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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing African, American, and European Folktales

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students listen to John Steptoe's story, "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," and then identify similarities and differences between an African, a Native American, and a European folktale.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Joe Lesson Plan: Outlaw or Hero?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students become familiar with an American legend that is unfamiliar to many. Presented with the legend of Forest Joe, a runaway slave who, much like Robin Hood, stole from the rich to give to the poor, students draw comparisons and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Eight Immortals

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students compare and contrast the Eight Immortals with American super- heroes, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman while examining the literary genre of folktales and its connection to art.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

National And International

For Teachers 2nd - 11th
Students participate in a series of geography lessons in which they identify the meaning of national and international. They discover the regions of the US after identifying the planet on which they live, the continents, the oceans and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Dream

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students expand their knowledge by researching on the Internet the African American civil rights movement and compiling a timeline of events and heroes. In addition to the civil rights timeline, students identify the key historical sites...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Courageous Voices that Shook the Nation to Action

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. In this Martin Luther King, Jr. day lesson, students learn about the holiday for Dr. King through literature and music. Students learn the lyrics to Stevie Wonder's 'Happy Birthday' about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evaluating Information Quality: Identifying Useful Information

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine different types of information and evaluate its accuracy. In groups, they research tribal heroes from the present and past. As a class, they identify what they need to look for to determine if the information is...
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Lesson Plan
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

Benjamin and the Way to A Good Life

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars explore American history by reading biographical text in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students research the famous inventor by reading assigned text and answering reading comprehension questions afterwards....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sports Personalities in Advertising

For Teachers 7th - 9th
During a series of four activities, class members examine and deconstruct advertising that features famous athletes. They determine target audiences, analyze ads, explore "emotional climate," and role play a meeting between a sports...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heroes and Heroines of the Underground Railroad System (UGRR)

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders choose one leader, either Tubman or Coffin, and write a persuasive summary paragraph that explains why the leader displays the character traits of a hero/heroine in the UGRR
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Models of American Citizenship

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate the concept of American citizenship by pretending to time travel. They travel back in time to visit the eras of Thomas Jefferson, Hellen Keller, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and community heroes....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Crossing the Line: Jackie Robinson

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students 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 Robinson...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Envisioning Equality

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research the contributions of Civil Rights leaders. In this human justice lesson, students research selected websites about the accomplishments of leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement. Students use their research...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Symbols of America

For Teachers K - 5th
Students research the events of September 11th . In this symbols lesson, students discover ways to honor this day. Students research the Internet for symbols used to represent ideas, events and people. Students work in groups to design a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Revolutionary Women of South Carolina

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine multiple primary sources. In this revolutionary war lesson, students read case studies regarding women from South Carolina. Students will compare the different roles women played during the Revolutionary War. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Examining Women's Roles through Primary Sources and Literature

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this women's history lesson, students examine the role of women prior to and following the suffrage movement. Students also read selected pieces of women's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Violence Prevention

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Compare and contrast the ideologies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle schoolers conduct research regarding civil rights and rhetorical strategies used in political speechs. They examine the strategies that both men employed...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Story Stretching: Tall Tales in North America

For Teachers K
Students are introduced to tall tales. In this introductory tall tales unit, students explore the tall tales of Casey Jones and Johnny Appleseed. This unit includes many interdisciplinary lessons including graphing skills and geography.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art Through the Eyes of Youth

For Teachers K - 8th
Students take a field trip to an art gallery reflecting on the paintings they like the most. Individually, they use magazines to find pictures related to their personality. In pairs, they make a mask to represent their ethnic group and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I'll Trade You . . .

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students watch the video, New York Sports: Big Shots and Bad Guys. They research some of the players highlighted in the show for information about their athletic prowess, their importance in the city, and their reputations as Big Shots...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The True Story of Abbie Burgess

For Teachers 1st
First graders read a story from their textbooks about women in the 1850's. They discuss what it was like to be a woman living in American during this time period. They brainstorm heroines of American history and then discuss woman...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Official Statements

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students research the viewpoints of famous Americans, and then write commencement speeches reflecting these viewpoints to be delivered to high school graduates of today.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folk Traditions in the Blues

For Teachers All
Click here to download a PDF of this lesson. (2.8 MB) Overview This lesson will enable teachers to use the blues to explore selected topics in African American folklore. Students will learn about some of the African American cultural...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (Civil War images) for examples of how soldiers are portrayed historically. They discuss what a hero is and why some individuals are heroes to certain groups while others are not.