Performed with over two million other Muslims, the rites of Hajj, the required pilgrimage to Mecca, have a profound personal impact on each pilgrim. In this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, a Muslim from America experiences Hajj for the first time.

Students learn about an American Muslim's impressions of his first pilgrimage to Mecca in this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly.

A dining hall at Dartmouth College accommodates the religious dietary requirements of Muslims, Jews and Hindus as explained in this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly.

This video segment, adapted from NOVA, explores reasons why Homo sapiens had an advantage over Neanderthals in the pursuit of territory and natural resources.

In this video segment adapted from NOVA: Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial, learn how modern genetics and molecular biology offer compelling support for evolution. The video features an interview with biologist Ken Miller.

Almost everywhere on the world, international migration is a hot topic. Most of the time the debate about migration is fierce and charged with prejudices and fears. At the political level, this has far-reaching consequences, ranging from electoral victories of populist right-wing parties to the increasing isolation policy of Europe and the United States. But what exactly is migration? What are its causes? And what are problems and opportunities?

Members of the Islamic Center of Washington, DC discuss the religious and spiritual significance of Ramadan and the celebration that concludes it, Eid al-Fitr, in this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly.

This Evolution video segment describes how the famous track fossils known as the Laetoli footprints might have been formed and what they can reveal about the creatures who left them.

This inquiry takes students through an analysis and evaluation of the Compelling Question “Is protest important in a democracy?” using the Vietnam War as a lens to approach the topic. To accomplish this, students will become more media literate through evaluating sources, biases, perspectives, and the goals of creating media. Throughout the inquiry, students will engage in activities designed to promote and develop media literacy while analzying the Compelling Question and learning about the historical protests of the Vietnam Era.This inquiry is expected to take two weeks (10 periods) to complete: one 45-minute class period to stage the question, introduce the inquiry, and to review media literacy; two 45-minute class periods for each of the three supporting questions; and then three 45-minute class periods for students to write and research their argumentative thesis. If students are as of yet less familiar with media literacy, the instructor should add at least another class period, or more, introducing them more fully to this.The full unit, along with all materials and resources, is available as a PDF attachment.

The Indian Act, passed by the federal government in 1876 and still in force today, is the most significant piece of legislation impacting First Nations. The Act is just one of the methods the government used to assimilate First Nations. Note: The term "Indian" is an outdated term and is no longer appropriate to use today. The term is used in this section when referring to the Indian Act and its terms, and when quoting an Indigenous person who has chosen to use this term.

This is part of the Maamwi Hub's Discover Section, where you can find information and resources on Indigenous Peoples’ history, cultures, and perspectives, with a focus on the territory currently referred to as Ontario. Explore the entire Maamwi Hub by visiting the Provider Set linked below.

This video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly gives a primer on the history and evolution of madrasahs, institutes of higher learning in Islamic studies.

In this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, learn about the daily prayer rituals of the Muslim faith and their significance in the life of a Muslim living in America.

This online database of our North American Ethnographic collection includes artifacts from every Native American cultural region in North America, from Achomawi and Acoma to Zia and Zuni. The database allows you to see all artifacts for a specific culture, search by object type, material, locale, and donor, find out what items are currently on display and learn about recently acquired artifacts. There are two ways to search the collection as a picture-only gallery, or as a catalog that describes each artifact's provenance (country, locale, culture), materials, dimensions, and year of acquisition.

This video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly shows the daily activities of two young American Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan.

The sighting of a new moon determines the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In this video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, follow the process of sighting a new moon for American Muslims.

In this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, an American Muslim family observes Ramadan, the month in which Muslims fast daily from sunrise to sunset in order to demonstrate piety and develop self-restraint.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The abundant vegetation in forested areas can obstruct the view of potential food sources giving animals that can locate food with senses other than sight an advantage. While researchers hypothesize that fruit aromas evolved to attract primates to effectively disperse the seeds they contain, it’s unclear whether primates can use odor cues to locate fruit outside of their visual range. A recent study tested whether ring-tailed lemurs could detect distant hidden fruit by scent alone. The researchers hid containers holding real and imitation cantaloupe 4-17 m away from a trail routinely used by lemurs. They found that the lemurs were able to locate the real cantaloupe when the wind blew its scent toward the trail but were unable to find the imitation cantaloupe. The lemurs also showed behaviors indicating that they were following the cantaloupe “odor plume..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Director of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), Dr. Patricia Samford, presents and demonstrates an activity for students to learn about archaeobotany, or the study of botanical finds in archaeological contexts. Using tweezers and magnifying glasses, students search for seeds mixed in sand or gravel, and use a type collection to identify their finds. What do the finds say about the archaeological environment and uses of plants at a site? Search OER Commons for "Search for Seeds - Resources" for related seed id cards and a type collection for the activity. Use to support Maryland/NGSS for Grades K and 2, or Maryland Social Studies Framework for Grade 1. For K-ESS2-2, have students perform the activity then discuss what the seeds tell them about people who would have used the plants and seeds or write a short vignette about the people at this site using the seeds and their uses as evidence. For Grade 1 Content Topic "Life in the Past," have students perform the activity and similar discussion, then compare those plants and their uses to their uses today or plants that have replaced them. For 2-LS2-1, have students perform the activity along with the planting extension. Students can plant multiples of each type of seed and try growing them in conditions with different light; students can also note how much water they give the seeds. Once sprouted, have students record and discuss their findings as to which did better with more/less sunlight/water. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey at bit.ly/3Ep57BP

This content includes resources related to the "Search for Seeds - Archaeobotany Activity" available here on OER Commons. In it, Director of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), Dr. Patricia Samford, presents and demonstrates an activity for students to learn about archaeobotany, or the study of botanical finds in archaeological contexts. Using tweezers and magnifying glasses, students search for seeds mixed in sand or gravel, and use a type collection to identify their finds. What do the finds say about the archaeological environment and uses of plants at a site? 

Nichole Doub, Head Conservator, and Alice Merkel, Collections Assistant, at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, walk through the use of silica gel in buffered microenvironments and the process of regenerating used gel. NOTE: Sound quality is lower than normal--captions have been provided. Additional references can be found online with CCI's Technical Bulletin 33 and Steve Weintraub's "Demystifying Silica Gel." The Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab) standards and guidelines for preparing artifact collections and their associated records, for permanent curation at the lab can be found at https://jefpat.maryland.gov/Documents/mac-lab/technical-update-no1-collections-and-conservation-standards.pdf

The MAC Lab is a state-of-the-art archaeological research, conservation, and curation facility located at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, the State Museum of Archaeology. The MAC Lab serves as the primary repository for archaeological collections recovered from land-based and underwater projects conducted by state and federal agencies throughout Maryland.

This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question!) survey at bit.ly/329QvZ5