Curated OER
America the Bountiful
Fifth graders explore the impact exploration and colonization of North America had on human history. In this American colonies lesson, 5th graders compare differences between colonial areas. Students investigate the global impact of...
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Conquering North America
Young scholars create a study guide on colonization of North America. In this American Colonization instructional activity, students complete a chart of explorers and their conquests. Young scholars complete a crossword puzzle using...
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Early European Explorers Map
Fifth graders create an explorer's map. In this explorers lesson students use a map of the world as reference to draw their own map of Europe, North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. The students use their maps to show...
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Early Settlements
Students embark on a journey through colonial times. For this early settlement lesson, students come to understand what life was like for the settlers in the early colonies. Students research and create projects illustrating their...
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Mapping Mistakes
Middle schoolers examine early European maps and explore geographic errors. They also view maps of the geography of North America. Students discuss the obstacles faced by early explorers in mapping unexplored territory. They consider...
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From a New Nation to a Divided Nation
Quiz your students or prepare them for the big exam with this presentation. Included are 24 multiple choice questions related to Early American Government, The Colonial Period, Westward Expansion, and State Formation.
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The Red Scare
Students identify and interpret issues of Nativism and Protectionism in early 20th Century America. They analyze the roots of anti-immigrant movements in the Post-World War One United States. Finally, students identify and explore the...
K12 Reader
Colonization: for Gold, God, and Glory
Colonization, cartography, and circumnavigation. After reading a short article about early explorations, kids use the information provided to answer a series of comprehension questions.
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American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins
Students research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the two...
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Early America
Students explore what a leader represents. In this social science lesson, students discuss what the traits, qualities, or characteristics are of a leader. Students also understand that leaders existed in America's past and in the present...
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The Citizen in de Tocqueville's America
Students explore democratic values. In this government systems lesson, students listen to their instructor lecture on Democracy in America by de Tocqueville. Students respond to discussion questions connected to the lecture.
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Abolishing Slavery In America
Young scholars discover details about abolition. In this slavery instructional activity, students watch Abolishing Slavery in America and then conduct further research about the events that took place on the Zong and Amistad. Young...
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Early Explorers
Students answer short answer questions and participate in a role play where they are explorers being interviewed. In this early explorers lesson plan, students discuss why it is beneficial to be the first one in a place.
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Early American Government: Cause and Effect
Students explore cause and effect. In this early American government instructional activity, students research the series of events that led to the revolution, confederation, and constitution. Students use cause and...
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Labor Needs in Colonial America
Students examine the labor needs in colonial America. Using primary and secondary resources, they explore the major events and life in the United States during colonial times. They complete a chart listing the pros and cons of a slave...
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Columbus wants to find a shorter route to Asia
Eighth graders identify the reasons why Columbus wanted to find a shorter route to Asia. They make a timeline of the sequence of events surrounding his explorations. Students draw a map of the routes taken by early explorers around...
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Conflict in the Frontier town of Deerfield
Young scholars use primary sources to investigate, explore and represent varying perspectives on the 1704 Deerfield Raid. They consider the reasons Deerfield was at the center of English, French and Native American conflicts in the early...
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Volunteering Requires Freedom of Choice
Students explore ways to volunteer. In this volunteerism and philanthropy lesson, students brainstorm how the early Americans benefited from philanthropy, then discuss how others benefit from our philanthropy and how we choose ways to...
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Spanish Influence on United States Currency: The Origins of the "Dollar"
Sixth graders research the Spanish influence on early colonial America and the process of establishing the present U.S. currency. They read and discuss an informational handout in small groups, and take a short quiz. Students then...
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Jamestown
Seventh graders examine life at the Jamestown settlement. In this colonial America lesson, 7th graders visit the noted Web site to analyze artifacts from the settlement. Based on their findings, students write descriptive pieces about...
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Early European Explorers
Fifth graders complete a variety of activities surrounding European exploration of the New World. They research one explorer and write and present an essay or script in which they portray that explorer as he makes his final report to his...
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The Early History of Haiti
Seventh graders make list of places Columbus explored on his first journey to Americas, locate island of Hispaniola on map, examine groups of people who have inhabited island, complete blank map and key of Hispaniola, and research early...
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Early Travel Routes
Learners explore explorers in the Pacific Northwest by examining primary source documents. After the research is finished students write a journal as if they were one of the explorers. Visual aids are needed as well.
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Early Explorers
Fifth graders explain the reasons why Europeans decided to explore and colonize the world. In this European explorers instructional activity, 5th graders complete a wall matrix about the explorers and write a summary about the explorer...