Curated OER
The Progressive Era in Illinois
High schoolers collect photographs on the Progressive Era in Illinois, then write three newspaper articles, using one photo per article. The article will highlight an event in Illinois during the Progressive Era. The newspaper must also...
Curated OER
Stampin' Around Chicago
Students discuss the United States Postal Service and choose an artifact from one decade. In this art lesson, students research how the artifact chosen relates to Chicago and the United States. Students create their own postage stamp...
Curated OER
Moving Objects
Students discover the history of the United States by examining the Great Migration. In this U.S. History lesson, students research the immigration movement on the Internet and complete a worksheet about the large population shift. ...
Curated OER
The ABC's of Artifacts
Students create their own ABC book about artifacts. In this artifact lesson, students read ABC History Mystery and review the artifacts pictured in the book. They create their own ABC book with each student working on a letter.
Curated OER
School Museum
Fourth graders research individuals who contributed to the history of Illinois, and what school was like at that time. They compare schools of various times.
Curated OER
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Fourth graders explore the influence of Abraham Lincoln on events of the 1800's and crate a group life-size poster.
Smithsonian Institution
Conflicting Voices of the Mexican War
Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...
Curated OER
History Detective: The Case of the Mysterious Trunk
Students role play as history detectives. In this historical inquiry lesson, students discuss what detectives do, analyze a trunk of "artifacts" and make conclusions about its fictional owner. Students complete six pages of related art,...
Curated OER
"I've Been Working on the Railroad" - Federal Land Grants and the Construction of the Illinois Central Railroad in Mid-nineteenth Century Illinois
Eleventh graders, in groups, design a self-sufficient community. Groups present the communities they've designed. They compare and contrast the communities presented. They research the theories of Johann Heinrich von Thunen online and...
Curated OER
Choosing the Lincoln Statue
Fourth graders research photographs or artwork depicting Abraham Lincoln during the time when he was traveling the 8th Judicial Circuit and practicing law in Champaign County. They develop a Powerpoint presentation of the results of the...
Curated OER
Connecting Past and Present...Virtues of Military Veterans
Middle schoolers explore personalities of those who served as medical personnel in American Civil War, compare qualities those troops possessed to qualities shown by troops currently serving in Armed Forces, and express appreciation to...
Curated OER
Show Me a Flowerpot
Students compare and contrast handmade and machine-made products in a study about the evolution of production processes in American history. In this production history instructional activity, students explore a flowerpot in depth....
Curated OER
Traveler's Trunk
Students analyze and interpret artifacts from the 1920s and explore the Great Migration. In this 1920s history lesson, students review background information about the Great Migration and use artifacts to study history of Chicago....
Curated OER
A Toast To The Past
Young scholars analyze, and research the identity of the non electric toaster as a historical artifact. In this toaster lesson plan, students then create a visual timeline of toaster history.
Curated OER
Malcolm X and Race Relations
Students read sections of Malcolm X's autobiography. In groups, they create a poster which highlights the events in his life and explains his philosophy on race relations. They present their poster to the class and answer any questions...
Curated OER
Urban Treasure Hunt
Fourth graders use clues, and a photo, to find the location of a building in Illinois. They then take a present picture and create a powerpoint presentation to compare past and present features
Curated OER
Body Building
Students determine whether ancient Egyptian drawing was proportional and in perspective by comparing ancient Egyptian drawings, a mummy's x-ray, and contemporary photographs of people.
Curated OER
Before Dred Scott: Freedom Suits in Antebellum Missouri
Students examine and analyze original documents that enhance understanding of antebellum slavery in Missouri and a particular method of gaining freedom: the freedom suit.
Curated OER
Discovering Details: Shoebox Designs
Students investigate architectural art by creating an interior design for a box. In this art design lesson, students analyze modern artifacts such as doorknobs, brackets and mailboxes by using a Venn diagram to identify similarities and...
Curated OER
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Students investigate the community in which Lincoln and his family lived and explore how the citizens felt about him. The national issues that inspired Lincoln to act decisively in politics and that propelled him to the White House are...
Curated OER
The Khmer Rouge
Students examine life in Cambodia and Vietnam from 1975-1979, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. They discuss how an otherwise peaceful society could allow such events to take place and write a short paper and complete a culminating project.
Curated OER
"L" Stands for Elevated
Students play a trivia game to learn more about the Chicago public transportation system. For this transportation lesson plan, students also create an "L" car, and write advertising slogans for Chicago's elevated trains.
Curated OER
Back to the Future
Students imagine what it would be like to travel back in time. In this creative writing lesson, students watch parts of the film Back to the Future and examine artifacts from the past. Students write a short story in which they travel...
Curated OER
The Art of Construction
Learners research the architecture. in this architecture lesson plan, students examine buildings from the point of view of the architect or builder. They draw their own building and have a classmate build it.