Curated OER
Population Changes in U.S. Cities
Students investigate the changes in the population of major U.S. cities from 1920 to 2003. They write down as many U.S. cities as they can in one minute. Students discuss the top five cities on their lists and they disucss why there are...
Curated OER
Second Graders Create Their Own Social Studies Book (Part I, The 5Ws of the Constitution)
Students study the United States Constitution and create a year-long cumulative activity for social studies. In this social studies lesson, students complete activities throughout the year to learn the 5Ws for the United States...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Towne Planning in Tidewater
Young scholars discover how European values dominated colonial life. They also examine the effects of slavery in the Americas. Students compare the planning of their home town with that of colonial Williamsburg. They locate key sites...
Curated OER
What Caused the Great Depression?
Analyze the many causes of major political, economic, and social developments during the 1920s and 1930s, with emphasis on the Great Depression. Read photographs from the 1920's and the 1930's, then write a brief explanation of what you...
Curated OER
Religion and the Environment
Students consider the role of environmentalists in the United States. In this political issues lesson, students compare and contrast the evangelical vote in the U.S. with the liberal vote as they read selected articles and watch Moyers...
Curated OER
Trial at the Turn of the Century
Learners examine and explore various aspects of change at the turn of the century including economic, political, civil and others. Students then locate and analyze various primary sources to write an essay that demonstrates their...
Curated OER
The Salt of Life
Students identify and describe significant historical periods and patterns of change within and across cultures, such as the development of ancient cultures and civilizations, the rise of nation states, and social, economic, and...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Territorial Expansion and the Shift of Power
Young scholars make connections between changes in voting participation and the election of 1828, and describe regional factors evidenced by the voting results of the election of 1828.
Curated OER
Looking for Lincoln's Views on Slavery
Students reflect on Abraham Lincoln's views of slavery. In this United States History lesson, students analyze how things have changed in the United States over the course of their lifetime, then use this information as a comparison to...
Curated OER
Old Kids From The Bloc
Students study about wide scale construction and development in Moscow and its impact on cultural and historic preservation. They research the political, social, economic, and cultural changes in the former Eastern Bloc and create a...
Curated OER
The Path of the Black Death
High schoolers are able to show on a map how the Black Death moved through Europe. They summarize the direct effects of the Black Death in Europe. Students cite evidence from firsthand accounts in developing an argument that...
Curated OER
Pay It Forward
Ninth graders practice serial reciprocity. In this "Pay It Forward," lesson, 9th graders watch the film of the same name and discuss how it mirrors work by Martin Luther King, Jr. Students then discuss service projects they can carry out...
Curated OER
Geography And The Gulf War
Young scholars develop maps, tables, graphs, charts, and diagrams to depict the geographic implications of current world events, and analyze major human conflicts to determine the role of physical and cultural geographic features in the...
Curated OER
Progressive Movement in Nebraska and the United States
Students interact with the whole progressive movement and its impact on the U.S. They list the goals of the movement. In addition, they organize primary resources and interpret political cartoons. Each student shares one of their...
Curated OER
The Way to Venezuela
Students investigate various facets of Venezuelan culture, politics, history and current events to develop an introductory chapter of a guidebook to the country.
Curated OER
Working Together to Improve Our Community
Students from the fourth grade research a solution to a community problem and converse with eighth graders via email. Eighth graders study the political process and work with the fourth graders to present information to the public to...
Curated OER
Multicultural Issues and the Law: Gender and Race Based Schooling
Students examine the problems associated with gender based and race based education. In groups, they research the history of education and the laws that have changed education and impacted lives. They brainstorm a list of the positives...
Curated OER
The Power of Fiction
Students explore fiction that moves individuals to social action. In this literature lesson, students read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and analyze its literary worth as well as its investigative journalism. Students investigate other...
Curated OER
Conflict Resolution in the World Today: Introduction to Current World conflicts, their Antecendents, the Progression, and their Potential Conclusions
Young scholars write a paragraph describing a conflict they had with a friend or a family member and a paragraph explaining how it was resolved. In this social science instructional activity, students share their paragraphs with a...
Curated OER
The City of New Haven
Young scholars examine the geography, politics and history of their local town of New Haven, Connecticut. Using the internet, they explore the neighbors of New Haven and write directions from their house to school. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Medieval African Kingdoms
Seventh graders examine the geography and political history of West Africa. They role-play as applicants to a company that transports customers to any historic time period. Working in teams, they create promotional products encouraging...
Curated OER
Debating Our Destiny
Students participate in debates related to the history of the United States. In groups, they research their opinion on the purpose of debates and how a debater's posture affect the outcome of the debates. They identify the political...
Curated OER
Late 19th Century U.S. Foreign Policy
Eleventh graders discover that many of the issues the United States faces today elicit the same type of political, philosophical and moral debate that has divided the country in the past.
Curated OER
Pre-Columbian Settlements and People
Fourth graders describe the social, political, cultural and economic life and interactions among the people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.