Annenberg Foundation
Contested Territories
United States expansion into Western territories impacted much more than just lines on a map. The seventh installment of a 22-part series about America's history puts scholars into the lives of those making the journey westward as well...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Patriots or Traitors - Point of View in the War for Independence
Patriots or traitors? Class members analyze images that present widely differing views of the Boston Tea Party, identifying the point of view of the image, the propaganda devices used, and the intended audience.
NOAA
El Niño
El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...
State Bar of Texas
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Who decides someone is not a real person? Scholars investigate the Dred Scott v. Sandford court case which deals directly with slavery and citizenship. After viewing a short video clip, classmates work in pairs to assess and discuss the...
Scholastic
Lesson 1: What Are Barriers?
Scholars discuss the concept of a barrier with a short passage on Jackie Robinson. The writing process begins with a paragraph and several other sentences about Robinson's unique traits that made breaking a barrier possible.
ProCon
Illegal Immigration
Should immigrants who illegally reside in the United States be eligible for citizenship? With information about undocumented immigrant population estimates, sanctuary cities, and unaccompanied immigrant children, pupils consider the pros...
Smithsonian Institution
In His Own Words: George Washington Quotation Timeline
Students read and analyze a series of excerpts from George Washington's letters, journal, and speeches to match quotations to the event or date in his life. They identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative. They...
Smithsonian Institution
Giving Speeches: George Washington's First and Second Inaugural Addresses
Young scholars discuss the purpose of the President of the United States giving an inaugural address. They describe their impressions of any inaugural speaches they have heard or read. Students research events leading up to Washington's...
Curated OER
Slave Narratives
Students examine many different slave narratives living in the 1700s. In groups, they identify and describe the major events in their lives and arrange them into chronological order. They use this information to create a timeline and...
Curated OER
Dawn by Elie Wiesel
Young scholars have a better comprehension of the personal struggle of a survivor and the events which led to the establishment of the sovereign nation of Israel. They recognize the historical context for the events of the book. Students...
Curated OER
Timeline - United States and Germany, Before, During, and After World War II
Students read novel Rosa's Miracle Mouse, research assigned years in small groups, and create timelines and Powerpoint presentations detailing interaction between Germany and the United States before, during, and after World War II.
Curated OER
Crossing the Deleware: A Visual Myth or Reality
Students analyze the painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.In this analyzing lesson plan, students analyze this painting that has a lot of historical inaccuracies, and then come up with a persuasive argument supporting or opposing...
Curated OER
A Country Twice Divided
Students study biography from the 19th century. They read "The Red Badge of Courage." Students research a topic from the list provided in the lesson plan and write a 5-7 page paper. They study lyrics and melodies of the confederacy and...
Curated OER
Getting Down and Dirty: An Exploration of the 1930's
Pupils complete an exploration of the 1930s. Using artwork and primary source documents, they compare, contrast and identify cause and effect relationships in the events of the decade. They discover how the events then affect people...
Curated OER
Voices from the Holocaust: A Message of Hope
Students develop a sense of historical empathy as they discuss The Holocaust and roll play activities designed to highlight prejudice in today's society. In this Holocaust history and The Diary of Anne Frank lesson, students...
Curated OER
World War II: Japanese-American Internment
Fifth graders read "The Bracelet" by Yoshiko Uchida and use it as a catalyst to discuss the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. They debate the morality of the internment, create Venn diagrams and chart important events...
Curated OER
Local and Global Sustainability Unit
Students examine the characteristics that define a sustainable community at the local and global level. They create and prioritize a list of traits, read and discuss a magazine article, and create a poster.
Curated OER
Eckstine, Stayhorn, and the Dorseys: Masters of Swing
Students explore the history of swing music. In this music history lesson, students research the Dorsey Brothers, Billy Eckstine, and William Strayhorn to learn about swing music. Students define swing, develop a timeline of events in...
Curated OER
Danger on the Underground Railroad
Student examines the role of the Underground railroad. In this Post-Civil War lesson, 7th graders read and analyze primary sources. Students create a timeline that details the events of the stories.
Curated OER
The Chinese Massacre of 1871
Students investigate the historical Chinese Massacre of 1871. They conduct Internet research, analyze period maps of Los Angeles, read an article, design a timeline, and write a research paper.
Curated OER
Nonviolent Resistance: Gandhi and King
Students use the internet to research the major events and dates of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. In groups, they use this information to create a poster to present to the class. They reflect on how these two men were...
Curated OER
Letters from Rifka
Students read Karen Hesse's book "Letters from Rifka" and explore how it presents the experiences of a Russian immigrant to America. They research and write reports on the experiences of various immigrants from different cultures, keep...
Curated OER
Understanding Narrative Poetry
In this poetry worksheet, students learn about narrative poetry. They then answer 7 questions about one of the poems they read, practice writing their own narrative poem, and complete a research project using the internet. The answers...
Curated OER
Macbeth
Students discuss the changes the characters go through in Shakespeare's play Macbeth. They discuss the themes of the play write an essay comparing current events to the themes of the play.