About Learning Center
The Learning Center offers guided lessons, interactive tools and collaborative activities for learners from middle school to undergraduate university. Many lessons support US Common Core State Standards academic standards, and all use articles published in AramcoWorld.
What's inside
On this page you will find more than 40 distinct lessons. In both online and PDF formats, each one uses an AramcoWorld article for a universal learning theme that also meets Common Core State Standards. And of course we warmly encourage creative adaptations. You can also find more than 50 others, published 2006-2015, by browsing our archive.
Shared educational philosophy
We believe that students exhibit different learning styles that need to be recognized and given opportunities to develop and mature. We also feel that students need to develop strong writing and thinking skills, including the ability to ask and answer questions using tools from a variety of disciplines. Building on these core values, we develop educational materials that aim to engage and reward.
Overview
We have designed the Learning Center for educators and students mainly at secondary and tertiary levels. Many lessons can be adapted also for younger students as well as independent and home learning.
On this page you will find more than 40 lessons, and more than 50 others can be found in back issues from 2006 to 2015, available on our archive website. Look for them in each issue under the name “Classroom Guide,” which became the Learning Center in 2020.
Each lesson in the Learning Center emphasizes a universal learning theme based on an AramcoWorld article. No other reference or preparation materials are required, and we warmly encourage your own creative adaptations to meet your own educational goals.
Common Core State Standards
Lessons in the Learning Center support one or more US Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for grades 9 to 12. Through focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis and other skills, CCSS helps ensure that learners are prepared for college courses and entry-level careers.
Learning Center lessons focus on guidelines within seven CCSS anchor standards.
A detailed list of all CCSS guidelines incorporated in Learning Center lessons is available here.
About the authors:
Julie Weiss has written AramcoWorld’s “Classroom Guide” since its launch in 2006, and she has been developing social studies, English Language Arts, and ELL curricula for more than 25 years. She has written educational materials for PBS, Newsweek, Teaching Tolerance, and the California Education and the Environment Initiative, among many others. She believes that learning how to ask and answer questions is at the heart of education, and that in an information-saturated world, the ability to critically evaluate information sources is essential for students to grow to become responsible decision-makers.
Greg Timmons has taught social studies for more than 30 years at both middle and high school levels. He has written educational materials for Biography.com, Colonial Williamsburg, History.com, PBS, Scholastic, Social Studies School Service, and he has served as a consultant for several leading education groups. He believes that students exhibit different learning styles that need to be recognized and given opportunities to develop and mature, and he feels strongly about the power of thinking and writing skills for the success of students in all subject areas.