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Readers Theater
Students perform a reader's theater based on the Civil War. In this dramatic arts history instructional activity, students review the purpose of reader's theater and are given a script to read. The script can be based on an important...
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Longfellow Amongst His Contemporaries: the Ship of State Dbq
Young scholars evaluate the ship of state metaphor in relation to the historical events in America from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. They synthesize ideas presented in ten different primary source documents and compose an...
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Dispute Over Slavery in Kansas Territory
Students analyze primary sources on slavery from Kansas Territory. In this Civil War lesson, students evaluate the antislavery and pro-slavery arguments and summarize key points. Students write a persuasive paper from the antislavery...
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Food
Students examine the types of foods eaten after the Civil War. They create their own cowboy style menu.
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The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history instructional activity, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on...
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The Abolitionist Movement: A Fight for Freedom
Sixth graders investigate the Civil War by identifying famous figures of the era. In this slavery abolitionist activity, 6th graders read a text on the history of the Civil War and discuss heroes of the era such as Harriet Tubman and...
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African American Poetry: Songs of Protest and Pride
Students are introduced to various time periods in history in which African Americans wrote songs and poetry to cope. In groups, they travel between different stations to listen or read poems and music from the Civil War period, Civil...
Crafting Freedom
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper: Lover of Literacy
This, the sixth in a series of 10 related resources, examines the life and works of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, an African American author, born in 1825, who advocated literacy for both free and enslaved African Americans.
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Participating in Democracy
Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy lesson plan, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well...
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Kensington Mansion: Plantation, Sharecroppers, Tenants
Eleventh graders investigate the significance of the Kensington Mansion. In this South Carolina history lesson, 11th graders take field trips to the mansion and research primary and secondary sources about plantations, sharecropping, and...
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"And That's The Way It Is..." Today in History
Students research an event in history from different perspectives. They discuss the characteristics of a nightly news broadcast and create their own based on the history event they researched. They work together to produce this...
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History Close to Home: Creating Your Own Special Museum
Students create their own museum exhibit. In this museum creation lesson plan, students research their local history so they can decide on a theme for their exhibit and what objects they will use in order to design a museum exhibit. A...
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War in the News
Learners consider the portrayal of war in the news. In this lesson plan on Journalistic perspectives, students will work in groups to critically examine news articles written during war times throughout history.
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The Exploration of the Writer, His Louisiana History And the Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman By Ernest J. Faines
Students identify the significance of the author's experiences on his written work; describe the hardships faced by slaves and plantation owners once the caves were set free; explain the role of the Seceses and why they were a threat to...
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Checkmate: What is the History of Chess?
Students create a timeline. In this history of chess lesson, students use the Internet to examine the chess history timeline. Students read books on the history of chess, answer questions and create a timeline using a software...
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Urban Concentration and Racial Violence
Students research one of the many urban race riots in U.S. history, from the New York City riots during the Civil War to the "Red Summer of 1919" or the hate-strikes of 1943. They present their findings in the form of a newspaper's front...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Young scholars explore the concept of Japanese internment. In this Japanese internment lesson, students examine primary sources that enable them to discover what internment camp life was like and its implications, Young scholars write...
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With Liberty and Justice for All
High schoolers examine the role of Supreme Court justices. In this judicial branch lesson, students consider the civil rights and civil liberties as they investigate Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia State...
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Farewell to Manzanar
Students investigate themes of justice and rights while reading the novel Farewell to Manzanar. They research contemporary civil rights issues and write reports. They also research the background of internment camps during World War II.
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Michigan History of Philanthropy
Students investigate how philanthropy began in Michigan. In this philanthropy lesson, students read Michigan History of Philanthropy and read a timeline of several events. Students create a picture with a sentence about a time when they...
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Understanding the Declaration of Independence
Middle schoolers identify and interpret the Declaration of Independence and the rights and privileges demanded in the document. They also identify how those rights and privileges have affected our history. Students then research about...
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Virtual Museum
Ninth graders explore various time-periods in American history. They select important events, people, places, and artifacts to explore. Students present their information to the class using PowerPoint.
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Children at War
Students conduct Internet research to investigate the use of children in combat throughout the world. Students read personal testimonies and analyze media coverage of children in combat.
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Making a Report to President Washington
Young scholars gain an understanding of some of the challenges the U.S. faced at its birth. They are asked to compose a report on the state of the nation in 1790 (addressed to President George Washington), which includes a narrative,...