Curated OER
Farm Life During the Great Depression
Fifth graders examine the plight of farmers during the Great Depression. In this Nebraska history lesson, 5th graders discuss the era prior to reading the novel Out of the Dust by Karen Heese.
Curated OER
Radio Program #5: Moonshining
Students interpret the conditions that surrounded the "moonshining industry" in southeastern Ohio. Interview people who may have been influenced by some experience with someone involved in this type of industry. Prohibition laws are...
Curated OER
The Lives of the People: To Understand the People is to Understand the Times
Students examine the time period of the Great Depression. Using primary source documents, they read excerpts of interviews done by author Studs Terkel for one of his books. They practice interviewing their partner in front of the class...
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...
Rutgers University
African-Americans in WWII
Using transcripts of interviews of African-Americans who served in WWII, class members work in pairs to understand their experience. Prior to the group work, the teacher provides background on WWII and the African-American experience....
Curated OER
Immigration/Migration: Today and During the Great Depression
Eleventh graders compare experiences of their families to those living through the Great Depression using famiy interviews, photographs, films and document from the Library of Congress.
Curated OER
President Kennedy and Kentucky Politics
Students explore the interactions between Kentucky Governor Bert Combs and President Kennedy. They examine JFK's interest in Kentucky politics and construct history through Governor Bert Comb's interview.
Curated OER
Discovering Your Community
Learners focus on the origins of the families that make up their community by exploring their family's origins through themselves, parents, and grandparents. Students create a map marked with family origins for the class.
Curated OER
Ask an Expert-Grade 5-8
Students conduct oral histories about water in their community. They interview community members, create a class oral history journal, and record their findings on a school website, in the school or public library, or in another...
Curated OER
Students' Stories of Arkansas
Eighth graders create their own Arkansas story books based upon their families' oral histories.
Curated OER
Immigration and Migration: Today and During the Great Depression
Students conduct interviews, analyze primary sources including docuements and images to gain an inderstanding of the causes and effects of he Great Depression and immigration.
Smithsonian Institution
Mary Henry: Journal/Diary Writing
A great way to connect social studies with language arts, a resource on Mary Henry's historical diary reinforces the concepts of primary and secondary sources. It comes with an easy-to-understand lesson plan, as well as the reference...
Curated OER
Family Traditions, Customs and Beliefs
Students discuss African childhood, explore family traditions, customs, and beliefs, examine African recipes, discuss differences or similarities in food preparation between the U.S. and Africa, and prepare a dish with adult supervision.
Curated OER
Primary Grade Historians
Students read and analyze books about elders and develop a set of interview questions. They define respect and ways to show respect to elders and conduct an interview with elders. Finally, students write an oral history of a senior...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Heroes in American Culture
Students examine heroes and discuss their characteristics, values, and actions. They produce Powerpoint presentations on real-life and fictional heroes. Students interview veterans for an oral history project.
Curated OER
A Bracero Enters the United States
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an interview with a bracero who entered the U.S. as an illegal worker and then became a bracero. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the interview.
Curated OER
A Bracero Remembers Working Near Chicago
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an interview with a bracero who describes his memories of working near Chicago. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the interview.
Curated OER
A Bracero Protests Low Pay and Discrimination
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an interview with a bracero. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the interview.
Curated OER
A Bracero Describes Work in New Mexico
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an interview with a bracero whose boss tried to take his money. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the interview.
Curated OER
A Bracero Compares Expectations versus Reality of Life in the United States
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an interview with a bracero who describes the expectations and realities of life in the United States. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the...
Curated OER
Finding Our Place in Time
Students utilize interviewing skills of an historian to research the time period of the 1970's. They use prior knowledge of the 1960's to explain the mood of the country in the 1970's.
Curated OER
September 11 Lesson Plans
By interviewing family members about 9/11, students can provide material for deep and meaningful discussions.
Curated OER
Jazz it Up!
Young scholars research the history and contributions of Jazz in their local environments. They then design and create a wide variety of presentations to share with the class using as many mediums as possible.
Curated OER
American Lives in Two Centuries:What Is an American?
Students decide what it means to be an American. In this historical perspectives lesson plan, students read Crevecoeur's "Letter from an American Farmer," and interviews with everyday Americans from the Works Progress Administration....