Curated OER
Dekanawidah- A Forgotten Founding Father
Students compare plans for government. In this early American history lesson, students compare and contrast the U.S. Constitution with the Iroquois Constitution. Students identify cultural features, government functions, and citizenship...
Curated OER
Black Hawk Island Hike
Students explore Wisconsin's natural and cultural history through hands-on exploration of Upham Woods. They are shown the basic paddling skills and they work in teams to paddle across the river on barge. Students describe cultural...
Curated OER
The Story of How Deerfield Came to Be
Eleventh graders explore how the native peoples had lived in the Connecticut Valley for nearly 10,000 years, prior to the English settlement and how their culture and life ways were markedly different from that of the English settlers.
Curated OER
"Where's Waldo" About Me Drawing - Self "Portrait"
Pupils identify the cultural clues found within art forms by producing a work of art based on their personal experiences and create a work of art about themself. They recognize how technical elements affect art and how to implement them...
Curated OER
Life in the Colonies
What was life like for the early colonists? Read along with an informational presentation, rich in text. Colonial slavery, slave culuture, colonial religion, and the Great Awakening are all described in full. Tip: The resource could be...
Curated OER
Criminal or Hero
Young scholars investigate slavery in America circa the American Revolution. They will examine point- of view and perspective as they research a variety of informational resources. While this is designed to be used with the PBS video...
Curated OER
Voting Rights for Women: Pro- and Anti-Suffrage
Students examine the arguments for and against suffrage for women in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They explore various websites, read and discuss primary source documents, develop a document from two points of view, and analyze...
Curated OER
Jambo Means Hello: An Introduction To Swahili
Students gain an appreciation for Swahili as a language spoken in many parts of Africa. They share and illustrate words from their own culture using English and Swahili and others to create a word quilt.
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Catch the Gullah Beat: Rhythm and Percussion
Students explore the Gullah culture. In this social studies instructional activity, students construct and play instruments similar to those of the Gullah people.
Curated OER
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Understanding the historical context of Arthur Miller's The Crucible is an important part in understanding the play itself. Over 25 slides, the audience learns details of Miller's early childhood and some major events that were happening...
Curated OER
Saddam Hussein and Modern Iraq
Take your class through a moment in modern history in this presentation, which details the rise of Saddam Hussein and the dynamics between Iraq and its neighbors during the Persian Gulf War and the current Iraq war. Though slightly...
Smithsonian Institution
Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers
The Civil War, a war that divided a nation. Comparing and contrasting the Confederate and Union soldiers is not always an easy task, but the eighth of 15 resources makes it easy to teach the concepts. Exercises include watching videos in...
Curated OER
Like Comparing Bison and Fish
Fourth graders examine the cultures of early American Indians in North America and how geographic characteristics impacted the development of American Indian cultures. Students discuss Lewis and Clark, their journey, the Plains Indians,...
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Influence of Geography on the Migration of Virginians
Sixth graders study how geography influenced the westward migration of Virginians. They review the settlement patterns of early Virginians before discussing reasons why people move away from an area. Looking at maps, they determine how...
Curated OER
Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving activity, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a two...
Curated OER
Lesson 9: After Slavery: Uncle Tom's Cabin in Popular Culture
Eighth graders, in groups, explore the popularity of Uncle Tom's Cabin, even in the post-slavery America.
Curated OER
Ben Franklin and the Rising Americans
Students prepare for and learn through a walking tour of Philadelphia. In this history instructional activity, students support their studies with a field trip. This instructional activity could be adapted to suit regions with other...
Curated OER
The Story of Kwanzaa
Celebrate Kwanzaa with a game of Kalah, also known as Mankala or Owara. Using an egg carton and a set of beans, players take all of the beans out of one of his or her cups and move to the right, dropping one bean into each of the next...
Curated OER
Teen Immigrants: Five American Stories
Students watch the PBS program "In the Mix" about teen immigrants. They discover the number of immigrants in America and their problems moving to this country. They answer questions as the film plays.
Curated OER
The African Burial Ground
Students analyze African American burial grounds. In this African American history lesson, students draw conclusions about African American communities in early New York and consider how archeology made it possible to study the communities.
Curated OER
POWWOW
Students investigate the significance of the Powwow to the Native Americans. They write a story about a special tradition or custom from their own family, play Native American children's games, prepare Indian fry bread, and participate...
Curated OER
Latinos Spice Up Melting Pot
Students investigate the history of early Hispanic workers in the U.S. They complete an online Webquest, explore various websites, read about Latinos in the U.S. today, view a mural, and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
Mesoamerica
Students demonstrate knowledge of early Middle American civilizations. They study Mesoamerican i religions, governments, and achievements. They identify geographies of North and South America.
Curated OER
Hafta Do NAFTA?
Students examine the benefits and problems of U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement. In two groups, students represent the campaign team for a presidential candidate, one for and one against NAFTA, and research...