Junior Scholastic Teaching Kits

Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets, courtesy of Junior Scholastic, the middle school Social Studies classroom magazine.

Real Teens of History

These inspiring teens fought for what they believed in—and made history in the process.

Featured Teaching Kits

Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets for teaching about real teens who changed the world throughout history, courtesy of Junior Scholastic, the middle school Social Studies classroom magazine

Mary Beth Tinker Fought for Free Speech

While the Vietnam War raged, many teenagers in America struggled with reports of the violence. One 13-year-old named Mary Beth Tinker decided to do something about it. Her fight for the right to express her views took her all the way to the Supreme Court.

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Answer multiple-choice questions about the article.
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Tinker v. Des Moines
Analyze a primary source.
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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom
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How Barbara Johns Helped End Segregation

In 1951, there were 21 American states that required black students and white students to attend separate schools. A young African American girl named Barbara Johns knew this wasn't right—and that she had to do something about it. Her bravery led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling that changed the nation forever. 

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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom
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Camella Teoli and the Fight for Workers’ Rights

In the early 20th century, young children across the country were toiling away at dangerous jobs in factories and mills. After suffering a terrible injury on the job, one courageous 12-year-old girl helped change the lives of thousands of American workers.

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"Some Horses Live Better Than We Do"
Answer questions about a primary source.
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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom
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Adolfo Kaminsky, A Hero of the Holocaust

Not all the heroes of World War II were soldiers. Find out how a shy Jewish teenager in France risked his life to help thousands of victims escape the Nazis by forging documents.

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Answer multiple-choice questions about the article.
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Know the News
Answer multiple-choice questions about the article.
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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom
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Lesson Plan
A step-by-step guide to teaching this article in your classroom
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Quotes
 

Famous quotes from real teens throughout history

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” 

— Anne Frank

“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”

— Malala Yousafzai

“Access to communication in the widest sense is access to knowledge”

— Louis Braille

“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.”

— Joan of Arc

Key Figures
 

Four teens who made an impact on the world

Louis Braille

A blind French educator born in 1809, who, as a teenager, invented the Braille system of printing and writing for the blind.

Anne Frank

A Jewish teenager whose diary provides a unique and personal account of Nazi Germany's persecution of the Jews during World War II.

King Tutankhamen

An Egyptian pharaoh who ruled from age 9 to 19 between the years 1332–1323 B.C. He is one of the most famous Egyptian kings because his tomb was the richest of the few royal burial chambers that survived comparatively intact.  

Malala Yousafzai

An advocate of female education in Pakistan and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history.

Glossary

Terms and definitions that pertain to real teens of history

 

activist

noun

a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change

boycott

verb

to refuse, as an act of protest, to participate in a certain event or buy particular products

strike

noun

an organized effort by employees who refuse to work until certain conditions are met by their employer

protest

verb

to express an objection against an idea, an act, or a way of doing things

segregation

noun

the separation of people by race, ethnic group, gender, or class

sit-in

noun

a protest in which people seat themselves somewhere and refuse to move until their demands are met

Explore Other Topics

Discover other free social studies topics and middle school teaching resources.

The Roles of the Presidency

From Commander-in-Chief to Chief-of-State, the President has many critical roles.

The Roles of the Presidency

From Commander-in-Chief to Chief-of-State, the President has many critical roles.

The United States Constitution

The United States Constitution

Ancient Civilizations

An overview of humanity’s first large societies: how they formed, who ruled them, and how they influenced the world today.

Ancient Civilizations

An overview of humanity’s first large societies: how they formed, who ruled them, and how they influenced the world today.

The Civil Rights Movement

TKTKTK

The Civil Rights Movement

TKTKTK

Women’s History: The Struggle for Equality

Learn about important women throughout history—including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth—and the progress that’s been made in the fight for gender equality.  

Women’s History: The Struggle for Equality

Learn about important women throughout history—including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth—and the progress that’s been made in the fight for gender equality.  

The History and Heroes of World War II

An overview of World War II: why the U.S. got involved, what citizens did to fight back, and how people worldwide were affected

The History and Heroes of World War II

An overview of World War II: why the U.S. got involved, what citizens did to fight back, and how people worldwide were affected

Social Studies Debate Kit

Teaching the art of debating—and how to write an effective argument essay—can help students master critical-thinking and communication skills.

Social Studies Debate Kit

Teaching the art of debating—and how to write an effective argument essay—can help students master critical-thinking and communication skills.

Mastering Media Literacy and Digital Literacy

In an increasingly digital world, being able to navigate technology skillfully and evaluate online resources for accuracy and trustworthiness is crucial.

Mastering Media Literacy and Digital Literacy

In an increasingly digital world, being able to navigate technology skillfully and evaluate online resources for accuracy and trustworthiness is crucial.

Map Skills

Teaching map skills can build students’ geography knowledge—and enhance their understanding of the world in which they live.

Map Skills

Teaching map skills can build students’ geography knowledge—and enhance their understanding of the world in which they live.

Middle School Civics

An overview of civics: what it means to be a good citizen, how democracy works, and why staying informed and engaged matters—even as kids.

Middle School Civics

An overview of civics: what it means to be a good citizen, how democracy works, and why staying informed and engaged matters—even as kids.

The Civil War and Reconstruction

Use these features and supporting resources to give students deeper as well as broader knowledge of these key periods in U.S. history.

The Civil War and Reconstruction

Use these features and supporting resources to give students deeper as well as broader knowledge of these key periods in U.S. history.

Immigration

The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, built by people who left their homes to seek new lives and opportunities. However, Americans' feelings about immigrants are mixed.

Immigration

The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, built by people who left their homes to seek new lives and opportunities. However, Americans' feelings about immigrants are mixed.

James D. Morgan/Getty Images for The Growth Faculty (Top Malala Yousafzai); Bettmann/Getty Images (free speech teens); Rudolph Faircloth/AP Images (classroom), Gluekit (photo colorization); Illustration by Allan Davey (child worker); Courtesy Sarah Kaminsky (forging materials); Anne Frank Fonds Basel/Getty Images (Anne Frank); ullstein bild via Getty Images (Louis Braille); DEA/G. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images (King Tut); Richard Stonehouse/Getty Images (Bottom Malala Yousafzai)