Curated OER
Defining Moments
Students determine key factors in lives of individuals studied. They compare the individuals' lives using a matrix and time line, compare and contrast the lives of two individuals involved in a single historic event, and create and...
Curated OER
A Brief History of Fairfax County
Middle schoolers begin the lesson by writing what they know about Fairfax County in their journals. Using primary source documents, they identify ten interesting facts about the area and watch a video. They complete a Venn Diagram...
Curated OER
The U.S. & Navajo Bills of Rights
Students are introduced to the United States and Navajo Bill of Rights. In groups, they compare and contrast the two documents and take notes to share with the class. To end the lesson, they write in their journals about their own...
Curated OER
"Anything We Love Can Be Saved" -- A Contemporary
Learners compare authors Rachel Carson and Mary Eliza Church Terrell. They read an introduction by Alice Walker and summarize the main points. They also identify the language she uses to persuade readers. They write their own activist...
Curated OER
Mountain Magic: Identifying the Basic Physical Characteristics of Mountains
Students read about and identify on maps the physical characteristics of mountains. In this mountains lesson plan, students also write about the characteristics using personification.
Curated OER
Mapping an Encounter
Students recognize aspects of a historical map drawn around 1721 by a Native American for presentation to British governor of South Carolina, compare it to European map of the same period, and create map that shows relationships of...
Curated OER
Tools of the Historian: Frame of Reference
Students discuss the term point of reference and describe their own point of view. They compare the relationship between sources and the historical context. They identify examples of how point of reference can affect one's interpretation.
Curated OER
Colin Powell, a New Adlai Stevenson?: The Cuban Missile Crisis
Students compare and contrast a speech given to the United Nations by Colin Powell and a speech given to the UN by Adlai Stevenson. Clearifying the objective of each, they evaluate their proposals to the United Nations. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Measure-mania
Students research the history of measurement in this lesson. They compare todays units of measurement to historical units of measurement. For example, they weigh themselves on a bathroom scale and figure out how many of them it would...
Curated OER
Rethinking Perpetrators, Bystanders, and Rescuers: The Case of Max Schmeling
High schoolers examine the life and actions of Max Schmeling during World War II. They read and analyze an article, compare/contrast Schmeling's choices with other people during this time period, and write a journal response.
Curated OER
San Diego Architecture
Eighth graders study the cultural and architectural history of San Diego. After study they create a design of a home based of features from historical and modern homes found in their research.
Curated OER
Brother Against Brother
Eighth graders read Across Five Aprils and correlate it to a unit on the Civil War. They culminate the unit by writing a a piece of historical fiction in the first person entitled "Brother Against Brother."
Curated OER
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
National Thank You Month and Letter Writing
Improve writing skills while teaching students the importance of expressing gratitude.
Curated OER
Biographical Poems
Students write a biographical poem about themselves. They observe a teacher-led demonstration, write an autobiographical poem and a biographical poem about a famous person using a template form, and display the poems side-by-side.
North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies
Missing Pieces of the Puzzle: African Americans in Revolutionary Times
What's missing from most studies of the American Revolutionary War is information about the role African Americans played in the conflict. To correct this oversight, middle schoolers research groups like the Black Loyalists and Black...
Curated OER
Making Choices
Students explore the life of Harriet Tubman. They examine a painting of Harriet Tubman and consider the tools used to communicate information about her. Sudents describe how the color of a painting explains the mood of the illustrator....
Curated OER
Sam Houston for President...Again
Fourth graders discover the political career of Sam Houston. In this Texas history instructional activity, 4th graders research primary resources and create a modern-day version of Sam Houston's political campaign of the 1840s.
Curated OER
Dorothy Day and Mohandas K. Gandhi: Catalysts of Social Change
High schoolers explore how Dorothy Day and Mohandas Gandhi were leaders for social change. In this history lesson, students analyze the impact of these two leaders through several activities and group assignments.
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman: An Informative and Impressionistic Look
Students examine artwork depicting Harriet Tubman. In this Harriet Tubman lesson, students review her life and how she impacted the Underground Railroad. Students view impressionistic artwork showing her life. Students then create their...
Curated OER
World War I: War in a Democratic Society
Students research opposition and support for World War I from a number of perspectives. They analyze a number of primary and secondary sources, while considering what (if anything) makes a war just and write a letter expressing his/her...
Curated OER
Slavery and the Underground Railroad
Third graders discover racism in our country by investigating the Internet. For this abolitionist movement lesson, 3rd graders define the Underground Railroad and participate in an activity by logging on to an on-line History website. ...
Curated OER
Developing the Concept Division
Students use manipulatives to explain the concept of dividing multi-digit numbers.
Curated OER
A Wolf by the Ear
Young scholars examine Thomas Jefferson's complex and contradictory relationship with slavery.