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Instructional resources on global education
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Title | Description |
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Western Europe's World Court & Human Rights | The United Nation's World Court, International Court of Justice, and the Peace Palace all exist to support a global standard of human rights, regardless of region or person. This lesson plan, with versions for both middle and high school, examines the roles of global peace institutions during human rights crises, including the Rwandan genocide. |
"Winter Outing" by Pak Wansŏ | Sample lesson plan by Erin Dowding, Flushing International High School |
"Wayfarer" by O Chŏng-hŭi | "Wayfarer" by O Chŏng-hŭi |
Wangchuan Ji/Wheel River Collection by Wang Wei | Sample lesson plan by Matthew Bruneel, Walt Whitman High School. |
Wangari's Trees of Peace | This true story is about the life of a woman named Wangari Maathai. Wanagari decided to make a big difference in her hometown in Africa by planting trees. The trees in Kenya had been destroyed to make room for building and industry. Wangari brought green trees back to Kenya by giving the village women seedlings to plant to replace the trees that were destroyed. The government told Wanagari and the women that they couldn’t make a difference. Because of this, Wangari worked hard to return the green trees to Kenya. She paid the women for each seedling that lived for at least three months. This proved to the government that women could make a difference and have an impact on the environment. |
"Congruent Figures" by Takahashi Takako | Sample lesson plan by Rachel Voss, Harrison High School, using "Congruent Figures" by Takahashi Takako. |
Tibetan Mandala Craft Activity Pack | Create your very own Tibetan mandala to significant to Tibetan Buddhism, based on traditional sand mandalas made in Tibet. |
Tibetan and Inner Asia Images | This lesson uses images from Tibet and Inner Asia to introduce geographic and historic information about the region. |
"A Tale of Music" by Kwi-Mi Kang | Sample lesson plan by Jennifer Watson, Octorara Area High School |
"The Tale of Hong Kiltong" by Hŏ Kyun | Sample lesson plan by Andrea Hatter, Pine Grove Area High School |
Saving the Takhi Horse from Extinction: K-3rd Grade | This lesson plan teaches students about concepts of extinction and conservation using the Takhi, a wild horse native to Mongolia, as a case study. |
"Standing Woman" by Yasutaka Tsutsui | Sample lesson plan by Jill Quinn, Stevens Point Area Senior High |
Spain and Science | This multidisciplinary lesson uses Spain as a case study for students to analyze geography, history, trade, and science. It emphasizes the importance of Spain's many ports from historical and economic angles, and also introduces the science behind shipping vessels: density, water saliency, and the strategy of loading the boats. This lesson was created for a Spanish immersion classroom, but is adaptable to a purely-English class. |
Silk Road Web Quest: 4th-7th Grade | This lesson plan is designed to encourage students to utilize web-based resources to better understand the history and development of civilizations along the Silk Road. |
Silk Road Reading Unit: 4th-5th Grade | Students will gain a basic understanding of what the Silk Road is by reading a short passage and answering questions. |
Silk Road Reading Unit: 2nd-3rd Grade | Students will gain a basic understanding of what the Silk Road is by reading a short passage and answering questions. |
Silk Road Reading Unit: 1st Grade | Students will gain a basic understanding of what the Silk Road is by reading a short passage and answering questions. |
Journeys along the Silk Road: A Social Science Lesson for Middle & High School Classes | Students will be able to explain what the Silk Road is and how it contributed to the diffusion of goods, people, and culture across Eurasia. |
Our Shared Past in the Mediterranean Module 2 | It examines the classical Mediterranean from an unusual vantage point: the empire of Carthage. It also examines technology and inventions, economic exchange, cultural innovation, power and authority, and spiritual life across the Mediterranean region in the formative period 5000-1000BC |
Our Shared Past in the Mediterranean | Resource Description |
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, & Infrastructure | This module focuses on SDG 9 which aims to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.” The stories cover the inequalities in digital infrastructure between rural and urban areas and gender inequalities in terms of internet access in Afghanistan. The activities include case study analysis, data analysis, and policy analysis. |
SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth | This module focuses on SDG 8 which aims to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.” The stories will focus on programs in Nigeria and how to implement similar concepts locally. The activities include an economic simulation to teach basic concepts, a case study analysis focusing on Nigeria, and a community engagement activity. |
SDG 7: Affordable & Clean Energy | This module focuses on SDG 7 which aims to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” The stories include an individual who builds a wind turbine in Mali, a Spanish company developing floating wind turbines, and Kenya’s expansion of geo-thermal energy. The activities include an introduction to various sustainable energy sources, group discussions, a lab activity, and a field trip. |
SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation | This module focuses on SDG 6 which aims to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” The module includes stories highlighting initiatives like WaterAid's WASH program in Bangladeshi tea gardens and engineering solutions in rural East Africa. Activities such as water quality testing, a water conservation campaign, and a water treatment facility field trip engage students in practical learning and promote awareness of water issues globally and locally. |
SDG 5: Gender Equality | This module focuses on SDG 5 which aims to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” The stories include the first female debate team in Rwanda, poetry about masculinity which includes experiences in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and a podcast about gender equality globally. Activities include debate, creative writing, and media analysis related to gender equality. |
SDG 4: Quality Education | This module focuses on SDG 4 which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Stories include a young Indigenous women in Guatemala, a refugee from South Sudan, and a United Nations presentation on transforming education globally. Activities include a debate, group work, and an applied community research activity. |
SDG 2: Zero Hunger | This module focuses on SDG 2 which aims to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” It includes a story of food insecurity and action in Uganda. Activities include class discussions and local engagement with civil society organizations. In this module, you will learn about the pillars of food insecurity, the types and impacts of global malnutrition and assess food insecurity at a local level and how you can take action. |
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | This module focuses on the elements of SDG 17 that are concerned with the global economic system and the flow of financial resources between countries. The goal as whole aims to “strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.” The framing stories include a podcast on how small businesses engage in international trade and the role of remittances in local economies. The activities include data analysis, interviewing a local business, and comparing financial resources that can contribute to sustainable global development. |
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, & Strong Institutions | This module focuses on SDG 16 which aims to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.” The framing stories include the rule of law in Rwanda, international criminal procedures to protect cultural sites in Mali, international prosecution of a militia leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the measures taken in El Salvador to address gang violence. The activities include case study analysis, engaging with an external speaker, and carrying out a community needs assessment. This module and its activities allow students at the 10th grade level to see what the United Nations as well as other peacekeeping groups have done to fight injustice and strive for efficient, inclusive government. |
SDG 15: Life on Land | This module focuses on SDG 15 which aims to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.” The stories cover land use in Peru, deforestation in the Amazon basin, and students’ conservation actions. Students are provided with case studies, conduct research, and create poster presentations. Through this process, they enhance research, analysis, and presentation skills while exploring the role of various stakeholders in addressing land degradation and biodiversity loss. |
SDG 14: Life Below Water | This module focuses on SDG 14 which aims to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” The framing stories relate to the sustainable management of marine resources, with a focus on sustainable fisheries management, protected marine areas, and the importance of local community advocacy. The activities include student presentation on climate change; student research on local climate impacts; and a student showcase of mitigation and adaptation practices solutions. |
SDG 13: Climate Action | This module focuses on SDG 13 which aims to “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” The stories include exploring the role of rice farming practices in climate change and renewable energy in the Philippines. Activities include reading and analyzing stories, exploring climate science, researching local climate impacts, and proposing sustainable solutions. |
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production | This module focuses on SDG 12 which aims to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.” The stories focus on the cacao plantations specifically in West Africa and include topics on improved producer (farmer) income, and the need to eliminate child and forced labor. Activities include in depth supply chain analysis, independent research, and planning ways of engaging the topic through the creation of a Public Service Announcement. |
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities | This module focuses on SDG 11 which aims to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” The stories and activities include applied research and community engagement and focus on green architecture, green transportation, and climate action to green schools with stories from the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and the United States. |
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | This module focuses on SDG 10 which aims to “Reduce inequality within and among countries.” This lesson will focus on the success story in Norway’s battle to limit income inequality. The activities will include a case study and policy analysis of Norway and a community engagement activity. |
SDG 1: No Poverty | This module focuses on SDG 1 which aims to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere.” The stories include experiences of poverty in Bolivia and Cambodia. Students will explore absolute and multidimensional poverty through stories, data, and a poverty simulation. |
The Roots of Modern Islamism | Concept of "radical Islam" and its portrayal in the news media. The term is often used to depict Islam as incompatible with Western society, but it fails to capture the complexities and varied nature of Islamism. The intertwined relationship between Islam and politics, particularly in the Ottoman Empire, where Islamic principles were advocated for shaping the state is also discussed. This article provides a nuanced understanding of Islamism and challenges the simplistic narratives surrounding it. |
Rethinking the Region: New Approaches to 9-12 U.S. Curriculum on the Middle East & North Africa | This is a compilation of 15 lesson plans to help high school educators teach about the Middle East and North Africa. These 15 lesson plans provide a nuanced look at the MENA region by integrating analysis from the most commonly used World History textbooks in US high schools. These lesson plans center around 5 themes, with each theme having extra accompanying resources. |
"Preface to A Call to Arms" and "A Madman's Diary" by Lu Xun | Sample lesson plan by Krissa Goncher, Elida High School |
Northern Ireland: A Struggle to Co-Exist | "Northern Ireland: A Struggle to Co-Exist" is a high-school level resource on The Troubles, a period of political unrest, paramilitary activity, and domestic terrorism in Northern Ireland. Resource includes a lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. |
Northern Ireland: A Struggle to Co-Exist | "Northern Ireland: A Struggle to Co-Exist" is a high-school level resource on The Troubles, a period of political unrest, paramilitary activity, and domestic terrorism in Northern Ireland. Resource includes a lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. |
Africa Article about the Arts | Resource Description |
"The Diving Pool" and Japanese Psychological Realism | Sample lesson plan created by Maureen Mulvaney, Minneapolis Washburn High School. |
Mosaic or Melting Pot | This resource is a multidisciplinary 7th grade unit plan, teaching students to discuss ethnic and cultural diversity in the United States and Western Europe. The unit plan targets French vocabulary for religion, nationality, immigration, and identity. |
Make Your Own Mongolian Yurt Craft Activity Pack | The Mongolian word for yurt is ger. These are the traditional homes of livestock-herding nomads across Central Eurasia, including Mongolia. In this craft pack, you will discover Mongolia and learn how a ger is made, who lives in it, and why. You will hear about some of the other places where people live in yurts—and then make your own paper ger! |
Mongolian Shagai Games Activity Pack | In this activity pack, you will discover Mongolia and learn about shagai games and fortune telling, before making your own set of shagai cards and playing some of these games yourself. |
Minerals of Central Asia- Middle School | Students will be able to identify various minerals that are mined throughout Central Asia and analyze the impact that mineral mining has on economics. |
A Middle East Studies Handbook | This resource, titled "A Handbook of Near East and Middle East Studies," has undergone significant updates to reflect the increasing interest in the Middle East over the last decade. Originally published in 1974, the new edition covers a geographic area that includes Iran, Turkey, Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, and the Arabian Peninsula. It also occasionally touches on regions like Libya, Sudan, Spain, and Afghanistan. The handbook spans from the birth of Muhammad in 570 C.E. to contemporary events, providing valuable information on topics such as Arabic transliteration, historical chronology, dynasties, language families, and more. With added content and improvements, this comprehensive reference work is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the Middle East and its history. |
Learning Math with Yurts Lesson - Kindergarten | Students will learn mathematical concepts using a traditional Mongolian yurt as a geometric model |
Learning Math with Yurts Lesson – 6th Grade | Students will learn mathematical concepts using a traditional Mongolian yurt as a geometric model. |
Learning Math with Yurts Lesson – 4th-5th Grade | Students will learn mathematical concepts using a traditional Mongolian yurt as a geometric model. Students will solve problems involving perimeters and areas of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids, using appropriate units. |
Learning Math with Yurts Lesson – 1st-3rd Grade | Students will learn mathematical concepts using a traditional Mongolian yurt as a geometric model, including measuring and estimating the length of an object to the nearest inch and centimeter. |
Marie Curie and Radiation | This middle school lesson plan highlights the advances of Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre, in physics and chemistry, leading to the modern understanding of radioactivity. It also discusses Marie Curie's personal history, from her family's role in the struggle for Polish independence to her Noble Prizes in two categories- a never-before-seen feat. |
"A Madman's Diary" and Preface to "A Call to Arms" by Lu Xun | Sample lesson plan by Natasha Brunton, St. Andrew's Sewanee School |
Latitude and Longitude Activity | Students will be able to use their knowledge of latitude and longitude to answer real-world questions relating to countries in Inner Asia using these concepts. |
States, Nations, and Nation-States: Kazakhstan (5-6 Day Unit) | This lesson will introduce students to complex concepts like nation, state, and nationality with the example of Kazakhstan. |
Irish Eyes- Taking a Look at Local Landscapes | Irish Eyes is a combined PowerPoint, brochure, and lesson plan designed to introduce high school students to some of Dublin, Ireland's most famous architecture and monuments. It considers both geographic and cultural elements of city landscape design, and asks students to identify similar aspects in their own city. |
Iranian Poetry Lesson/ High School | Students will analyze read three English translations of Iranian poems and cite textual evidence to support analysis of common themes within three poems, compare and contrast the development of similar themes between three poems, and analyze and evaluate how three poems treat similar themes and topics. |
Teaching Techniques and Materials for the Study of Inner Asia: The Peoples of the Steppe | This packet provides materials for a teacher to introduce students to lesser-taught cultures and histories of Inner Asia |
Immigration- Benefit or Burden | This resource looks at potential positive and negative effects of immigration, specifically between the US, France, and the UK. It asks students to consider the definition of an immigrant, the wide demographics they span, and what they contribute to the countries where they immigrate. Resource includes a lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation. |
Immigration- Benefit or Burden | This resource looks at potential positive and negative effects of immigration, specifically between the US, France, and the UK. It asks students to consider the definition of an immigrant, the wide demographics they span, and what they contribute to the countries where they immigrate. Resource includes a lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation. |
Immigration- Benefit or Burden | This resource looks at potential positive and negative effects of immigration, specifically between the US, France, and the UK. It asks students to consider the definition of an immigrant, the wide demographics they span, and what they contribute to the countries where they immigrate. Resource includes a lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation. |
Hurricanes in Europe? | This lesson plan discusses severe weather patterns, specifically hurricanes, around Europe, and teaches students to identify regions where hurricanes are possible from a geographic and scientific perspective. it also demonstrates how governments form responses to severe weather. |
"Hands" by Xiao Hong | "Hands" by Xiao Hong |
Goal! Lesson Plan | Lesson plan based on the book Goal! |
Global Snapshot | Issues Transcending Regional Boundaries in The Middle East including Conflict, Resistance and Resolution, Environment and Sustainability and Trade and Economics to Popular Culture |
Fumer Tue! The Role of a Government in Protecting its Citizens | This high school French-level lesson plan examines smoking in French and American culture, and specifically focuses on government initiatives to inform the public about the dangers of smoking. Through discussions on public health issues, students craft presentations in French to argue on specific, health-focused topics. |
Finnish Easter Branches Craft Activity Pack | Create a traditional Finnish Easter decoration for your home or classroom. |
Finnish Himmeli Decorations Craft Activity Pack | Create a traditional Finnish Christmas decoration for your home or classroom. |
Traditional Felt Patterns of Kyrgyzstan Craft Activity Pack | Create greetings cards, magnets, or wall decorations based on traditional symbols found in the nomadic culture of Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. |
The Energy-Culture Connection | Iceland has achieved global recognition for its sustainability, which is fueled by a combination of government initiatives and cultural values. This lesson examines the scientific, geographic, political, and cultural elements that make up Iceland's extremely "green" climate. |
Emmanuel's Dream | This is a true story picture book of a young man named Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah. He was born in Ghana, West Africa with one deformed leg. Through out his life, people often misjudged or dismissed Emmanuel due to his disability. Emmanuel would hop on one leg everywhere and still play active games, like soccer. One day, Emmanuel decided to share his powerful message with the world through bicycling. He proved to not only his village but also the entire world that “disability is not inability.” Today, he continues to work hard and reach for his dreams. |
"The Diving Pool" by Yoko Ogawa | Sample lesson plan by Kathy McHugh, North Shore Country Day School |
Students will be able to analyze and interpret common ideas on government and human rights that are present in different founding documents in the United States and Iran. | Students will be able to analyze and interpret common ideas on government and human rights that are present in different founding documents in the United States and Iran. |
"Congruent Figures" by Takahashi Takako | Sample lesson plan by Cheryl Cornwell, Arlington Memorial High School |
Celebrations On the Other Side of the World: Childhood Traditions in Central Asia and Mongolia | This lesson plan uses examples from the lives of children in Central Asia and Mongolia to show students how people celebrate important events in other communities. It is aimed at 1st-3rd-grade students who are beginning to learn about the world outside their family home and to make connections between their own and others’ experience. However, we have included material at the end that might be used with older age groups. |
Berlin Wall: The Concrete Canvas | Lessons based on the political and/or social aspects of the Berlin Wall often neglect to address its place in art history. Graffiti and murals are popular genre embraced by today’s student since they are closely related to urban street-art. However, students need to develop an awareness and understanding of graffititype art created by professional artists and its relationship to politics and society. This curricular unit will introduce students to the concept of history through “doing” vs. history through reading only. The rationale for this unit of study is best explained by the following statement found in Gardner’s Art Through the Ages,”…artists have used their art to speak out about pressing social and political issues, sometimes in universal terms and other times with searing specificity.” |
Berlin Wall- The Concrete Canvas | This is a fine arts lesson plan developed for high school students around the graffiti and murals on the Berlin Wall. The lesson discusses the importance of the Berlin Wall murals politically and culturally. |
Teaching "Shi Jin the Nine-Dragoned" from "Water Margin" attributed to Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong | Sample lesson plan by Rebecca Benz, Saint Thomas Academy: Teaching "Shi Jin the Nine-Dragoned" from "Water Margin" attributed to Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong. |
Becoming Global and Staying Local; The Mediterranean from 300-500 CE | It covers the period 300-1500 CE. Among other topics, it emphasizes the transformation of Mediterranean cities, migrations within and beyond the region, and mediterranean trade in the medieval period. |
Modern Science: Investigating the Case of the Aral Sea – 3rd– 4th Grade | Students will learn about inland sea environments and human impacts on them with the Aral Sea as a case study. |
Modern Science: Investigating the Case of the Aral Sea - Kindergarten | Students will learn about how humans impact the environment with the case of the Aral Sea as an example. |
Modern Science: Investigating the Case of the Aral Sea – 1st– 2nd Grade | Students will learn about inland lakes and human impacts on the environment with the Aral Sea as a case study |
Modern Science: Investigating the Case of the Aral Sea – 5th– 6th Grade | Students will learn about environmental science and human impact on lakes with the Aral Sea as a case study |
The Arabs: Activities for the Elementary School Level | This resource contains fun lesson plans and activities for elementary school students to learn about the Middle East. More than just that, it is a resource for multicultural education and conflict resolution. It teaches about Arab people, language, food, culture, art forms, literature and crafts. |
"The Diary of Anne Frank" Student's Program | This booklet is designed as a supplementary resource to the Bloomington Cardinal Stage Company's 2008-'09 production of "The Diary of Anne Frank." The booklet includes information about Anne Frank's life, the play, and the Holocaust. |