Smithsonian Institution
Spanish American War
Today, Cuba and America sometimes struggle with diplomatic relations, but did you know that America went to war against Spain to free Cuba? Learners examine many interesting facts related to the Spanish American War using an informative...
Carolina K-12
The Mini Page: July 14 is Bastille Day
July 14th, 1789 marked the beginning of the French Revolution and the end of French aristocracy. Read all about Bastille Day with a kids' newspaper that also includes articles on American popular culture, the circulatory system, and...
Curated OER
On Sunday There Might Be Americans Lesson
Learners examine the life of a rural Niger boy. They discover his relationship with foreigners and indigenous peoples. They read excerpts from a former Peace Corps volunteer.
Curated OER
What's Outside the Window
What do your students see when they look outside the window? This project lets their imagination go wild, and lets you see what kind of daydreaming they do best. They each draw, paint, and color an image of what they imagine as they are...
Curated OER
Encouraging Students to Embrace Their Inner Author
Everyone is a writer! Youngsters compose an original piece of writing. In this writing lesson, they come up with their own idea for a piece of writing, revise it, and then publish it with illustrations. This lesson includes three...
Curated OER
Lincoln, Emancipation, and the Constitution
Students determine how President Lincoln promoted emancipation. In this slavery instructional activity, students examine primary documents, including the U.S. Constitution, to reconstruct Lincoln's attempts to end slavery and deliver the...
Curated OER
Civics Test for Citizenship: History and Government, 100 Questions
Use this thorough presentation to help your English Learners prepare for their citizenship. Covering questions 1-51 from a History and Government practice test, these slides could be a great resource for those who are working to become...
Bismarck Public Schools
History & Math of the 1830s
Using this interdisciplinary worksheet, your young historians will have the opportunity to practice their math skills while learning about the drastic population increase in the United States during the presidency of Andrew Jackson....
National Constitution Center
Explore Rights Around the World
How has the American Bill of Rights influenced the rest of the world? An interactive web activity helps individuals see the similarities between countries' bills of rights. A text-to-text tool compares the American Bill of Rights to...
ProCon
Cuba Embargo
President John F. Kennedy bought 1,200 Cuban cigars the night before he enacted the Cuban trade embargo in 1962. Should the United States maintain the embargo? Using the website, pupils explore the topic to prepare for a class debate or...
Curated OER
Looking After Pets
Students work in groups to compose their own "Duty of Care" for pets and make their own individual list from this discussion and illustrate it with drawing or images taken from magazines, websites or newspapers.
Curated OER
The Mission of the Red Cross
Pupils explore and discus the mission aims of the International Committee of the Red Cross. They draft a letter about the work of the ICRC to the US Secretary of Defense which includes personal opinions on:
the mission of the Red...
Curated OER
Fighting The Horse Race: Creating Ads Which Explore 2008 Presidential Candidates & Issues
What is advertising? What role does it plan in an election? Middle and high schoolers discuss advertising and its purpose by sifting through different magazines and discussing the products they find. Then they relate advertisements to...
Curated OER
Children's Organization for Civil Rights
Pupils analyze a speech from Constance Baker Motley, examine student Organization for Civil Rights' documents, and then create their own plan of action for what the C.O.C.R. might be like if it existed today.
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
A Deliberate, Palpable and Dangerous Exercise of Other Powers: James Madison & Homeland Security
This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...
Curated OER
Buckling Up May Not Help Bus Safety
High schoolers discuss the issue of putting seat belts in all school buses. Using the internet, they research how other districts are solving this problem. They interview school administrators about the pros and cons of putting seat...
Curated OER
The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas
Looking for a simple and straightforward reference on the Enlightenment for your young historians? Check out this list of key terms and important figures from the period, followed by a traditional assessment where your learners will be...
Curated OER
Sybil Ludington's Ride - a poem
Fourth graders examine the role a teen from the Hudson Valley played in the American Revolution. They view the map of Sybil's ride and calculate the distance using the map's legend.
Curated OER
Perspective on the Slave Narrative
Young scholars examine narratives of two slaves: iam W. Brown and Frederick Douglas. They produce an essay explaining how Brown's narrative challenged the prejudices of readers in his own time and how it challenges prejudices today.
Curated OER
The Rule of Law
Students continue their exploration of the concept of rule of law. As a class, they discuss how Civil Rights leaders followed the rule of law in their protests. After reading various articles, they participate in a discussion and...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Understanding China: The Prospects for Democracy in China
This document provides useful information for a unit on democracy in China. While it does not include detailed activities, it does have a list of democratic principles, and important facts about China that facilitate understanding of its...
Curated OER
"Father" of Our Country vs. "Father" of the Bill of Rights
Students examine the relevance of the Bill of Rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students study the parts of the Constitution and the ten amendments. They investigate the rights and responsibilities that accompany being an American....
Curated OER
Ratifying the Constitution
After a lecture on ratifying the Constitution, this worksheet would be perfect to reinforce your government (or U.S. History) students' new knowledge. The activity contains ten knowledge-level and comprehension-level questions. This...
Curated OER
Putin: 'No way back' from democracy
Imagine a meeting between President Bush and Putin. Get your class thinking about global awareness, democracy, and totalitarian modes of government. They examine how two leaders approach major governmental issues and run their countries...