MLK’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail is a true classic, both for its historical significance and unapologetic endorsement of non-violent civil disobedience. It actually made the list of required readings for the AP government/politics course, a list that includes Federalist Paper …
Listen to our Podcast on this Quote: Here The Big Idea: School is often the first place where students occupy positions of authority where they are able to direct the efforts of others. Being a good leader and having influence …
Essential Questions are great tools to organize courses and units. Regardless of how we end up using them, sooner or later reality demands that students find some answers! And here’s where the real work begins. Consider the challenge this way: to answer …
The Big Idea: All students have run across “know-it-alls”. They might be one themselves. They walk into a room and express supreme confidence with their knowledge. Being humble is seen as a sign of weakness. Then there are those timid …
In another post we had Einstein assisting MLK to teach the Letter From a Birmingham Jail. For this post we’re using a MLK quote to teach the Articles of Confederation, another required document in the AP government and politics …
The next school year will start and, if you’re like me, you have no idea what it’s going to look like. But let’s imagine… You’re finished with the rules and procedures and expectations for the year. You’re ready to set …
It seems paradoxical but it’s not. Children’s stories capture our imagination, make us wonder, and reveal the inherent mysteries of life in the simplest and most profound ways. They can also motivate teachers and students of all grade levels and subjects …
The Big Idea: Going through hard times is something most everybody has to do. Some people face hardship and turn away. They become discouraged and think that success is unattainable. Others see hardship as an opportunity for self-motivation, goal-setting and …
When I first came across this video from the online knowledge forum Big Think, I really didn’t know what to expect. Looking at the subtitle “Start Breaking Some Rules” I was a little apprehensive since I’ve always thought encouraging adolescents to break rules …
Two truths about teaching: 1. Questions don’t work too well unless students are in the mood for them. 2. Nothing sets a mood like a good story. Two truths about stories: 1. They captivate the imagination. 2. They create healthy …
Was the Chinese philosopher and military strategist Sun Tzu onto something? John Kennedy thought so. Here’s a great example of how you can use Teach Different’s 3-Step conversation method in a unit on the Cold War in US history. Step …
Here’s what I have so far… Does our system of government succeed or fail in preventing the abuse of power? Do interest groups frustrate or promote democratic ideals? Is popular sovereignty a reality or an illusion? Are the media …