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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An introductory quiz is followed by a student reading on what the candidates have said about nuclear weapons proliferation. A second student reading explores author Jonathan Schell
Three student readings and a quiz explore why the complex developed, how it operates, and some of its consequences. Discussion questions and opportunities for further inquiry and
Four 45-minute lessons engage students in considering what qualities they might look for in a political candidate; how to get information about candidates; and how they and the
Student readings describe how the mortgage crisis affects real people and why; the domino effect of sub-prime mortgage loans; and economic stimulus proposals. Discussion questions
Student readings examine the current Gaza situation and other major issues; the U.S.-Israel alliance; and how President Obama might address the conflict. Discussion questions
Three student readings (with guidelines for classroom discussion) provide a succinct overview of basic Israeli-Palestinian issues and new developments in this old conflict.
How do you pick a candidate? Statements from four candidates on major issues are followed by discussion questions, an exercise on recognizing factual statements and opinions, and
Because this federal law has personal meanings for students, it is an excellent subject for independent and small-group inquiries. Two student readings outline the law's major
Three student readings include conflicting accounts of air attacks by the U.S. military and by survivors; media coverage of the attacks; and a brief overview of the growing
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This lesson is designed to get students to think critically about hot-button issues such as the "fiscal cliff," "sequestration," and the ongoing debate about the US budget. Two
This activity uses a 6-minute video about wealth inequality that has gone viral on the internet with small-group activities to help students explore what they think U.S. wealth
A wave of protests by Walmart workers highlights the low wages and anti-union climate facing workers at Walmart - and many other companies. In two readings, students explore the
See our three recent classroom lessons aimed at helping students grapple with both the personal and political sides of high-stakes testing:
In this interactive lesson, students learn more about the high-stakes testing debate, explore different points of view about this issue, consider their own views, and identify
Using a Circle process, students learn a little about high-stakes testing, hear about how these tests have raised stress levels for some students and educators, and consider some