Timely resources to help K-12 educators encourage social responsibility and foster social & emotional learning. Find out more.
TeachableMoment Lessons
Featured Lessons
This activity explores the ideas of “power over” and “power with” using a brainstorm and journaling.
This two-part lesson, intended for high school students, consists of two readings that will examine the limits on presidential power in the United States government and examine what authority the president legally holds through executive orders. Questions for discussion follow each reading, feel free to modify the questions for your students’ needs and current knowledge base of US government processes.
What is the Department of Education, and what does it do? What impact does it have on students, and how would things change if it were abolished? This two-part lesson consists of two readings that investigate the Department of Education as a historic and modern governmental agency. Questions for discussion follow each reading.
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
Filter TeachableMoment Lessons By:
The 2016 election has caused anxiety among many students, as well as a surge in bullying and harassment in many schools. We provide suggestions for supporting students and
Students consider the history of "dog-whistle" politics and whether the current campaign season marks a break from the past practice by making racial references overt.
Instead of stepping in to resolve a student's problem, try simply paraphrasing the student's point of view. Sometimes this is all it takes to calm a student down so that they can
Our students do circles once a week on our special Friday schedule. I haven't run any of them because I am teaching at that time. I've seen them done very well, but in some circles
This activity has students step into the shoes of voters whose views they may not agree with - and roleplay a dialogue.
We've experimented with different circle sizes, and I believe there is such a thing as too big a circle. What do you think is an ideal size for circles?
Students consider how the Republican and Democratic Parties have evolved over time — and whether a new 'realignment' is happening today.
After a quick quiz, students learn about the candidates' tax proposals and discuss our nation's complex and contentious tax policies.
Updated: The presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on October 9, 2016, raised some important but difficult issues about sexism and sexual assault. In this
Filter TeachableMoment Lessons By:
A new UN report on climate disruption points to the need for immediate action. In this lesson, students discuss the report and what kind of response it requires.
Young people are suing the U.S. government over climate change, and their case comes before federal court on October 29, 2018. In this lesson, students examine the suit, read the
This lesson considers various statements by President Trump about immigration, and invites students to examine the facts on both sides.
2018 is the 50th anniversary of a landmark protest at the Miss America beauty pageant. The protest was part of a new period of feminist activism—one with renewed significance in
Students think about the impact of a letter to the editor, analyze a sampling of letters and identify what makes them effective, and write letters of their own about issues they
In this video staff and students talk about the impact of class meetings on them and on the school community. They talk about what happens in class meetings.