Curated OER
Point of View of Former Slaves
Pupils examine what life was like for slaves from the point of view of ex-slaves. They use resources from the Federal Writers' Project which took place in the mid- 1930's. They look at the importance of religion, the different status...
Federal Judicial Center
Amistad and Dred Scott—a Comparative Activity
What do slaves fighting for their freedom on board a ship and a slave fighting for his freedom in a courtroom have in common? Budding historians investigate the two different cases of the Amistad slave revolt and the Dred Scott argument....
Curated OER
Jacob Lawrence's Freedom Trail
Students read excerpts of autobiographies from Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. After listening to excerpts of an oral reading of Frederick Douglass' book, they discuss the ways African Americans were treated on plantations. ...
Curated OER
Learning to Respect Each Other
Discover how important Martin Luther King Jr. is to our society. In this civil rights lesson plan, investigate how Dr. King was an advocate for nonviolence and how he fought for civil rights for all Americans. Read and analyze Dr. King's...
Curated OER
Growing a Nation
Eleventh graders examine the major events and inventions that changed American families and communities. In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze various documents dealing with the changes. Students create a project on an event...
Curated OER
Fighting for Democracy, Fighting for Me
Students consider how African American responded to social injustice. In this social injustice lesson plan, students compare and contrast the visions of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois for obtaining civil rights for African...
Curated OER
In the Footsteps of West Virginia
Students prepare for a visit to the West Virginia State Museum. In this West Virginia history lesson, students research the individuals whose leadership impacted the state. Students create multimedia projects featuring the individuals...
Curated OER
Lending a Helping Hand
Middle schoolers research the work of North American NGOs and select one to support with a financial contribution as a class. In this philanthropic research lesson plan, students consider the work of Benjamin Franklin, defining good...
Lesson Planet
Black History Month- Lessons For Everyone
Black History Month lesson plans provide a way to meet academic standards, and have students learn about a variety of subjects.
Curated OER
D'Nile Is Where It's At!
Students travel down the Nile River to survey ancient Egypt in this unit of nine lessons. Data about pharaohs, hieroglyphics, growing crops, pyramids, the geography, and the sacred rituals are explored in this unit.
Curated OER
A Comparison of Indentured Servants and Slaves
Sixth graders examine and compare the lives of slaves and indentured servants using primary sources and the historical fiction books, "Molly Bannaky and Barefoot." They analyze and compare advertisements for runaway slaves. Students...
Curated OER
Making Connections: I Know Why Caged Birds Sing
Students discuss equality and fairness by reading a Maya Angelo poem. In this U.S. history lesson, students read the poem I Know Why Caged Birds Sing, and discuss how the era it was written in affected the words. Students identify the...
Curated OER
Writing Exercises: Science and Technology II
All revolutions in science and technology have both pros and cons. Kids examine the advent of the green revolution, nuclear growth, use, and the countries that are considered nuclear powers. They'll construct three responses to each of...
Curated OER
Uniform Design
Learners investigate the military by examining their uniforms. In this design lesson, students analyze the military uniforms from different locations and time periods. Learners create new ideas for current military uniforms.
Curated OER
Centers of the Storm: The Lyceum and the Circle at the University of Mississippi
Greek Revival architecture and the Civil Rights Movement? Sure! Examine how the Lyceum and Circle, two historic buildings located on the campus of the University of Mississippi, relate to integration and the 1962 riot on the university...
Curated OER
Where the Red Fern Grows: A 4th Grade Literary Focus Unit
Fourth graders explore the human and animal connection along with the idea that death is a part of the life cycle. They read "Where the Red Fern Grows." Students examine the feelings and emotions surrounding death and they discover the...
Curated OER
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Twelfth graders read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and choose the ten most important adventures of the novel for a timeline activity. In this Huckleberry Finn lesson, 12th graders read the novel and list the adventures. Student...
Curated OER
Sustained Resistance
Eleventh graders research events that led up to the Civil Rights movement using primary source documents that show attitudes about lynching.
Curated OER
It's A Free Country, Isn't It?
Students examine immigration into the United States. They identify the rights and responsbilities of being a citizen of this country. They create a new verse to be included in the National Anthem.
Curated OER
"Heritage" - "Hey, That's the Name of Our School!"
Seventh graders gain a better understanding of the canal period in U.S. History, and more specifically, discern the importance of the Illinois and Michigan Canal on the development of Illinois as a state and Chicago as a prominent city.
University of Michigan
American Verse Project: Anti Slavery Poems
This site from American Verse Project provides the online text for "Anti-Slavery Poems: Songs of Labor and Reform" by John Greenleaf Whittier. Poems can be viewed in plain text or as page-by-page images of the original work.
Other
Virginia Center for Digital History: Texas Slavery Project
The Texas Slavery Project takes a deep look at the expansion of slavery in the borderlands between the United States and Mexico in the years between 1837 and 1845.
Library of Congress
Loc: Born in Slavery
From the Library of Congress American Memory project, this extensive online archive contains first-person narratives of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves that were collected in the 1930s as part of the Federal...
Other
American Abolitionism Project: A Brief History of American Abolitionist Movement
Provides a short history of the American abolitionist movement, and breaks the movement down into different categories of abolitionists and some key people involved in each group. Includes links to additional information.