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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orphan Trains

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use readings and discussion to investigate the 19th century practice of Orphan Trains - sending U.S. urban orphans from the East to the Midwest in hopes of procuring them a home. They focus on the concept of social trade-offs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil Service Reform: Campaign Contributions

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders discuss the 19th-century spoils system. They discuss the 1990s licenses for bribes campaign contribution scandal that occurred under George Ryan's (Illinois's then-Secretary of State) tenure. .
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Joe: Outlaw or Hero?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners read a narrative about a 19th century fugitive slave named Forest Joe. They research the legend of Forest Joe and compare it to Robin Hood and other similar legends from various ethnic groups.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transportation and African-American Migration

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explore the means of transportation available in the 19th century and its role as both facilitator and enabler of the westward expansion. They create a project board illustrating their findings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

People, Goods, and Railroads

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compare population distribution and density railroad network in 1878, identify areas of expanding population density, and evaluate geographical and economic factors that influenced railroad expansion in late 19th century United...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keeping the Pioneers Warm

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are introduced to some of the history and background of the art of quilt making by 19th century pioneer women. They use tagboard shapes to design, construct and display quilt squares.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Westward Expansion and American Indians

For Students 8th - 12th
In this 19th century U.S. history worksheet, students read articles about Westward Expansion and the American Indians. Students then respond to 19 short answer questions regarding the articles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keeping Us in Stitches Activity: Whole Cloth Quilt Design

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine how decorative motifs are adapted to other types of objects by craftsmen and artists. They examine photos on the Illinois State Museum website, discuss design elements, adapt a motif to a line drawing, and transfer a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ship of Gold

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students research the events that were taking place in the U.S. during the time period when the SS Central America sank, and explore the adventurous, innovative, and individualistic traits that often define the American spirit.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Territorial Expansion

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders brainstorm a list of characteristics of adolescence. They use selected websites and draw a parallel between the characteristics of adolescence and the characterisitcs of Romanticism, as seen in visual art and literature.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sojourner Truth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research Sojourner Truth. In this African-American history lesson, students read the speech "Ain't I A Woman?" and brainstorm descriptive words that describe Sojourner Truth. Students discuss why her acts were considered...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Neighborhood or Slum? Snapshots of Five Points: 1827-1867

For Teachers 9th - 11th
How has your local neighborhood changed throughout recent history? Young researchers evaluate census data, images, and primary source descriptions describing the living situation in the antebellum Five Points neighborhood. They consider...
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PPT
Curated OER

How Has Colonialism Led to Multilingualism in Africa

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Prepare yourself for a top-notch presentation on colonialism in Africa! Discussed are the reasons for African multilingualism. Maps and a country-by-country look at various colonists that made their mark on the African continent are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaching the Gulf Between Cultures

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read excerpts from Jim Toner's memoir Serendib which chronicles his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sri Lanka. They work in small groups to analyze the excerpts and discuss how the author came to terms with Sri Lankan...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: A Compare and Contrast Lesson Plan

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Two great men, one time period, and one purpose; it sounds like a movie trailer, but it's not. It's a very good comparative analysis lesson focused on Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Learners will research and read informational...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction To The European Union

For Teachers 9th - 11th
A lot happened to European economics, policy, and social systems after WWII. This 24 page social studies packet provides images, reading passages, comprehension questions, and critical thinking questions regarding all things Europe from...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Church and State

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Discuss the separation of church and state as it relates to government entities. This is a great way to launch a discussion on the relationship between these groups. Learners analyze this relationship in governments throughout the world,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Presidential Portrait: Andrew Jackson

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the role of intended meaning in Ralph Earl's portrait of Andrew Jackson. They, in groups, research periods in Jackson's life and use gathered information to create their own portraits of Jackson.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading Pictures, Seeing Poetry

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine the painting, The Combat of the Giaour and Hassan based on a poem by Lord Byron. They compare how Romantic artists and writers made choices about visual elements and language to depict their subjects.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taming the Frontier

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine paintings by Thomas Cole and Jasper Francis Cropsey as windows into American frontier life. They consider the pioneer's relationship with nature and the role of Native Americans in the pioneer's lives and settlements.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whitewater Canal State Historic Site

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
If you happen to live in Indiana, or a neighboring state, and are planning a field trip to the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site, then this lesson plan will suit your needs quite well. In it, suggestions for activities before, during,...
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Unit Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

American Literary Humor: Mark Twain, George Harris, and Nathaniel Hawthorne

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Nathaniel Hawthorne as a humorist? Really? The three lessons in this series focus on the the storytelling style, conventions, and literary techniques employed by Hawthorne, George Washington Harris, and Mark Twain. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Look Through My Antonia's Eyes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Thoroughly delve into My Antonia by Willa Cather with a plethora of activities. Engage scholars with videos and web sites in this week-long unit that explains the historical context and creates pioneers in the field of research. An...
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PPT
Curated OER

Introduction to the Romantic Age of English Literature

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Introduce your class to the elements of Romanticism with these slides. The foundations of the movement, the roles of imagination and nature, and the value of art are all highlighted. Features of Romanticism are explained such as...

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