TeachableMoment Lessons

SEL & RP

SEL & RP

Activities to support students' social and emotional learning and restorative practices

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Current Issues

Current Issues

Classroom activities to engage students in learning about and discussing issues in the news

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Tips & Ideas

Tips & Ideas

Guidance and inspiration to help build skills and community in your classroom and school

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SEL & RP
Social & Emotional Learning & Restorative Practices
Current Issues
Current Issues
Tips and Ideas
Tips & Ideas

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President Obama's recent decision to stop deporting some young undocumented immigrants came in the context of a powerful movement by young people to enact the immigration reform

This activity aims to help your class get the school year off to a good start. Students share their names and a high point of their summer; learn a little about their similarities

This lesson, which requires two class periods, aims to help students understand why people come out, and the impact coming out can have on both a personal and societal level.

Student readings explore the morality and legality of President Obama's controversial "kill list" and consider arguments for and against drone warfare. Questions for student

Students come up with a working definition for democracy, then watch and discuss an animated short on the Citizens United Case. Homework prepares students for a liberal vs

Students consider opposing views about taxes and wealth, analyze charts about wealth distribution, and decide how they think wealth should be distributed.

Two student readings (with discussion questions) examine the historical development of the boycott as a tactic used by both progressives and conservatives, and recent boycotts

TeachableMoment marks the 50th anniversary of Michael Harrington's influential book with a series of readings and discussion questions for high school students. In Part II

In the wake of the tragic killing of the Florida teen, two student readings examine the controversy surrounding Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law and the wider gun control debate.

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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.