Curated OER
We the Past
Students study philanthropy related terms and philanthropy in the United States and their local community. In this philanthropy instructional activity, students study pictures of present and past Americans and discuss their philanthropic...
Curated OER
A Look Into the Past
Students create a timeline that is broken down into significant events that are divided into decades. They participate in open discussion and create some open ended questions to stimulate further conversation.
Curated OER
Newspapers: A Connection to Our Past
Students research the historical context for a currents event. They create an iMovie that explains why it is important to explain the history behind a current event.
Curated OER
Links to the Past
Learners use documents from California As I Saw It: First Person Narratives, 1849-1900 , in American Memory to create a script depicting the motivations, expectations, fears, and realizations of immigrants who settled California between...
Curated OER
Philanthropy in History
Students understand the importance of books in past and present societies. In this philanthropic lesson, students compare Andrew Carnegie and Benjamin Franklin's perspective on the importance of everyone being able to read. Students...
Curated OER
Comparing Kwakiutl, Cheyenne and Navajo tribes
Third graders study the difference between the Kwakiutl, Cheyenne and Navajo tribes. They identify the people, resources, lifestyle and beliefs of the Kwakiutl, Cheyenne, and Navajo Indians. Afterward, they present their projects on each...
Curated OER
Cutting Athletics = Cutting Scholarship Chances
Students identify athletic programs to be cut from school district budget, find out how many students have received college athletic scholarships in past, and interview students and coaches to find out how scholarship search is going if...
Curated OER
Every Building Tells a Story
Examine images from past that depict buildings and towns from their own communities, and compare images with photographs taken at present locations, interview local architect and compare role of 19th Century architect to 21st Century...
Curated OER
Legendary Life Cycles
Upper elementary historians research a legendary person who had an impact in the the history of the United States. Learners research the life of their person of choice, and construct a legendary timeline using computer software which...
Curated OER
The Netherlands
Students create a journal for an imaginary trip around the Netherlands. They identify animals and plants that live in the Netherlands and describe its landscape. In addition, they summarize and present historical information about an...
Curated OER
Kosovo: A Thousand Year Old Border Conflict
Students present proposals and negotiate with other representatives to bring lasting peace to the area through a simulated "Summit Conference."
Museum of Tolerance
Oral History Activity
Oral history has brought a multitude of lessons, stories, and factoids to our current knowledge of the past. Let us continue to use oral history traditions through a lesson that encourages pupils to discover and appreciate where they...
Museum of Tolerance
Artifact Research Activity
Artifacts give us the privilege of learning about the past, may it be family, culture, or traditions. Here, class members learn about their family's past with the help of an artifact, or family heirloom. Once an artifact is discovered,...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Changes in Transportation over Time
Planes, trains, and automobiles. How many ways to travel are there? Scholars learn about modes of transportation in the past and how they have changed over time. Budding historians view a timeline, participate in group discussion, and...
Film Education
Glory
If you are previewing the film Glory for your young historians, this packet may help you spark ideas for discussion and offer some interesting facts and quotations that may add to your presentation of this Civil War narrative. It...
Curated OER
New Hampshire Unplugged
Young historians explore how technology and science affected life in the state of New Hampshire. They define technology and give personal experiences of how technology affects people and how people have used technology. They compare the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The "To Do List" of the Continental Congress
What is on your to-do list today? The second lesson plan of a three-part series on Lost Heroes of America investigates the laundry list of items in front of the second Continental Congress. Scholars research, analyze, and present...
Curated OER
Presidential Places Quilt
Students design historical quilts. In this presidential history lesson plan, students research past presidents and landmarks named for them. Students create quilt squares to represent the landmarks and piece all of them together in a...
Education World
Thanksgiving, More Than a Thank You: A WebQuest for Grades 3-6
Here's a thought-provoking and engaging lesson for your charges. It's a Webquest about Thanksgiving. Groups of learners research Thanksgiving customs, history, and experiences. They are assigned the task of renaming Thanksgiving in order...
Curated OER
Finding Meaning in the Badge
Children who are three to five years old study two rank badges from the Qing dynasty to develop an understanding of social rank, language skills, and symbolism. The lesson is discussion-based and requires learners to compare and contrast...
Stanford University
Letter from Birmingham Jail: The Power of Nonviolent Direct Action
What strategies are most effective in changing an unjust law? Class members examine the tactics used in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 (Project C) to achieve social justice and social transformation. After examining documents that...
Curated OER
Confucianism in a Changing Society
A great lesson promotes thoughtful discussion, global perspectives, and links between economics and culture. Learners view four clips showing how Confucian teachings have shaped Chinese culture and how filial piety plays a role in...
Brooklyn Museum
"Workt by Hand": Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts
Just like a painting or the symbols on a flag, quilts can express ideas that reflect a cultural context, space, and time. The class discusses the history of quilt making throughout US history and what different types of quilts mean. They...
Owl Teacher
Teach Prehistory!
Are you wondering how on Earth you're going to teach prehistory to your class? Don't worry, you'll find everything you need to conduct a unit study on the Ice Age, human origins, and the evolution of human culture. Included is a list of...