Curated OER
Learning Landscapes
Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...
Curated OER
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Learners make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages of looking at a historical event from the multiple points of view of...
Shakespeare in American Life
Patriarchy in King Lear and As I Lay Dying
King Lear, “Papa Doc” Duvalier, Colonel Walter E. Kurtz and Anse Bundren? Imagine a unit that examines the tragic hero and patriarchy in King Lear, As I Lay Dying and Apocalypse Now. To liven the brew, learners are asked to include in...
Curated OER
Constructing Narrative from the Migrant Experience in Literature
Excerpts from John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and from John Fante's Ask the Dust, as well as a variety of primary source documents provide the background for an examination of the migrant experience from 1920-1945.
Core Knowledge Foundation
The Victorian Age
The length of Queen Victoria's reign, surpassed only by Queen Elizabeth II in the modern era, stretched through much of the 19th century and into the 20th century. Explore the many social, industrial, and political shifts that occurred...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Convict Leasing in Alabama: a System That Re-Enslaved Blacks After the Civil War
The post-Civil War convict leasing program, rarely covered in textbooks, is the focus of a lesson that asks class members to use information drawn from primary source documents to assess the program. While the focus is on Alabama's...
Curated OER
We Have a Dream
Students work as partners to study Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. In this African American history lesson, students work with their cross-grade partner to study, understand, and memorize the speech. Students meet with...
Curated OER
Having Fun: Leisure and Entertainment at the Turn of the 20th Century
Learners inquire about the history of enterntainment and flim. The development of the modern industry of entertainment is done from reflecting upon its roots and background. The discussion is leading to answering how Americans have...
Curated OER
Canada and the United States: A Collage
Students create a visual presentation that describes the influence of American culture on Canadian culture, the Canadian response to that influence, and the benefits and drawbacks of that influence to Canadian culture.
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Patriots v. Loyalists
Learners consider how colonial citizens chose sides in the American Revolution. In this Revolutionary War lesson, students role play Loyalists, Patriots, and undecideds in a classroom simulation. Learners research their positions so that...
Curated OER
City Desk with Malcolm X
High schoolers view a film about civil rights and the role Malcolm X played in the civil rights movement. They create a timeling about the events that occured from segregation to integration. They discuss discrimination as well.
Curated OER
Creating an Ethnic Student Newspaper
Students 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." Students respond to discussion questions regarding each of the...
Curated OER
Is Seeing Believing?
Pupils study different photographers who started the concept of battlefield photography. In this media lesson students explore how to "read" a photograph and relate the use of photography during the Civil War to current use...
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Crossing the Line: Jackie Robinson
Middle schoolers participate in viewing The National Pastime, a film about Jackie Robinson's life. They discuss how Robinson was a hero and how they can learn from him. They work in groups using a graphic organizer to analyze Jackie...
Curated OER
Women's Achievements
Third graders read the passage in their textbook about Mary McLeod Bethune and discuss why education was important to her, and why she beleived that education allowed African American children to reach their potential. They then discuss...
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Contributions- Grade 10
Tenth graders investigate the contributions of Aboriginal peoples. In this native studies instructional activity, 10th graders watch "More Than Bows and Arrows." Students complete a handout that requires them to list the contributions...
Curated OER
Lesson 12- Quincy Jones:What Makes an American Master?
Middle schoolers study the life of Quincy Jones and research black music for selected decades of the 20th Century. They discuss the qualities that help one create and sustain a successful career. They design a timeline of what their...
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Cultural Vantage Points
Eighth graders investigate the history of Beaverhead County and Big Hole Valley. They focus on the Native American people groups of the immediate area. Students read about the journey of Lewis and Clark to create historical context. Then...
Curated OER
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...
Curated OER
American Aloha Lesson Plan: Perpetuating Indigenous Cultural Traditions in Diaspora
Learners examine the culture and decline of the culture of native Hawaiian people as the islands were colonized. They study issues of cultural identity for Native Hawaiians.
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History of the American Family
Students discover the history of the American family and the affects of immigration. In addition, they examine the contributions of minority families to American culture. In groups, students explore the pros and cons of dual-income...
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Building Awareness of the Japanese American Wartime Experience
Learners research the Japanese American World War II Camp Experience. They discuss the experience in the context of civil rights and the Bill of Rights.
Curated OER
The Boys of Baraka
Students view a video about the experience of boys from West Africa in the American school system. They discover how one's environment can affect them in the classroom. They write about the experience from different points of view.
Curated OER
90 Miles: Immigrant Journeys
Students view a film that chronicles the experiences of Juan Carlos Zaldivar, a Cuban American immigrant. They discuss and analyze this autobiographical film and conduct further research on historical relations between the United States...