K12 Reader
Civil Rights Biography: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Why do schools and government offices close one day every January to honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? Young learners discover the achievements and lasting significance of this influential figure in American history with...
The Alamo
The Alamo Crossword Puzzle
Sort out who's who from the Battle of the Alamo with a helpful crossword puzzle. Complete with 20 clues and names, the resource helps history learners identify the major players in a pivotal moment in American history.
Curated OER
The History of Creation
Students explore the properties of matter. For this lesson about matter, students will do a series of experiments to enable them to understand about creation of the universe. In these some of the experiments students will makes stars,...
Curated OER
Aboriginal Peoples And The Universals of Culture
Sixth graders research specific features of a province or territory of Canada. In this Canadian history lesson, 6th graders identify aboriginal culture areas on a map, identify cultural features represented in their region, and create...
Curated OER
Earth, the Universe, and Culture
Students view segment of documentary, Swift: Eyes Through Time, explore famous scientists, their theories, places of origin, and culture, document scientific viewpoints of famous scientists throughout history, and discuss geographical...
Curated OER
Anticipatory Set Lesson for First Day of History Class
Students are introduced to the meaning of history and its importance. They examine why societal history plays an essential role in our lives as responsible citizens.
Curated OER
Ancient Egyptian History/African Literature Activity
Young scholars gain a conversant knowledge of some aspect of ancient African literature of the eighteenth dynasty (1572-1315 B.C.) in Egypt. They choose either to make a crossword puzzle or a word search with at least 20 key words from...
Curated OER
An Ancient Revolution: The Written Word
Students examine the Bible, one of the earliest written sources, as a compilation of narratives, and search the resources on the HERITAGE DVD-ROM for historical "proof" as well as create their own stories and scripts based on ancient...
Curated OER
History of Aaron Copland
Third graders study the history of Aaron Copland, the famous American composer. They dance to the song Hoe-Down composed by Aaron Copland.
Curated OER
History is a Series of Decisions
Students examine cause and effect. In this American Revolution lesson, students analyze primary source documents regarding the Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre, and George Washington. Students imagine if the events had unfolded differently...
Curated OER
A Glimpse into the Past of Ancient Egyptian Culture
Middle schoolers explore ancient Egyptian culture, and relate the lives of ancient Egyptians to their own.
Curated OER
History and Human Rights: A Process for Analyzing Events
Students analyze various American History topics which concern human rights. They research the topics and analyze the sources for bias or stereotype. They decide and discuss whether or not any human right were violated in each...
Curated OER
Connecting International Events with Values and History
High schoolers explore international and global concerns. In this World History lesson, students discuss differences in values across the globe, then create a poster depicting their thoughts.
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: Renewing the Sectional Struggle
A panorama of the mid-19th century in America, this series of images present several issues that were prevalent before the Civil War. Territorial and social conflicts were heated during this time, and one map in particular shows a...
Curated OER
Multas
Combine history and Spanish instruction with an exploration of descriptions of fines given in Florida in 1790. Partners read the brief text, fill out a graphic organizer about the crimes described, and interview each other about fines....
Curated OER
Folktales: Oral Traditions as a Basis for Instruction in our Schools
Pupils visit their school library to read a variety of folktales. While they read, they identify the trickster or hero in each and discuss how the character represents the chaos in the real world. In groups, they write their own...
Curated OER
Gather Your Own Oral History
Students investigate the concept of oral history. They read chapter 10 of a history text that is provided through the school and the teacher should search for a text to provide the background knowledge. Students define and practice the...
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
Compare and Contrast Night to Life is Beautiful
After reading Elie Wiesel's Night, watching the movie Life is Beautiful, and researching World War II, class members write a comparison essay on the book and film. This includes a prior knowledge activity, discussion in whole and small...
Advocates for Human Rights
Migrants in the Media
Class members examine two documents—The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The Rights of Migrants in the United States—and then use reports in the media to assess how well the US is doing in ensuring these rights.
Smithsonian Institution
The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
Space Awareness
The Sun Compass of the Vikings
Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...
Curated OER
Arabia: Educator's Resource and Activity Guide
MacGillivray Freeman's film Arabia presents viewers with remarkable images and insights into this ancient and mysterious land. An educator's guide is designed to provided teachers with the materials they need to support a showing of the...
Fluence Learning
Writing About Informational Text: Beyond the Beyond—Galaxies
Everyone has a different point of view, even when it comes to the enormity of the universe. Two separate text passages explain the scope of a galaxy, prompting young readers to write an essay about each author's argument and how the...