In my classroom, extending student thinking beyond surface-level understanding is always a priority, and one concept that invites deeper exploration is authority. 

In this post, I’m excited to share some resources I’ve created that build on an 8th grade social studies unit about the Enlightenment. Through this unit, students analyzed how medieval European society began to challenge the authority of two powerful institutions: the Catholic Church and the monarchy. The resources I created encourage students to critically engage with the historical struggle against authority and to make connections to authority structures in today’s world.

Here are links to the resource docs:

Protesting Authority

The Man-Child: Protesting Adulthood

Psychology of Authority

Technology & Authority

while these four resources do not directly align with specific social studies standards, they offer a fresh and engaging approach to examining authority from various perspectives. Whether exploring the act of protesting, the rebellion against adulthood through the lens of the “man-child,” the psychology of authority, or the influence of technology on power structures, each resource provides students with thought-provoking content. 

The embedded videos, articles, and online resources, paired with carefully designed questions, invite students to extend their thinking on authority and its relevance today. These materials offer valuable opportunities to spark deeper inquiry and can serve as effective springboards for broader discussions or further exploration.

Ed X!