Examining foundational arguments from major thinkers alongside contemporary debates on morality, governance, and the nature of existence. Addresses core concepts like political structures, consciousness, and the conflict between agency and fate.
An introduction to the fundamental concepts of political science required for both AP US and Comparative Government, including sovereignty, legitimacy, authority, and the core differences between states, nations, and regimes.
An exploration of the social construction of identity and the mechanisms of social control through shame, using Nietzschean philosophy and Goffman's dramaturgical perspective. Students analyze how societal 'shoulds' create masks and puppets, particularly in the context of gender and social roles.
A psychology lesson exploring the difference between toxic and healthy shame, using Nietzschean philosophy and the metaphor of societal 'puppet strings' to understand conditioning and authenticity.
Students explore the philosophical tension between Stoic adaptability and societal tradition through a Philosophical Chairs debate, using Marcus Aurelius's 'Meditations' as a lens for modern civic progress.
A high school psychology lesson exploring the intersection of Stoic philosophy and modern Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), specifically focusing on mindfulness, reframing, and cognitive distortions.
This lesson explores the Enlightenment foundations of modern democracy, focusing on the 'architects' who drafted the ideas of natural rights, separation of powers, and the social contract. Students analyze how these philosophical blueprints shaped the American Revolution and founding documents.
A lesson exploring how Enlightenment philosophers like Locke, Montesquieu, and Voltaire influenced the founding documents and structure of the United States government.
Students analyze the ethical and societal impacts of radical technological shifts, such as the total disappearance of the internet.
An exploration of how history might have changed if major technological or cultural milestones were altered or erased.
Students investigate the physical and environmental consequences of a sudden, permanent change in Earth's gravity.
A comprehensive 10th-grade history lesson comparing the French and American Revolutions, focusing on Enlightenment ideals, leadership, and long-term global impact through slides, primary sources, and structured comparison.
An 11th-12th grade History and Ethics lesson exploring the rise of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the ethical implications of Jan Pieterszoon Coen's violent spice monopoly. Students engage in a mock trial to debate whether economic efficiency justifies human rights violations.
A High School Civics lesson exploring jury nullification through the lens of the historic Zenger Case. Students analyze the tension between legal statutes and moral conscience while participating in a mock trial activity.
A deep dive into the Heian period's aesthetic of 'Mono no aware', exploring the beauty of impermanence through literature, visual art, and creative writing. Students connect Buddhist philosophy to cultural practices and contrast Japanese views of beauty with Western ideals of permanence.
A high school history lesson exploring the Space Race as both a geopolitical battleground of the Cold War and a philosophical exploration of human identity and meaning. Students analyze propaganda, watch a Crash Course segment, and compare nationalistic competition with the universal themes found in science fiction like Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
A high school lesson exploring W.E.B. Du Bois's concept of 'Double Consciousness' and its relevance to modern identity, code-switching, and the marginalized experience.
A high school civics lesson exploring the three primary judicial philosophies: Originalism, Living Constitution, and Pragmatism through the lens of the Island Trees v. Pico case and a modern privacy simulation.
An 11th-12th grade Global Studies lesson exploring the philosophical tension between universal human rights and cultural relativism through the lens of political cosmopolitanism.
A lesson comparing the concepts of Divine Right and Consent of the Governed through the lens of King Louis XIV and the English Parliament, culminating in a propaganda poster design project.
This lesson explores the transition from feudalism to nation-states, focusing on the differences between absolute monarchy and constitutional government. Students analyze the pros and cons of each system through video analysis and a structured debate centered on the English Civil War.
Students explore the intersection of biology and law through the lens of 'decision fatigue' in judicial rulings, culminating in a Socratic seminar and policy proposal for systemic reform.
This lesson explores how cultural beliefs and geographic factors shape perceptions of mental health and access to care, using Sangu Delle's TED Talk as a primary case study for West Africa. Students will analyze the 'Medical Model' vs. 'Supernatural Model' and map out barriers to treatment in rural contexts.
This lesson explores the shift from Newtonian physics to Einstein's relativity, focusing on the cultural anxiety and fragmentation that occurred at the turn of the 20th century. Students analyze the "Train Paradox" and discuss the disconnect between scientific reality and human perception.
A Philosophy/Theory of Knowledge lesson for high schoolers exploring the foundations of modern thought through the inductive methods of Francis Bacon and the deductive skepticism of Rene Descartes.
A sociology lesson investigating how technological infrastructure—from 19th-century railroads to the modern internet—reshapes social interaction, human behavior, and psychological health.
Students produce a capstone forecast or position paper predicting the future of observational learning in an era of deepfakes and virtual reality. They must propose theoretical updates to Bandura’s model to accommodate non-human models.
This lesson explores how algorithms curate models for users, potentially narrowing the scope of observational learning. Students discuss the implications of AI-driven content selection on the 'Environment' aspect of reciprocal determinism.
Students investigate how 'influencer culture' relies on para-social relationships to facilitate modeling. The lesson examines how likes and shares function as vicarious reinforcement on a massive, quantified scale.
This lesson updates Bandura's concerns about TV violence for the streaming age. Students analyze longitudinal studies on media consumption and behavioral aggression, debating the magnitude of effect sizes in modern literature.
Students review neuroscientific literature regarding mirror neurons in the premotor cortex and their potential role in empathy and imitation. The lesson critically evaluates the 'broken mirror' hypothesis and the biological hardwiring for social learning.
Focuses on the methodology of reception studies, guiding students to design empirical or theoretical research to test hypotheses about reader interpretation.
Investigates the ethical dimensions of reading, debating whether fiction generates altruistic empathy or merely a selfish simulation of emotion using cognitive empathy frameworks.
Examines how readers use pre-existing knowledge structures (schemas) to build fictional worlds and how authors manage cognitive load through world-building efficiency.
Focuses on the cognitive process of attributing mental states to fictional characters, examining how novels engage the reader's Theory of Mind (ToM).
An exploration of Wolfgang Iser's phenomenological approach to reading, focusing on the concepts of the 'wandering viewpoint' and 'gap-filling' in narrative comprehension.
A critical evaluation of the ethics of aversive conditioning, culminating in a student-designed research proposal that balances scientific rigor with ethical compliance.
An advanced look at chaining associations (higher-order) and pre-associating neutral stimuli (sensory preconditioning) and their roles in semantic anxiety networks.
Students explore groundbreaking research where immune responses are classically conditioned, investigating the interdisciplinary field of psychoneuroimmunology.
This lesson examines how pairing neutral stimuli with liked or disliked stimuli shifts affective preference, with applications in advertising and prejudice.
Students review the seminal work on taste aversion, analyzing why some associations are learned over long delays while others are not, challenging the principle of equipotentiality.
A comprehensive lesson exploring the history of US National Parks, the ethical balance between public access and wilderness preservation, and modern conservation strategies.
A culminating scavenger hunt through 100 years of Black history, challenging students to apply everything they've learned about the five core values.
Exploring 'The Other Wes Moore' and a 100-year soundtrack of emotions, students participate in a mediation circle and write letters of hope to younger students.
Students design a 'Level Up Remote' based on Black icons and create paper masks to discuss stereotypes and the internal vs. external experiences of Black men.
Using a sports-style draft, students identify generational leaders and trailblazers to form their own 'Advisory Draft' team, emphasizing the value of Sankofa.
Students create mood boards and 'historical social media posts' for iconic Black celebrities and TV stars, identifying how excellence has been portrayed and how today's generation would react to past triumphs.
Students explore emotional expression across generations through the lens of Hip Hop, creating their own spoken word or rap pieces to connect their feelings with those who came before them.
A 2-3 day project where students create a visual mural representing the major social reform movements of the Antebellum era, focusing on the concept of moral suasion and the perfectibility of society.
A Grade 5 lesson focusing on the value of Ubuntu, exploring 'Black Boy Joy' through Pharrell Williams and the collective energy of the 1963 March on Washington.
A Grade 6 lesson focusing on Virtus (excellence) and energy, using Simone Biles and the 1968 Olympics to show how personal power can be channeled into advocacy.
A Grade 7 lesson centered on Kenkyo (humility), focusing on mental health advocacy with Megan Thee Stallion and Kid Cudi to normalize emotional wellness.
A Grade 7 deep dive into Ganas (grit) and resilience, connecting the narrative of 'The Other Wes Moore' and Jay-Z to the historical excellence of the Harlem Renaissance.
A comparative study of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, exploring how the predictable flooding of the Nile versus the chaotic Tigris and Euphrates shaped diverging worldviews, religions, and social structures.
A 6th-grade social studies lesson exploring the social hierarchy of the Vedic Period in Ancient India, focusing on the four varna tiers, the Dalits, and the religious concepts of Karma and Dharma.
Students explore the tension between Positivism and Relativism in the social sciences, debating whether human behavior can be governed by scientific laws or if it is too inherently complex and irrational. The lesson uses 11th-12th grade level philosophy and sociology concepts grounded in early 20th-century intellectual history.
An AP-level exploration of the Scientific Revolution, focusing on 'Progress' as a modern historical construct. Students use the '10th Generation' concept to analyze the shift from a static universe to one governed by universal laws.
A high school history lesson exploring Native American agency through the lens of early colonial conflicts, featuring an analysis of strategic resistance and a Socratic seminar.
This lesson explores the shifting definition of freedom during the 19th-century reform movements, contrasting 'freedom as license' with the reformers' ideal of 'freedom as self-control.' Students will analyze the impact of the Second Great Awakening and engage in a Socratic Seminar on the moral groundwork of liberty.
In this lesson, 11th-grade students explore the tension between the mid-19th century Market Revolution and the Transcendentalist movement. By analyzing excerpts from Emerson and Melville alongside historical context from Crash Course US History, students investigate how industrialization shifted the American conception of time, work, and individual freedom.
A critical examination of the 'Great Man Theory' of history using Napoleon Bonaparte as a case study. Students analyze the interplay between individual agency and historical structures through video analysis, mapping, and historiographical debate.
This lesson challenges students to evaluate the lived experience of World War II soldiers by contrasting Ernie Pyle's journalistic accounts with wartime propaganda, fostering historical empathy through primary source analysis.
This lesson explores how the trauma and destruction of World War II and the Holocaust gave rise to Existentialism, focusing on the works of Sartre, Camus, and de Beauvoir. Students analyze the concept of 'existence precedes essence' as a response to the failure of traditional moral systems and the necessity of creating meaning through individual action.
An undergraduate-level history lesson analyzing the reign of Charles V through the lens of 'Great Man' theory versus structural history. Students explore the concept of political failure and the limits of imperial power in a globalized context.
An undergraduate-level introductory politics lesson exploring the critique of historical determinism, the rise of authoritarian capitalism in China and Singapore, and the future of global democracy. Students analyze whether economic success inherently leads to political freedom using case studies from a Crash Course World History video.
This lesson explores the scale of deep time and the paradoxical nature of human complexity. Students will analyze how 'Collective Learning' has allowed humans to become a geological force, comparing our biological success to the Great Oxygenation Event and debating whether innovation solves scarcity or accelerates resource depletion.
Explore the demographic consequences of the Columbian Exchange, focusing on the massive population collapse of indigenous peoples due to biological isolation and the subsequent global population boom driven by New World crops.
This lesson explores the psychological mechanisms of political obedience, specifically focusing on how cognitive dissonance drives individuals to accept propaganda and authoritarian narratives for mental comfort. Students participate in a conformity experiment, analyze video content on state-sponsored propaganda, and engage in a Socratic Seminar to discuss the human tendency to 'plead ignorance' in the face of conflicting truths.
A lesson reviewing the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, focusing on their spiritual importance and classification into Sacraments of Initiation, Healing, and Service.
A lesson focused on the Morning Offering Prayer, including a comprehensive quiz and teacher answer key.
A lesson focused on identifying and applying the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit in daily life, specifically designed for 7th-grade religious education.
Students will evaluate the concept of 'Divine Kingship' in Ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom, exploring how the Pharaoh's status as a god-king facilitated political stability and social control, while comparing these ancient structures to modern cults of personality.
A lesson exploring how religion served as a 'magnet' for unity in ancient civilizations compared to modern civic unifiers. Includes a video-based discussion and a creative Venn Diagram activity.
This lesson explores the Dynastic Cycle and the Mandate of Heaven through the lens of ancient Chinese history, using the transition from the Qin to the Han dynasty as a primary case study. Students will analyze how political legitimacy was constructed, maintained, and lost according to Confucian historiography.
A high school lesson exploring the five key relationships of Confucianism, the concept of the Junzi (Superior Man), and how these ancient hierarchies apply to modern social structures through role-play and analysis.
A 9th-grade global history lesson investigating the origins, religious justifications, and modern persistence of the Indian caste system, featuring a Socratic seminar on social hierarchy.
Students will explore how analogies can simplify complex historical and philosophical concepts from Ancient India's Vedic Period. They will watch a video defining key Hindu terms and then practice creating their own modern metaphors for concepts like the Caste System and Reincarnation.
This lesson explores the moral codes of the Vedic Period in India, specifically the concepts of Dharma and Karma. Students will compare these Hindu beliefs with the moral frameworks of Ancient Israel (Ten Commandments) and Persia (Zoroastrianism) to understand how religion shapes societal behavior.
Students investigate the ethical and historical nuances of resistance during the Holocaust, categorizing acts as armed, spiritual, or cultural. Through a Socratic Seminar, they evaluate the impact of survival and non-violent defiance against a genocidal regime.
An interdisciplinary English/History lesson for 10th grade exploring the concept of moral neutrality in education through the lens of the Catholic Counter-Reformation and modern curricula.
A lesson analyzing the theological and political differences between Sunni and Shia Islam, using the Christian Great Schism as a historical comparison. Students watch a video on the Ottoman-Safavid rivalry and create a comparative graphic organizer.
A high-level critique of the concept of 'civilization' for middle school gifted and talented students, focusing on the debate over religion as a core characteristic and the evolution of urban spaces.
This lesson explores the 1688 Germantown Petition, the first formal protest against slavery in the American colonies, focusing on the moral argument that buying a human being is equivalent to purchasing 'stolen goods.' Students analyze the power of analogy and visual metaphor to communicate complex moral issues.
Students will analyze the 1688 Germantown Petition, the first formal protest against slavery in the American colonies, focusing on its rhetorical strategies and the Quaker context of the period.
Students practice using inclusive and respectful language in real-world scenarios, developing skills for constructive and empathetic daily interactions.
This lesson focuses on identifying dehumanizing language, understanding its historical and social context, and contrasting it with inclusive alternatives.
Students explore the definitions of racism and prejudice, examining how these concepts impact individuals and society while building a shared vocabulary.
