The Problem: When evidence is attractively presented, convincingly stated, or aligns with our beliefs, it can be tempting to accept it without stopping to ask whether the evidence comes from a trustworthy source or directly supports the claims being made. When evidence takes the form of statistics or infographics, it can be particularly tempting to accept it without fully evaluating it.
This lesson gives students a chance to practice evaluating evidence based on its reliability and relevance. Students work in groups to evaluate several examples of online evidence and engage in class discussions about the strength of the evidence.

Note: Civic Online Reasoning is motivated by three driving questions: Who's behind the information, What's the evidence and What do other sources say? This lesson is an introduction to one of the main concepts. Registration is required and free.

The Problem: Wikipedia contains a vast supply of information and is the 5th most trafficked website in the world. Still, many teachers advise students against using it. If students learn to use Wikipedia wisely, it can be a powerful resource for lateral reading, verifying claims, and a starting point for research.

This lesson introduces students to Wikipedia’s standard of verifiability, which requires article authors to provide reliable citations to support claims they make. By following these citations, students can verify the claims in Wikipedia and locate a variety of reliable resources. Students practice verifying claims on Wikipedia by following its citations.

Note: Civic Online Reasoning is motivated by three driving questions: Who's behind the information, What's the evidence and What do other sources say? This lesson is an introduction to one of the main concepts. Registration is required and free.

Use this module to help students learn about being and engaged citizen. Evaluate the obligations citizens have to obey laws, pay taxes, defend the nation, and service on juries. Experience the responsibilities of citizens at the local, state, or federal levels. Conduct a service project to further the public good. This teaching module comes with lesson plans, readings, student guides and handouts, practice, games, a review, a gallery walk, and an opportunity for student simulation/engagement.

This is a video learning module that teaches about citizenship and the 14th amendment. The module goals are: define citizenship as stated in the Fourteenth Amendment, describe the process of becoming a naturalized citizen, and to evaluate the impact of the naturalization process on society, government or the political process.

A teaching module designed to have students learn about the Bill of Rights and other amendments and evaluate rights contained in the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution. Use video resources, readings, student practice scenarios, and quizzes to help students learn about protected rights and violations through the examination of the Bill of Rights & other amendments.

Assessment example for a student essay on how a bill becomes a law. Aligned to a standards-based grading framework and political science standard 3: Analyze and evaluate the powers and purposes of political and civic institutions.

This quiz assesses what students have learned about classification and taxonomy. It includes a dichotomous key to complete and extra credit options.

This lesson introduces students to the concepts of climate change and how cars can contribute to climate change. Students learn the basics of the greenhouse effect and the carbon cycle. They also learn how transportation affects our atmosphere. Students work together to understand how various forms of transportation have costs and benefits, and which modes of transportation are better for the environment.

ClimateSim is a fast and simple climate modeling and simulation tool. It is a web app that is freely available to anyone interested in climate science. ClimateSim allows users to model scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions in the current century and simulates the first-order response of the earth system. ClimateSim makes climate simulation accessible in a simplified form and provides an easy-to-use simulation platform for performing virtual climate experiments. ClimateSim is primarily targeted as a science education tool for undergraduate and advanced high-school students in physics, environmental science and related courses. Instructors can use ClimateSim to illustrate climate-change concepts, demonstrate dynamic relationships between climate variables, and assign simulation-based exercises as part of their courses. It is also an appropriate and accessible tool that policymakers, journalists and others can use to get a better understanding and working knowledge of the basics of climate science.

Students will study how temp and concentration affect reaction rates and then design a procedure to get the reaction to occur in a specified amount of time.

In this scenario-based, problem-based learning (PBL) activity, students investigate cloud formation, cloud classification, and the role of clouds in heating and cooling the Earth; how to interpret TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) images and data; and the role clouds play in the Earth’s radiant budget and climate. Students assume the role of weather interns in a state climatology office and assist a frustrated student in a homework assignment. Learning is supported by a cloud in a bottle and an ice-albedo demonstration, a three-day cloud monitoring outdoor activity, and student journal assignments. The hands-on activities require two 2-liter soda bottles, an infrared heat lamp, and two thermometers. The resource includes a teacher's guide, questions and answer key, assessment rubric, glossary, and an appendix with information supporting PBL in the classroom.

This field study introduction to biology helps students answer the questions "What is biology" while looking at the biology that can be found in everyday surroundings.

This course is designed to equip you with the tools to succeed during your college career. Simply attending school for many years is no guarantee that you have a clear understanding of the specific strategies needed to get what you want out of college. This course will provide the opportunity for you to learn and practice methods that will assist you in identifying and reaching your academic and career goals.

This is a laboratory exercise designed to allow students to further investigate the light spectrum. This lab is used to have students view the light spectrum first hand as opposed to using lecture alone.

This Fair Use Checklist is helpful tool for determining whether activities are within the limits of fair use. This helpful tool created by Columbia University is applicable for teachers, students, and school librarians.

The PDF download is found on the bottom of the page.

Focus groups can give an opportunity for stakeholders to share specific information and deep insight specific to the objectives and prompts. Developing the right questions is essential in ensuring you have an effective focus group that meets specified goals and objectives. Eight to ten questions is the maximum number of questions for any one group.

Conducting a detailed community needs assessment can help you gain a better understanding of your community, increase community engagement, guide your planning, and help you make a positive impact. This resource is a set of questions that can be posed to a school community to determine the educational needs of a community / town / city.

In this biology inquiry lab, students study evolutionary relationships by making observations of preserved animal specimens, developing a question, then investigating by dissecting the specimens provided.

Students again have a set of fraction cards that they use to compare fractions less than one. There are two sets of cards on set has a visual and the other does not.