Curated OER
Grand Canyon Suite
Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...
Curated OER
Lesson: Mathias Poledna: Crystal Palace
Film analysis takes critical thinking, connections, and context. Upper graders look at the film installation, Crystal Palace in terms of the film makers choices, presentation, and perspective of truth. After an analytical discussion of...
Curated OER
The Jackson Inauguration: King Mob or Champion of Democracy?
Students examine and describe Andrew Jackson's 1828 inauguration, identify ways Jackson's election signaled important changes in American political landscape, discuss how Jackson embodied political culture of his era, and compare...
Curated OER
North American Cultures
Middle schoolers take a closer look at the geographic theme of place. For this geography skills lesson, students research their city and create murals that highlight its history, residents, landmarks, and resources.
Curated OER
What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States
Learners research the impact of European voyages of discovery and colonial influence on different aspects of American culture. They access a number of online sources and reference maps to trace the influences of England, France, Holland,...
Curated OER
What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States
Students examine how the European voyages of discovery influence American culture even today. They map eighteenth century Europe's impact on the United States.
Curated OER
The First Texans
Fourth graders discover the different groups of people who colonized Texas. They research their way of life and create an informative and creative booklet.
American Battle Monuments Commission
Honoring Service, Achievements, and Sacrifice: A WWI Virtual Field Trip
The largest offensive in United States military history comes alive in a online interactive resource. Young historians explore the Meuse Argonne battlefield and scour the landscape for evidence from the battle. They then use primary...
Curated OER
Trekking to Timbuktu: The Geography of Mali -Teacher Version
Learners investigate the geography of Mali. They locate Mali on a satellite map, explore various websites, describe the landscape and climate, label a map, and write an essay about the Niger Riger.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
More Tribal Homelands
Here is a very fun idea that introduces young learners to how geographical location affects cultural development. They are introduced to four areas where Native Americans have lived in the past by reading stories and examining images....
Rainforest Alliance
My Forest or the Rainforest?
The differences between tropical and temperate rainforests range from animals and flowers to climate and landscapes. Kindergarteners compare and contrast characteristics of their local forest to a tropical rainforest.
Curated OER
For The Sake Of Security: U.S.A. Patriot Act & Bill of Rights
A substantive New York Times article about the U.S.A. Patriot Act, military tribunals, racial profiling, and the Bill of Rights forms the basis for a discussion of the complex interplay of fundamental American rights and the aftermath of...
Curated OER
Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving
Encourage learners to think critically about common myths regarding the Wampanoag Indians in Colonial America. They discover that behind every myth are many possible explanations—and that learning more about American history helps them...
Lesson Planet
Black History Month Through Poetry
Black History Month is a great time to discuss African-American poets in your classroom.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Relationships to Places
Young historians take a look at how the Indian tribes of California promoted a mindful relationship between people and the land. They begin to understand how the Indians were champions of conservation, and at preserving the natural...
Curated OER
People Behind the Parks
Explore U.S. geography with your class by viewing a documentary. Show a portion of the Ken Burns documentary "The National Parks," and identify the individuals responsible for keeping the parks in order. Elementary and middle schoolers...
National Endowment for the Arts
Reader Resources: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A handy guide offers high schoolers support as they read the American novel, The Great Gatsby. Complete with a biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald, a timeline of the Roaring Twenties, discussion questions about the novel, and more, this...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 1
How do scientists provide evidence to support the theories they put forth? What clues do they put together to create these theories? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation class members engage in a series of...
American Museum of Natural History
Field Trip Mars
Fly around the Martian surface. Pupils view a presentation on the planet Mars featuring a flyover that shows different views of the surface where rovers have landed and explored on different missions. As individuals watch the images, the...
Curated OER
A Look at the Geological History
In this geological history worksheet, students draw a cartoon strip to sequence how the North American continent grew. Students use information about continental drift to sequence events of how the different continents were formed.
Curated OER
North Carolina Place Names
Fourth graders examine a map of North Carolina to discover the heritage left behind in the names of various places. They compare/contrast those derived from Native American culture to those derived from European settlers.
Curated OER
Centennial: Home Sweet Home
Fourth graders examine the various types of homes made by Native Americans. In groups, they compare and contrast their homes to those of the Native Americans and discuss how homes reflect one's culture. To end the lesson, they read...
Curated OER
Bay Area: Race and Land
Students examine the role that racism played in the growth of the Bay Area. They discover how turn-of-the-century boosters promoted a vision of the Bay Area. They study the American Indian Movement's takeover of Alcatraz Island in 1969,...
Curated OER
Immigration
Eighth graders examine the American immigration experience. In this immigration lesson plan, 8th graders watch a video about Ellis Island and discuss the processing that took place there. Students write letters in the voice of American...