Lesson Plans by Concept: Power

Power is a central concept in social studies. Who has it, how they got it, how they keep it, and what happens when it is challenged are questions run through every political issue. Lessons in this concept category use current to develop students’ ability to recognize, analyze, and evaluate how power operates at local, national, and global levels.

24 lessons

  • New
    Media & Technology

    Ukraine Data Centre Strikes

    Ukraine's strikes on Russian data centres in October 2026 disrupted Yandex services and coincided with a sharp drop in bot traffic from Yandex's network. In this current events…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 6
  • Democracy & Elections

    Gerrymandering Lesson Plan: Who Should Draw the Lines?

    This gerrymandering lesson plan shows how district lines can decide an election, using maps drawn by both parties and Missouri's 2025 redraw. In this lesson for Grades 6-12,…

    Mini-unit: 2026 US Midterm Elections · Lesson 3
  • Rights & Justice

    White House Press Ban

    A differentiated lesson on what freedom of the press protects, why it matters, and what people can do when they believe it has been violated. This lesson is…

  • Media & Technology

    United Nations Adopts ‘Equal Earth’ World Maps

    On 4 September 2026 the UN General Assembly voted 164-1 to encourage equal-area world maps. This lesson turns that vote into a study of how a cartographic choice…

  • Democracy & Elections

    What are US Midterm Elections?

    Every two years, Americans elect a Congress that can reshape what a president is able to do, but without removing the president. This background lesson explains how that…

    Mini-unit: 2026 US Midterm Elections · Lesson 1
  • Peace & Conflict

    Russian Invasion of Ukraine

    In February 2022, Russia said it had launched a limited operation while analysts saw a bid to seize Kyiv within days. Students weigh Russia's stated aims against its…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 2
  • Economics & Development

    USA – Canada Trade War

    Hours before a midnight tariff deadline, Canada suspended trade negotiations with the United States and 50% tariffs took effect. Both governments blame the other. This lesson uses the…

  • Free lesson
    Media & Technology

    EU Artificial Intelligence Law

    On August 2nd, 2026, the EU began enforcing the world's first binding AI transparency law. This free lesson turns that case into a full class on power and…

  • Rights & Justice

    Dr. Anthony Fauci Congressional Hearing

    A U.S. Senate committee voted to hold a former health official in contempt after he refused to answer questions. Students use the case to ask a bigger civic…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Ukraine’s Military Shakeup

    In one week in July 2026, Ukraine replaced its defence minister, its commander-in-chief and its chief of the General Staff. Ukrainian protesters opposed one of those decisions and…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 5
  • Peace & Conflict

    World Cup: USA’s Balogun has Suspension Lifted

    When the US President phoned FIFA to reverse a player's red card at the 2026 World Cup, sport's promise of neutral, independent rules collided with political power. A…

  • Democracy & Elections

    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Resigns

    In June 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned less than two years after a landslide win and without losing an election. This ready-to-teach lesson uses his fall…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Iran War Deal – June 2026

    A classroom-ready lesson on the 2026 US-Iran deal. Students explore why stopping the fighting is easier than building a lasting peace, weighing six issues that could make or…

  • Peace & Conflict

    World Cup 2026

    This classroom-ready current events lesson using the 2026 FIFA World Cup asks: to what extent are international sporting events political? Includes differentiated readings for Grades 6-12, discussion questions,…

  • Free lesson
    Rights & Justice

    Rodrigo Duterte ICC Trial

    When governments abuse human rights, who stops them? This lesson uses the Duterte drug war case to examine how NGOs and international courts work together, and where each…

  • Rights & Justice

    Indian Census 2027

    India's first census in 16 years includes a controversial first: counting caste. This differentiated lesson explores what governments choose to count, who benefits from that data, and what…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Peru’s Disrupted 2026 Election

    What happens when you can't trust the results of an election, and how can you build that trust back? Peru's 2026 election hit turbulence before a single vote…

  • Media & Technology

    Anthropic’s Mythos AI

    Is AI getting too dangerous? When Anthropic announced in April 2026 that its new AI model, Mythos, was too dangerous to release publicly, it sparked a global debate:…

  • Democracy & Elections

    Hungary Election 2026

    Hungary's 2026 election ended 16 years of Orbán's rule in a historic landslide. Three differentiated readings explore legitimacy, power, sovereignty and what truly makes an election democratic.

  • Economics & Development

    Solar Farming Tractors in Malawi

    A UK university spin-out is bringing solar-powered micro tractors to rural Malawi — doubling crop yields and delivering electricity to communities with almost no grid access. This lesson…

  • Free lesson
    Peace & Conflict

    Iran War Ceasefire

    A two-week ceasefire in the Iran War. One big question: why is stopping a war so much easier than making peace last? Current events lesson in three grade…

  • Rights & Justice

    Kenya Gen-Z Protests

    Kenya's Gen Z protesters defeated a tax bill using TikTok, WhatsApp, and a shared generational identity. Explore civic power, rights, and accountability across three grade bands.

  • Media & Technology

    Social Media Addiction Case

    A landmark trial is underway in Los Angeles. A young woman named Kaley is suing Meta and Google, claiming their platforms — Instagram and YouTube — were deliberately…

  • Peace & Conflict

    The Capture of Nicolas Maduro

    Council on Foreign Relations – Maduro's Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent

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