Balanced Learning Resources
Lesson Plans

Grades 3-5. This video presents an overview for students of the American Revolution. Students learn about the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party, and why the American colonies wanted independence from Great Britain. The video also introduces students to several key people involved, and how the war ended with the creation of the United States of America.

Grades 6-12. In this engaging lesson, students learn about the major events that pushed the American colonies toward independence from Great Britain. After studying a short timeline, students watch The American Revolution — OverSimplified, Part 1 to understand how British taxes, colonial protest, punishment, and growing conflict led to the Declaration of Independence. Students focus on: Which events most pushed the colonies toward independence, and why?

Grades: 6-12. In this engaging lesson, students learn what happened after the colonies declared independence from Great Britain. Students watch The American Revolution — OverSimplified, Part 2 to explore how the Americans continued fighting despite military defeats, low morale, harsh winters, lack of supplies, and the power of the British military.

Grade 6-12: Students will learn about the life and legacy of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Through two short videos, discussion, and activities, students will explore leadership, nonviolence, and standing up for justice.

Grades 9-12. Students apply 10 objective criteria to analyze a social justice movement that is widely noted for its non‑violent, dignity‑centered tactics: the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia (Nov–Dec 1989). Using short videos and primary‑source snippets, learners test whether the movement’s goals, methods, and outcomes align with genuine social justice for all, or reveal red flags.

Grades 9-12. Students will examine the civil rights movement through two key films: Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and The March (1964), a restored documentary on the March on Washington. After viewing, students will use 10 criteria to evaluate whether the movement meets the standards of a true social justice movement.

Grades 7-8. This lesson uses historical case studies of authoritarian regimes to help students tell the difference between authentic justice movements and propaganda movements that use justice-themed language to hide censorship, control, or oppression. Students will analyze how governments in Soviet Russia, Maoist China, and Communist Cuba used powerful ideas like “equality,” “liberation,” and “protection” — not to empower people — but to brainwash, punish dissent, and silenc

Grades: 8-12. Explore our lesson plan for grades 8-12 on the Russian Revolution. Featuring a concise video, key events, and critical analysis of its social justice impact, this resource includes objectives, discussion questions, and activities to foster critical thinking and empathy.

Grades 9-12. In this lesson, students will explore the contradictions of the American Revolution, particularly regarding slavery and inequality, and how these flaws led to movements for abolition, women’s suffrage, and civil rights.

Grades 6-8. Haym Salomon was a Jewish immigrant, financier, and unsung hero of the American Revolution who played a crucial role in securing funds for the war effort. Born in Poland in 1740, he immigrated to America in 1772 and became a successful merchant and banker.