Curated OER
Impacting Indiana
Fourth graders explore Indiana. In this Indiana history activity, 4th graders discuss how Indiana has developed through the years. Students discuss Indiana agriculture and follow a recipe using ingredients from Indiana crops. Students...
Curated OER
Images of the New World
Students examine how visual and literary images played an important role in the English colonization of Virginia. They analyze the importance of Thomas Harriot's Report on the subsequent development of English colonial plans for...
Curated OER
Immigration Push and Pull Factors
Eighth graders examine significant ideas, beliefs, and themes; organize patterns and events; and analyze how individuals and societies have changed over time in Maryland, the United States, and the world.
Curated OER
Community and Colonization
Eighth graders explore the nature of the European colonization in the Americas. They compare how it relates to the inception of their community. Students identify the major players in America's colonization and explore the motivations...
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Home Ties
Students explore the reasons people choose to migrate including political, economic and familial motivations. They interview family members and compare their ancestors own reasons for migration to those of African American urban migrants.
Curated OER
Why Not Come to North Amercia?
Students examine the motives for French expansion into the New World, they evaluate primary source documents to determine who, what, when, where and why.
Curated OER
The English Settle America
Sixth graders compare immigration today with that of the colonial period. They locate colonies on a map and describe reasons their families immigrated to the United States.
Curated OER
Exploration--Widening Our Horizons
Students examine the difficulties of exploration and some of the motivations for exploration. They investigate various types of explorers and identify the difficulties faced by the New World explorers. Students create a journal of...
Curated OER
Evaluating the "Save the Indian" Reforms
Students explore the policies of the "Save the Indian" reforms. Working in groups, they review the motives, methods, and effects of the "Save the Indian" campaign of the late 19th century. Through discussion and writing, they form an...
Curated OER
Homeschooling through the Holidays
Use your unique flexibility to help your family explore the holiday traditions of various cultures.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Analyzing Regional Conflicts Involving Terrorism
This is a week-long lesson on analyzing the similarities and differences between sources of tension and terrorism in eight locations around the world. The class is divided into eight groups and assigned one of the locations to research....
Curated OER
The New England Fishing Industry:Sea Changes in a Community
Explore New England's economic and cultural past and possible issues New Englanders will face in the future. Middle and high schoolers research the fishing industry and the need for regulation. They analyze the topography of New England...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Charisma vs. Experience
Which is more important for a president: experience or charisma? Scholars consider this as they analyze 2 political cartoons in this analysis handout. Background information gives context through a quote from The Telegraph, and 3 talking...
Curated OER
Celebrating Maurice Sendak's Legacy
Lesson ideas that focus on the author and illustrator's contribution to children's literature.
Smithsonian Institution
Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers
The Civil War, a war that divided a nation. Comparing and contrasting the Confederate and Union soldiers is not always an easy task, but the eighth of 15 resources makes it easy to teach the concepts. Exercises include watching videos in...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Islamic Civilization in Spain
There may be elements of this lesson plan that are useful for a unit on Islamic influence in Spain; however, there is little alignment between the learning objectives and the final product --a ten page report. For example, some of the...
Curated OER
Mapping My Spot in History
Students create their own town's history. They place themselves on the map in a literal as well as figurative sense. Students produce portions of an updated version of an early twentieth century panoramic map. Students gather information...
Curated OER
Sea Changes: A New England Industry
Students conduct research in order to use primary and secondary sources. They interpret and analyze information from textbooks and nonfiction books for young adults, as well as reference materials, audio and media presentations, oral...
Curated OER
Reasons to Settle in America
Learners complete a research project. In this American History lesson, students work in groups to research reasons that people wanted to settle in America. Learners record the information, share what they found and write down new facts...
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The American Dream
Students discuss the American dream and explain what the American Dream consists of. In this American Dream lesson, students listen to music about America for the reasons people love America. Students create a list of wants and needs to...
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East Meets West
Students explore the influences of culture in food choices and customs. They compare and contrast information to create a menu using a Web site and Student Writing Center. Suggestions for creating an on-line graphic organizer as well as...
Curated OER
Pioneering Children on the Move
Students inquire about life for pioneer children. In this pioneer period lesson, students analyze photographs of children, make information foldables, and create a covered wagon that was typical of the ones of the past. Students will...
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Civil Rights through Photographs
Students examine why racial tensions continued after laws were put into place to try and create equal treatment. In this two part Civil Rights lesson, students explored the causes of the movement through photography and a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Local History: Mapping My Spot
Students explore maps to discover historical information about their local area. In this mapping and history lesson, students use panoramic maps of their own town/city to interpret historical information. Students also place themselves...