Lesson Plan: Maps
OER Project Team
Humans have been making maps for thousands of years. In general, maps have gotten more detailed, more complex, and more precise over time. Today, you can find all sorts of maps, from maps depicting the effects of climate change to a map of a theme pa...
Here be dragons: Teaching world history in maps
OER Project Team
By Bennett Sherry, OER Project Team “A map is the greatest of all epic poems. Its lines and colors show the realization of great dreams.” ...
Feedback during writing: Prioritize and focus!
OER Project Team
By Annette O’BoyceAs you sit down to grade a stack of essays, ever wish you had a few rubber stamps with certain handy phrases on them? “Add more evidence”; “that’s not a complete sentence”; or “cite your so...
The value of writing
OER Project Team
By Trevor Getz, OER Project TeamIt’s inevitable: The world changes. One generation follows another, each with its own technologies and modes of communication. Right now, many of us are thinking about artificial intelligence (AI), and the trans...
Lesson Plan: Writing
OER Project Team
The conversation about using AI in the classroom is evolving. Recognizing that AI has already become commonplace in many classrooms, teachers are exploring ways they can use the technology to help students think critically and creatively. In this les...
Lesson Plan: Claim Testing
OER Project Team
Students interact with a variety of claims every day, from claims their parents and teachers make to claims that they see on social media, in movies, or in the news. And since history is all about making assertions—backed by evidence, of course...
TikTok claim testing—why not!
OER Project Blog
By Bridgette Byrd O’Connor, OER Project TeamIf you happen to have a TikTok account to keep tabs on your kids (I can’t be the only one, right?) or maybe to spend some time zoning out after grading essays, then you may have stumbled upon c...
How can we help students identify disinformation? Teach them claim testing and sourcing skills.
OER Project Blog
By Bridgette Byrd O’Connor
Louisiana, USA
Our students are continuously bombarded with information from a variety of sources that can be contradictory and thus confusing. In addition, they’re exposed to an alarming amount of misinformation and disinformation. How do we help students make sense of it all so that they can make informed decisions about some very serious—and potentially life-changing—issues?…
Scale switching, frames, origin stories: Where do I start?
OER Project Blog
By Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorIt’s that time of year again: the countdown to the final day of school. Maybe you're reading this while helping students wrap up final projects, proctoring exams, or tackling the grading that stands between you ...
Taking a lesson from climate history
OER Project Team
Trevor Getz, OER Project TeamPicture this:You’re a Viking, struggling to eke out a living on the shores of Greenland as a glacier slips closer to your house each year.You’re an Italian musician, and you’re holding one of the fin...
Exciting new updates
OER Project Team
Fellow educators,Having been a part of the OER Project as both a teacher and staff member, I know firsthand how powerful the collaboration between classroom educators and OER Project materials can be for student learning. When I took the helm as dir...
Climate Project: A new path forward in climate education
OER Project Team
By the OER Project TeamClimate change will affect every part of our lives, from health care and food systems to business and governance. An understanding of climate change and how we can respond to it is critical knowledge for the next generation of...
Five takeaways from Climate Project teachers
OER Project Blog
By Molly SinnottWhen you’re looking for a new coffee maker, you look to see what other consumers have said about the product, right? Is it intuitive to use? Is it built to last? And perhaps most importantly, does it make good coffee? So ...
Teaching climate change? Parents and communities support you!
OER Project Blog
By Dr. Deb L. MorrisonDo you want to teach about climate change but worry about how parents may react?You’re not alone.Research tells us that approximately 30% of all teachers are concerned that parents may complain if thei...
How can we help students translate climate change data and evidence into action?
OER Project Blog
By Bridgette Byrd O’ConnorWe live in a world that bombards us with data. News organizations include charts and graphs as evidence to support their arguments. Politicians haul out poster-size charts when they debate bills. You can even si...
Students can build community while fighting climate change
OER Project Blog
By Trevor GetzMy favorite teacher in high school wasn’t actually my teacher. That is to say, when it came time for me to take AP® US history, I was assigned the boring instructor whose students always passed the test, rather than the guita...
Preparing students for climate-focused careers!
OER Project Blog
By Jodi Pincus and Trevor GetzI don’t remember learning much about different occupations in high school. I also don’t remember learning career-readiness skills like résumé writing, job-hunting, or interview techniques. Mayb...
Climate optimism: A key to confronting climate change?
OER Project Team
By Trevor Getz, OER Project TeamSan Francisco, USAWe’re publishing this blog as part of an exciting announcement: a fully remodeled Climate Project is coming your way this April! We’re previewing the launch with a sneak peek at some of o...
The Cold War ended in 1991…right?
OER Project Team
By Bennett Sherry and Trevor Getz,OER Project TeamThe United States funds proxy wars against authoritarian and communist regimes. A Russian leader threatens nuclear retaliation. The US, Russia, and China build elaborate alliance systems agains...
Top 5 things to keep in mind when curating supplementary curricular materials
OER Project Team
By Rachel Phillips,Senior Measurement & Learning Lead, OER ProjectResearch indicates that teachers are supplementing their primary curricula more than ever before. Eager to understand this growing trend in the profession, OER Project commi...
"Nevertheless, she persisted”: A celebration of women’s history
OER Project Blog
By Bridgette Byrd O’Connor, OER Project Team
Louisiana, USA
Since 1987, March has been celebrated as National Women’s History Month. In recognition, OER Project’s new Women in History: Political and Scientific Achievements hub page brings together a strong collection of lessons with articles, videos, and activities to inspire your students. But women’s history wasn’t always as widely recognized as it…
History Stories and Comics
OER Project Team
By Rachel PhillipsSenior Measurement & Learning Lead, OER ProjectIntroductionNarratives are the heart of history. They are critical for history education because stories are one of the most powerful ways people learn. Stories build connections ...
Graphic biographies: Bringing Black individuals into the world history classroom
OER Project Blog
By Trevor Getz, OER Project Team
San Francisco, USA
This is the final in a three-part series on the use of comics in the social studies classroom, focusing largely on Black creators and subjects, both in recognition of Black History Month and also to acknowledge the importance of celebrating diverse voices year-round.Originally published in February 2021, we think it makes for a great introduction to the genre. Click …
How I learned to stop worrying and love nonfiction comics, and why you should too
OER Project Blog
By Trevor Getz, OER Project Team
San Francisco, USA
This is the second in a three-part series on the use of comics in the social studies classroom, focusing largely on Black creators and subjects, both in recognition of Black History Month and also to acknowledge the importance of celebrating diverse voices year-round.Originally published in February 2021, we think it makes for a great introduction to the genre.Click …
A serious history of Black comics creators
OER Project Blog
By Trevor Getz, OER Project Team
San Francisco, USA
This is the first in a three-part series on the use of comics in the social studies classroom, focusing largely on Black creators and subjects, both in recognition of Black History Month and also to acknowledge the importance of celebrating diverse voices year-round.Originally published in February 2021, we think it makes for a great introduction to the genre.Click h…
