Smithsonian Education presents a lesson covering the WWII's propaganda program which enforced the ideals of Civic Responsibility. Provides eight pages of poster examples, detailed background over the time period, and the goals of the government. Lesson plan provided with four strategies to use for assessment, leading questions, and KWL chart to use in the classroom. Students are asked to determine the main and supporting ideas of the posters, write topic sentences, and compare their interpretations. In Strategy 3, they are asked to summarize the main and supporting ideas of the posters.

From the Smithsonian, this site offers lessons and resources on currency, its use (in the form of gold dust, salt, or metal objects) as an instrument of trade in historic Africa, and its requirements as an instrument of trade in the classroom.

Pigs, rice, nuts, teeth, eggs, feathers - these are all types of currency! This lesson discusses different types of objects that can be used as currency and students will decide what qualities make an effective currency. Included are examples of currency from Conga and worksheets. Students will design their own currency to complete the lesson.

A lesson on the system of currency used by the Akan people of Ghana and how it compares to systems used today.

The Smithsonian provides a guide that classrooms can use to explore the environment in their own backyard. For example, a second-grade class in Colorado interviewed people in their community to inquire about the state of the local environment. They found out that there was a problem with the exploding population of deer. This guide can be used to explore ways in which students can become actively involved in the local community and solve environmental issues.

Students will compare and contrast different methods of attaining the everyday items they need. Using the Akan people of Africa as an example of bartering, students will understand three different ways of paying for goods. Discussion questions and an activity are included.