Timely resources to help K-12 educators encourage social responsibility and foster social & emotional learning. Find out more.
TeachableMoment Lessons
Featured Lessons
In honor of Teacher Appreciation week, Morningside Center offers this Circle-based lesson as an invitation for students and Circle keepers to reflect on the impactful teachers and “teachers” in their lives; what lessons were learned; and ways they’ve passed this learning forward.
Spring is a natural time for transformation, for embracing new beginnings while shedding those attitudes or mindsets that no longer serve us. It’s also an ideal time to consider the changes in our lives and their impact. In this lesson students reflect on change, grief, and loss through a scrawl wall, a circle, and building a collective playlist.
In this lesson students examine New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration speech to learn what a speech can reveal about a leader’s values, priorities and vision for democracy—and how a speech can shape how people see themselves and others in a community.
SEL & RP
Activities to support students' social and emotional learning and restorative practices
Current Issues
Classroom activities to engage students in learning about and discussing issues in the news
Tips & Ideas
Guidance and inspiration to help build skills and community in your classroom and school
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A student reading focuses on the housing boom and bust, why AIG foundered and why taxpayers are propping it up. Discussion questions and a suggested fish bowl discussion follow.
Student readings offer an overview of the defense budget and the Pentagon; explore the issues surrounding production of the F22; and discuss the military-industrial-congressional
In this Document-Based Question exercise, students consider and write an essay about competing views on defense spending.
A summary of Schell's essay describing the interconnected crises we face and their commonalities is followed by suggestions for discussion, inquiry, critical thinking and writing.
Student readings and discussion questions address the the origins and impact of the economic crisis and President Obama's recovery plan.
How can teachers help their students understand and take action on problems stemming from the economic crisis? We propose a process for encouraging active student citizenship.
Through two readings and class discussion, students think critically about the effect of corporate campaign donations on our political system and consider efforts to reform
President Obama's inauguration address offered a continuing teachable moment for examining key issues facing the nation. A student reading including speech excerpts is followed by
In this classroom lesson, students consider President Obama's inaugural address as a speech and in the context of past inaugural addresses.
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Some preliminary ideas for remembering the life of the remarkable folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, who died on January 27.
Benefits have just been cut for the one in seven Americans who receive food stamps, and more cuts may be on the way. In two readings, students learn about the debate over food
This lesson focuses on a less well-known part of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, but one that is extremely relevant today: the Poor People’s Campaign that Dr. King led over 40
Students learn about the history and importance of play, and consider games, good and bad.
When disaster strikes, we want to help. But how? In this lesson, students learn about the factors that contribute to natural disasters, and consider what we might do about them.
Students consider the leadership of Nelson Mandela by reading and discussing quotes about and by him.