US National Archives
Eastern Europe 1939-45 — Camps
Britain's decision not to bomb German death camps in World War II has provided many questions for historians, but with a primary source analysis lesson, high school students may be a step closer to finding out the truth. Learners read...
Code.org
Hard Problems – Traveling Salesperson Problem
Even computers find this to be a hard problem. In the eighth installment of a 12-part unit, young computer scientists learn about the traveling salesperson problem. They formulate algorithms to solve the problem and find out why it is...
Manchester University
Veteran’s Day
Before honoring courageous veterans, get to know more about who they are and why November 11th is a special day. Scholars obtain such information through a read aloud of Eve Bunting's The Wall, grand conversation, and letter writing...
Council for Economic Education
The Silk Road
The Silk Road connected the European, Middle Eastern, and Asian worlds. It also helped create the modern trade world. An analysis activity makes the importance of this Chinese innovation clear by asking participants to evaluate trades...
National Woman's History Museum
The National Woman’s Party
Two parties led the women's suffrage movement. The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was a moderate organization while the National Women's Party (NWP) was more militant. Young historians investigate why members of the...
Facing History and Ourselves
Interracial Democracy
Radical Reconstruction, the 10-year period referred to after Congress passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867, saw the establishment of manhood suffrage, men voting without any racial qualifications. Southern states also rewrote their...
John F. Kennedy Center
Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song
A instructional activity all about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad introduces scholars to African American spirituals. By way of reading, speaking, and listening, learners discover, analyze, and decode African American...
Digital Public Library of America
The Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Escaping Enslaved people attempting to escape didn't need a ticket to ride on the Underground Railroad. Here is a packet of primary sources that reveal the kind of courage and determination they did need to face the challenges to gain...
Global Oneness Project
The Importance of Indigenous Language Revitalization
Middle schoolers consider languages as representations of cultures and the importance of preserving various languages, especially the rapidly disappearing languages of indigenous peoples, in a lesson plan that tells the story of Marie...
Curated OER
Abigail and John in Love
The second lesson in the series asks groups to analyze an exchange of love letters between Abigail and John Adams. Scholars identify the many allusions and references in the letters and consider what they can infer about the writers.
Curated OER
The Great War: Evaluating the Treaty of Versailles
Young scholars examine and evaluate the Treaty of Versailles. They read and discuss primary source documents, explore various websites, develop a list of postwar goals for France, Germany, and the U.S., and evaluate whether the treaty...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Finding the Crater
A mass extinction event caused by an impact usually leaves a crater. Scholars use data from 10 different sites around the world trying to determine where to look for the crater. They use data, listing the amount of various minerals to...
Beverly Hills High School
French Revolution
What led up to the French Revolution? Middle and high schoolers explore the factors that contributed to the storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789, as well as the events following that fateful day, with a presentation on the French...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
The Battle of Trenton
The Continental Army's victory at the Battle of Trenton marked a turning point in the American Revolution. Young historians examine maps, read primary source materials, and create a timeline of events to understand why the victory was so...
Digital Public Library of America
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Despite the passing of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, as well as the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the struggle to ensure fair voter registration and election procedures continues. Young historians...
Curated OER
Daily Life During the Great Depression
Students identify what daily life was like during the Great Depression and why oral histories are valuable tools for preserving memories. They develop a list of questions. They conduct an oral history interview. They write down the...
Curated OER
Truman and MacArthur
Young scholars discuss and fill out a chart on how President Truman fired General MacArthur. In this Truman and MacArthur lesson plan, students study telegrams, letters, and other documents, and fill in a chart about supporting or not...
Curated OER
Globalization 101
Students explore the challenges created by cultural globalization. In this history lesson, students read several hand-outs centered on the topic, then participate in a class discussion and fill in a worksheet.
Curated OER
Diego Rivera: Art as the Universal Language
Learners analyze the work of Diego Rivera. They participate in a class discussion, critique various paintings, write a short story based on a Rivera mural, and create a class mural.
Curated OER
The French Revolution
Tenth graders explore the events leading up to the French Revolution. In this World History instructional activity, 10th graders participate in a class discussion as the teacher shares a Powerpoint presentation, then the students rewrite...
Curated OER
Storytellers: Pearl Jam "Never Let Truth Get in the Way of a Good Story"
Students analyze the lyrics from a Pearl Jam song and examine the concept of truth in political advertising. They watch the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," participate in a class discussion, conduct research, and prepare a report...
Curated OER
Revolutionary War, Timeline and Causes
Third graders explore important events leading up to the Revolutionary War. In this Revolutionary War lesson, 3rd graders work in pairs to research dates and important events prior to the Revolutionary War. Class discussion is followed...
Curated OER
Old Hickories
Students analyze historical events to develop a historical perspective. For this critical analysis lesson, students read excerpts, primary sources and other materials in order to understand the Native American Removal that occurred...
Curated OER
Global Intelligence
Students discuss the war in Afghanistan and the conditions surrounding the hunt for Osama bin Laden after reading the article "Bin Laden and Omar: Far Harder to Find" from The New York Times. After the class discussion, students...