National Museum of the American Indian
To Honor & Comfort Native Quilting Traditions
"Native American history leaps boldly off the colorful quilts and patchwork designs." Learners discuss Native American identity and symbolism by reading about a variety of Native quilters and their unique art process, and participate in...
University of California
Impact of the California Missions on Native Americans
While the Spanish claimed to bring civilization to California indigenous peoples, in reality, they also brought violence and forced assimilation to European values. Primary sources, such as the reports of Catholic priests and Europeans...
Historical Thinking Matters
Scopes Trial: 5 Day Lesson
Did Scopes violate the Butler Act? Why did so many Americans follow the Scopes trial? See analytical reading in action with a fantastic five-day lesson plan in which class members consider the historical context that provoked public...
Curated OER
Key Ingredients: America by Food
Students participate in a series of activities to explore the types of food Americans eat, how food choices differ in various parts of the country, and how the availability of various foods has changed over time.
Curated OER
Chapter 28: Red Flags and Velvet Revolutions: The End of the Cold War, 1960-1990
Set your historians up for testing success using this interactive flashcard tool. It is one of many learning strategies offered in this thorough online resource. Although designed for use with a text, the site is valuable independently....
Curated OER
Japanese-American Relocation
Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...
Anti-Defamation League
Indian/Native American Boarding Schools: Their History, Harm and Impact
Encultureate, assimilate, or eliminate? The 2021 discovery of a mass grave of over 200 children on the site of a former Canadian Indian Boarding school led to the creation of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative. High schoolers...
Center for History Education
Japanese American Internment During World War II
World War II turned nations against each other and neighbors into enemies. An eye-opening instructional activity explores the dark past of Japanese-American internment camps during WWII. Scholars learn of the fear and distrust toward...
Curated OER
Native American Poetry
Identify text features, make inferences, and discover the cultural significance of Native American Poetry. Sixth graders read several Native American poems and use graphic organizers and literature response logs to record their feelings...
DocsTeach
Uncle Sam and the American Diet
Uncle Sam wants you to follow the food pyramid! Scholars analyze two images of propaganda posters the government created to promote the food pyramid. Academics complete a worksheet to understand the impact of the campaign and end the...
Curated OER
Intermediate Guided Reading Lesson Plan for: Corn is Maize The Gift of the Indians
A lovely guided reading lesson awaits you and your students. They read the book,Corn is Maize: The Gift of the Indians, by Aliki, summarize the important events of the story, and describe how corn has helped develop culture in America.
Curated OER
Trail of Tears
A fabulous PowerPoint resource that thoroughly and accurately desicribes the Cherokee culture from the 1500's through the mid-1800's when they were forced to leave their homeland and march to Oklahoma in the famous, "Trail of Tears."...
Curated OER
Village Life in India
Learners use included links to research the lives of people living in a small village in India.
Curated OER
Native Indian Culture: Plains Indians in Montana
Students examine the culture of the Plains Indians. In this Montana history lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation regarding the social, religious, and traditional life of the Plains Indians.
Curated OER
What is American Culture
Students create what they feel is American Culture using a video camera and capturing 5 frames. They are animating parts of a poem in small groups. They decide the set up, create movable figures, and have a music section. Each person...
Curated OER
Moccasins are Made for Dancing
Students perform a traditional Native American dance. In this cultural dance instructional activity, students research two Native American dances. Students discuss the relationship between the dances and Native American...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan on the Appalachians - People, Culture, Lifestyles
Fourth graders examine and discuss the location, lifestyle, and culture of the people of the Appalachians. They listen to a tape of an Appalachian dialect, the story, When I Was Young in the Mountains, and write and conduct questions for...
Curated OER
Soap Operas
Students examine American culture through research on various soap opera websites. They access a soap opera website, participate in a chat group, evaluate the contents of the website, and write a summary of a character and plot.
Curated OER
The Treaty Trail: U.S. - Clothing That Talks: Meaning and Material Culture
Students investigate the cultures of Native Americans and Euro-Americans through their clothing. In this photograph analysis lesson, students observe historic photographs and analyze the style of clothes people wore and how it...
Curated OER
Moccasins Are Made for Dancing
Students explore two Native American legends. In this cultural traditions instructional activity, students read "The Legend of Blue Bonnet," and "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush." Students then study basic Native American dance...
Curated OER
Deep Roots of Ancient Greece
Students investigate Greek contributions to modern America. In this ancient Greek influence lesson, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and conduct research regarding ancient Greek ideals in order to analyze and trace Greek...
Curated OER
The Long Walk
Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read an article that challenges them to consider African-American contributions to social justice.
Curated OER
Art to Zoo: India-Where Remarkable Differences Are Ordinary
Students "visit" India to learn about its culture and the lives of children in India. In this India lesson, students conduct research and report on the lives of Indian children in the form of a mock interview between a journalist and an...
Curated OER
Tall Tale Rollers
Young scholars explore American tall tales. In this tall tale instructional activity, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Young scholars survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale...