North America generates some of the most high-profile current events in the world — and some of the most pedagogically complex to teach well. This collection draws on cases from the United States and Canada, including federal governance, Indigenous rights, trade relationships, and social policy debates, always framing regional events within broader global concepts so students build analytical skills that transfer well beyond the continent.
North America Lesson Plans:
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2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey Lesson Plan
A tense NATO summit in Ankara puts one question in sharp focus: what holds a military alliance together when its most powerful member publicly doubts…
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World Cup: USA’s Balogun has Suspension Lifted Lesson Plan
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…
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Iran War Deal in Jeopardy Lesson Plan
A ceasefire deal was signed, then the two sides sat down to negotiate peace while openly threatening each other with force, and disagreed over whether…
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Iran War Deal – June 2026 Lesson Plan
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…
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Comparing Independence Movements Lesson Plan
Four regions, one question: who gets to decide whether part of a country can leave? Students examine Scotland, Catalonia, Quebec, and Alberta to understand why…
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World Cup 2026 Lesson Plan
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…
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Underwater Drone Development Lesson Plan
Australia, the UK, and the US have agreed to jointly develop underwater drone technology through AUKUS. What drives countries to cooperate on security? …and what…
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USAID Cuts Lesson Plan
When the world’s largest foreign aid donor shut down its aid agency, millions of people felt the consequences almost immediately. This lesson examines why it…
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Canada Pipeline Debate 2026 Lesson Plan
When environmental and economic security collide, whose definition wins? This lesson uses Canada’s 2026 pipeline debates (Coastal GasLink, the Alberta-BC crude pipeline, and the Bridger…
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Hantavirus Outbreak Lesson Plan
How can a disease outbreak shows us the strengths and limitations of international cooperation and international organizations like the WHO? This differentiated lesson for Grades…
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2026 Global Energy Crisis Lesson Plan
The Philippines: +72.6%. Japan: +8.2%. Same crisis, same global oil market, but very different consequences. This no-prep lesson uses the 2026 Hormuz crisis to explore…
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Anthropic’s Mythos AI Lesson Plan
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…
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‘Lost Canadians’ Citizenship Law Lesson Plan
A new Canadian law has made millions of Americans eligible for citizenship by descent and thousands are already applying. This ready-to-teach lesson unpacks the “Lost…
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Artemis Space Program Lesson Plan
Who goes to the Moon, and who makes the rules when they get there? This lesson uses the Artemis II launch to explore nationalism, sovereignty,…
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Elbows Up, Canada Lesson Plan
When the U.S. threatened tariffs and annexation in 2025, Canadians responded with rallies, boycotts, and a hockey phrase that went global. Explore nationalism and sovereignty…
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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…