Curated OER
Landforms And The Oregon Trail
Fourth graders investigate the historical context for the founding of The Oregon Trail. They conduct research to put together the events that led to the geographical route that was taken. The instructional activity also strengthens...
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Children Leaving Cuba
First graders explore migration from Cuba to the United States. They explain reasons why people migrate to different places. Through guest speakers and discussion groups, 1st graders compare and contrast the experiences of Cuban families...
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You Can, Too!
Young scholars and their parents participate in a volunteer opportunity in their community in order to solve a problem. In this problem solving lesson plan, students reflect on historical problems and see how they can solve a current...
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Social Issues Facing Children
Students examine the issues facing children in society. In groups, they participate in a simulation to discover the lack of connection between child-support and how it affects the children and society as a whole. To end the lesson,...
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Podcasting and the News
Young scholars participate in a class discussion about pod casting. They access a podcast and practice using such features as pause, rewind, and fast-forward. They listen to a news podcast and complete a graphic organizer about what they...
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Lemony Snicket Series Comes to an End (Unfortunately)
An informational text about Lemony Snicket leads to a discussion of the books class members have read in the Series of Unfortunate Events series. Children then compare and contrast the settings, plots, and characters in the different...
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Earth Day: a Look Into the World Around Us
Pupils develop an artwork made entirely out of recycled materials to exhibit during an Earth Day celebration. They participate in a lecture discussion on the history of Earth Day and environmental issues, do internet research on a...
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Ozone: The Earth's Security Blanket
Students work in groups to define and research the terms: ozone, troposphere and stratosphere. Students watch videos, conduct Internet research, participate in discussion groups and complete worksheets.
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Spacecraft Launched on Mission to Pluto
Students read a news article about a space mission being launched to the planet Pluto. They study the necessary vocabulary and complete an anticipation guide of questions which they revisit after they read the article.
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Native Americans - Searching for Knowledge and Understanding
What do you know about American Indians? Upper graders compose an informational essay based on the research they conduct. They choose a Native American group to study and, using the provided list of web links, gather information and...
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Positive Futures Fair - Application of Year-Long Content Skills
Young scholars research a problem in the world today.
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Holocaust Map Studies
Students analyze maps and answer discussion questions related to WWI. In this geography lesson, students analyze historic maps to determine causes and effects of WWI in Europe. Students read testimonies of Holocaust survivors and label...
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Silk Roads Big Map
Learners create an oversized map from Europe to East Asia. They include information such as Silk Roads, geographical features, major cities and cultural information on their map.
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Streams of Time Lesson Plan: Visually Organizing the History of the Atlantic Slave Trade
Middle schoolers, after reading the Transatllantic Slave Trade, create a color coded triple-timeline to help them explain the chronological streams that flow through the essay.
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What's So Bad or Good About Conflict?
Young scholars investigate how conflict can be positive or negative. They discuss the concept of conflict while making a class web of their ideas. They design a class bulletin board that includes a thought written by each student after...
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Perceptions of War
Tenth graders share perspectives on war with Iraq with students from various countries, and write position papers expressing specific stance on issues.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Imperialism, Arab Nationalism and World War I
Continued conflict in the Middle East makes this activity relevant, and the inclusion of a critique of Lawrence of Arabia might increase student interest in a potentially challenging topic. The resource includes a solid introduction to...
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World can't wait, students say
Learners create a lesson to present to the rest of the class about current laws, including expressing killing the president as a joke. Students research past events and current laws. Learners present to the class using mult-media, oral...
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Political Cartoons
Students examine a variety of historical cartoons. They recognize a political cartoon and identify the main idea, symbolism, exaggeration and caricature in political cartoons. Students analyze a political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin.
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Shasta Dam: How High is Too High?
Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...
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Journal Writing in American Studies
Students write their thoughts about political cartoons, photographs, and articles in their journal and then discuss them in class.
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Multiple Perspectives on the Korean War
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Korean War lesson, students examine and analyze primary sources regarding U.S. involvement in the Korean War.
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Tools of the Trade: The Use of Geographic Tools
Students examine the tools of demographic analysis and apply them to real-world situations. They analyze maps, define terminology, and write an information paper for the appropriate government agency to recommend an action or policy change.
Curated OER
The Embodied Presidency Wilson
Young scholars take a closer look at U.S. intervention in Mexico. In this 20th century history lesson, students examine primary documents to consider why the United States entered the Mexican War and then write DBQ essays on the topic.