Annenberg Foundation
America's History in the Making: Classroom Applications One
Someone finds a time capsule 100 years from now, and it includes your family photo album. What would the photos tell that person about you and your place in history? Scholars investigate how artifacts tell stories. Using photos, maps,...
Curated OER
Early Colonial Labor Force: Indentured Servants and Slaves
Students study the labor force used during Colonial America. In this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Students read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students use the...
Curated OER
A Divided Community
Students work in teams to research the history of African migration and immigration in the U.S. They present their research in a town hall discussion format and then write a paragraph about their experiences.
Curated OER
Segregation: From Jim Crow to Linda Brown
Young scholars examine the African American social, economic, and political conditions between 1896 and 1953. In this segregation lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the plight of African Americans'...
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Taking a Stand with Rosa Parks
Students discuss African-American history from slavery to the civil rights movement. They discuss individual people who shpaed history by reading their biographies and researching the age in which they lived. Studnets comprehend the...
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Creating an Ethnic Student Newspaper
High schoolers examine the role of the Black Press. In this African American history lesson, students watch segments of a video titled, " Too Long to Have Others Spoken for Us." High schoolers respond to discussion questions regarding...
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Zora Hurston Teacher's Guide
Students explore American culture by reading classic literature in class. In this African-American history activity, students read the story Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree while identifying the work and contributions of the real...
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Questions to “Drawing the Color Line”
In this African American history activity, students watch "Drawing the Color Line" and then respond to 6 short answer questions about slavery.
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How Perceptions of Cultures Influences Perceptions and Historical Outcomes
Learners research different ethnic groups that lived in the United States. They compare and contrast Spanish, African American and Native American cultures and how American culture interacted with them. They present their findings...
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Living to Avoid The Criminal Justice System
Students brainstorm a list of negative stereotypes in the African-American society. In groups, they develop ways to decrease the chance of them living in poverty and being in trouble with the law. They develop ways to solve problems...
National Woman's History Museum
Sally Hemings: Raising a Family Amidst the Brutality of Slavery
Pupils may know about early American figures such as Phyllis Wheatley and Abigail Adams, but what about Sally Hemings? Sally Hemings was the mother of Thomas Jefferson's children, but she is often left in the shadows of history....
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A Nation of Nations Lesson Plan: Charting African Ethnicities in America
High schoolers read a portion of the narrative, The Transatlantic Slave Trade, to explain the ethnic origins of enslaved Africans brought to the US. They create charts and bar graphs comparing ethnicities in the lowlands and tidewater...
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African American Community and Culture
Eleventh graders explore areas of concern to the African American community in the 1820's. In this American History lesson, 11th graders examine how the establishment of the nations first African American newspaper addressed these areas...
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Global Music: Steve Reich – Ghana, Bali, America and Germany
Students explore the music of Steve Reich. In this global music instructional activity, students compare the music compositions of Steve Reich to African and Balinese music. Students discuss their personal comparisons.
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Comparison of Colonial Regions in British North America
Students compare and contrast the colonies in British North America. As a class, they brainstorm a list of people, places and ideas associated with the Colonial Era. They discover the relationships and interactions between the...
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Africanized Honey Bee
In this bee worksheet, learners test their knowledge of Africanized honey bees by taking a pre-test and post-test. This worksheet has 4 matching, 9 true or false, 5 multiple choice, and 2 short answer questions. Includes answers to both...
Curated OER
African Dogon Rabbit Mask
Students are introduced to the Dogon Society of Africa and view examples of African mask art. They use grocery bags, paper and glue to make a mask that represents an animal and then stage a dance to imitate the characteristics of their...
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Doctor Mae C. Jemison - First African American Woman in Space
Seventh graders trace and analyze the life of Doctor Mae C. Jemison and the circumstances that enabled Dr. Jemison to achieve her goal of becoming an astronaut. They explore the role of NASA in the development of America's Space Shuttle...
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Antisemitism in Early America
Eleventh graders explore the rise of antisemitism in the United States in the early 20th century. After reading a passage concerning one man's ordeal, 11th graders discuss how the civil rights of minority groups has been viewed in...
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Comparing African, American, and European Folktales
Students find compare an African, Native American, and European folktale. In this folktale lesson, students listen to three different folktales before finding the similarities and differences in them. They complete a worksheet of...
Curated OER
A Lesson on Reconstruction Legislation and Amendments
Young scholars study the legislation and Amendments of Reconstruction period in America. In this Reconstruction lesson, students work in groups to dissect the Black Codes, an article in the US Constitution, as well as the 13th, 14th, and...
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America responds to Dred Scott
Eleventh graders examine the reactions Americans had to the Dred Scott decision. In this American History lesson plan, 11th graders read editorials from newspapers. Students analyze these editorials and audio tapes from that time.
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Immigration and American Life on African-Americans
Students examine how human migration started in Africa, and draw maps of Africa and place the names of the countries and capitals on the maps. They write essays on how Africans came to America.
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Africans and African Americans
Students complete small group tasks related to racism as it applies to African Americans, African immigrants, and white immigrants. Through discussion of their findings, students explain of challenges in society that African immigrants...