and decoding elections are found in these EDcollections. Other useful resources include an artifact library where users can download and view impactful images from history. In addition, the site also has a number of videos related to media literacy topics such as bias and objectivity, and each one is accompanied by a related lesson plan. Read More
Council for Economic Education
The CEE's mission is to provide students at all levels with the tools and knowledge of economics and personal finance in order to make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities. The CEE offers an extensive collection of free, leveled, and standards-aligned lessons, activities, and videos that cover a wide range of economics and personal finance topics. Teachers can also sign up to download free, ready-made K-12 economics and personal finance quizzes and tests. If you are new to teaching economics, or need additional teaching strategies and resources, CEE offers professional development sessions and webinars on a variety of economics related topics. Read More
Native Land Digital
The Native Land Digital interactive map shows which Indigenous lands you live on in the Americas and in other parts of the world. Users can click on labels or enter their city, state or zip code and see which Indigenous peoples lived in that specific area. Accompanying the interactive map is a useful teacher's guide that provide suggestions on how to use the map in the classroom and a number of lessons that utilize the map and cover other topics related to the Indigenous peoples. Read More
Minnesota Council on Economic Education
MCEE offers free economic and financial literacy resources at the K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade levels. All of the free lessons meet the Minnesota meet the Minnesota state academic standards in economics and many of their curriculum materials provide teachers with materials to incorporate economics into history, geography, and mathematics. In addition to their leveled lessons, MCEE provides resources for distance learning, for teaching multi-language students, and links to free online finance games. If you are new to teaching economics, or need additional teaching strategies and resources, MCEE offers professional development sessions on a variety of economics-related topics. Read More
National Geographic: Antibiotic Resistance is Beefing Up
This is a leveled reading for 3-12th grade and discusses the genetic resistance of bacteria and its impact on public health. The reading introduces the concept of genetic resistance, which is a common topic on the GED/HiSET exams. Read More
National Geographic: Adaptations
This activity combines videos, images, and readings to explore the evolution of flight and gliding in lizard species. Students will compare and contrast images and videos of fossils of flying dinosaurs such as Pterosaurs with current species of lizards that use appendages to glide through their habitat. Students will look at similarities and differences between species over time, with the ultimate goal of understanding how animals adapt within their environment. It is a strong lesson that can introduce concepts of evolution and natural selection. Read More
National Geographic: The Mantle
This activity provides readings, and diagrams of the Earth's layers. It introduces relevant vocabulary and discusses how the major layers of the Earth differ from each other. This concept, which is commonly seen on the GED/HiSET, is a good introduction to larger discussion of plate tectonics. Read More
Nature for New Minnesotans – Plants in Minnesota
This curriculum, piloted by Nature for New Minnesotans and University of Minnesota Extension, provides learners with an overview of Minnesota's edible and dangerous plants. The unit was designed for adult EL learners that are low beginner-intermediate, and contains lessons with reading, speaking, and writing opportunities. Science topics covered include photosynthesis, plant nutrients, and invasive species. Informational cards on common edible and dangerous plants in Minnesota are also included. Read More