Student Achievement Partners
Laura Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" and Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston's "Farewell to Manzanar"
Passages from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar provide the context for a study of the historical themes of experiencing war, resilience during war, and understanding the lasting trauma of war. Appendices include extension...
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On the Mayflower Lesson Plan
Students build a model of the Mayflower inside of the classroom in order to learn about the voyage of the Mayflower and the hardships faced by its passengers. In this American history activity, students work in small groups to construct...
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Mills of New Hampshire
Students locate mill sites on a New Hampshire map. They describe who worked in the mills and their working conditions. They examine the environmental impact of the mills and work together to find out more information about mills.
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Paul Revere's Ride
Fifth graders investigate the life of Paul Revere. They compose a timeline of some of the major historical events leading to the American Revolution. The purpose of the ride is the focus of the lesson and the information is later...
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Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
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We Are What We Remember
Students engage in research, small-group discussions, whole class discussions, family interviews, and interaction with multimedia resource material as they explore the relationship between memory and history.
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We Are The Freedom Riders
Students consider the role of the Freedom Riders. In this American Civil Rights lesson, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and conduct research regarding the participants in the Freedom Ride protest. Several weblinks, worksheets,...
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Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement lesson, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period. They prepare and...
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To Be or Not to Be Democratic
Seventh graders explore the democratic republic principles of U.S. government. For this U.S. government lesson, 7th graders compare and contrast the governments of ancient Athens,the Roman Republic, and the United States today. Students...
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The Shakespeare Crowd
Students study the life and times of Shakespeare. They read and analyze one of his plays and use the Internet and videos to gain an understanding of how Shakespeare engaged his audiences, then and still today.
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The Warrior Role in Greek Society
Students are introduced to the various gods and goddesses in ancient Greek mythology. In groups, they use print and electronic resources to research the ways Greek culture has influenced the modern world. To end the lesson, they...
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English Literature Circle Discussion
Students participate in literary circles to analyze characters, critique writing, discuss events, and story elements. In this literary circles lesson, students take responsibility for their learning as a member of the...
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Clear and Present Danger
Learners assume identities of lawmakers, judges, writers, and protestors during times in American history when freedoms of speech and press were limited because country was on the brink of war or fighting one. Students use primary source...
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Earth, the Universe, and Culture
Students view segment of documentary, Swift: Eyes Through Time, explore famous scientists, their theories, places of origin, and culture, document scientific viewpoints of famous scientists throughout history, and discuss geographical...
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The Great Depression: Eating on a Shoestring
Students explore the realities of feeding a family on a very limited budget by comparing the cost of living in the 1930s to the cost of living today. Using primary documents and technology to make the comparison, they identify the impact...
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Closing the Gaps
Learners examine the defining characteristics of their own generation. They apply their analysis to learning about previous generations, and synthesize their learning by creating improvisational skits and writing creative essays.
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Soldados: Soldiers' Stories
This activity will help students practice conducting an oral history interview, increase knowledge about what it is like to be a soldier, gain knowledge about the Vietnam War and gain knowledge about the Chicano experience in the U.S.
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Animating a Historic Event
Research a historic event using textbooks, primary source documents, the Internet, and other library and media resources. Young historians will take the research they have gathered and write an attention-grabbing, historically accurate...
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Pandemic Panic
Students gather information about the H1N1 virus, and share this information. In this pandemic lesson students read about Influenza A, or Swine Flu, compile information on the disease, and then present their findings to the class.
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You are the Curator: Building a Museum of the 1920s and 1930s
Students examine primary and secondary sources regarding 1920's and 1930's America. In this Webquest lesson, students explore sources regarding the American decades in order to create their own museum exhibits.
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Mass Production Using an Assembly Line
Fifth graders examine the industrial revolution. In this industrialization lesson, 5th graders explore the concept of mass production via the assembly line. They then create an assembly line which demonstrates its costs and benefits...
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The Renaissance
Students encounter having been chosen to join a group of renowned historians who have been offered an unprecedented opportunity. They travel back in time to the Renaissance time period. Students research one aspect of that time period....
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Football at Carlisle Indian School: A Tool for Assimilation?
Middle schoolers become familiar with procedures for helping Indians assimilate in the 1800's. For this history lesson plan learners explore how football helped Indians to assimilate in a positive way. Middle schoolers recognize...
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The Roots of American Culture
Students explore the notion of culture and the influence of Latino culture on the U.S. They work in small groups to identify ways that Latino and non-Latino U.S. cultures have engaged in cultural 'cross-fertilization.'