Curated OER
Follow the Light
Here is another in the interesting series of lessons that use the special State Quarters as a learning tool. During this lesson, pupils learn about lighthouses, maps, the cardinal directions on a compass, and U.S. geography. There are...
North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies
Voices from the Trans‐Atlantic Slave Trade
Young historians trace the roots of African slavery and learn about the causes and effects of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade through a PowerPoint presentation and by reading and discussing excerpts from the book Copper Sun.
Moanalua Gardens Foundation
The Mystery of Rapa Nui
What caused the collapse of the environment on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)? Who constructed the Moai? What was their purpose? Class members assume the role of investigators and use evidence drawn from field studies, ships' logs, and...
Museum of Tolerance
Family Tree Activity
Discover the family histories that make the classroom with a family tree activity. Scholars locate information about their family, construct a family tree, and work together to tally where family members are born.
Curated OER
Electronic Survey Activity
Fifth graders conduct a class survey and share the results with a class in another state via an electronic bulletin board. This technology-rich instructional activity is an ideal way to have learners practice communicating with others...
Curated OER
European Elevation Sort
Given a prepared database of European countries, sixth graders sort the countries in ascending order by elevation and identify the five countries with the highest elevations. This cross-curricular lesson combines elements of computer...
Curated OER
Winter Holiday Celebrations
Students understand how holidays revolve all around light. In this winter holidays lesson, students find the similarities and differences between the winter holidays. Students discuss the winter solstice and how it relates to the holiday...
Curated OER
Painted Lodges
Students explore lodge construction as a representation of culture. In this cultural diversity and Native American history lesson, students listen to a narrative explaining the origin of Native American painted lodges. Students design...
Curated OER
Places We Live
With a wonderful bibliography to support this lesson on Illinois, President Lincoln, and rural vs. urban settings, this activity is a motivating experience. The lesson begins with pupils exploring books, such as The Little House by...
Middle Tennessee State University
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? A Comparison in American Culture
As part of their study of the Progressive Era, class groups examine a 20th century version of "The Three Little Pigs" through a New Era lens and identify how ideals such as the value of hard work, creativity, and problem solving, etc.,...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
Curated OER
Gargoyles: Ceramics
Study the symbolism and significance of Gargoyles throughout the Gothic era, and then make one. Kids visit three different websites to learn about these goolish protectors, then hone their sculpting skills while making one. They make...
Curated OER
Let's Discuss Current Events
Investigate articles from the daily news and share opinions with classmates. Using current events, learners view a news program without sound and predict what news is being discussed by analyzing the visuals. Then they read news articles...
American Constitution Society
Constitution in the Classroom: The Right to Vote
The system of checks and balances is integral to the functionality of the United States government. Learn more about the ways the three branches of the government work together—and about the limitations of their power—with an informative...
College Board
Reading—Synthesis and Paired Passages
Good readers make connections between texts. The SAT regularly assesses the ability to make those connections using paired reading passages, a topic discussed in an official SAT practice lesson plan on synthesis. During the lesson,...
Curated OER
Presidential Places Quilt
Students design historical quilts. In this presidential history lesson, students research past presidents and landmarks named for them. Students create quilt squares to represent the landmarks and piece all of them together in a large...
Curated OER
The Perfect President
Young scholars advertise for the perfect president. In this presidential duties instructional activity, students determine the attributes that the ideal president should have and then write job descriptions for the role.
Peabody Essex Museum
Chinese New Year Celebrations
Gong He Xin Xi! Happy New Year! Planning a Lunar New Year/Spring Festival Celebration? Check out the activities and resources in a packet that encourages pupils to research the cultural values and traditional practices associated with...
Curated OER
Middle-East Reflections
Practice symmetry and patterns with this Mid-Eastern art project. Your class will create beautiful, reflective mosaics that will brighten up the classroom! A list of necessary materials is included.
Curated OER
Organizing Info into Short Reports
The class brainstorms a list of prominent people from their knowledge of social studies. Groups of two pupils get together and select one of these people to research. They create five questions to research on their person and record them...
US Holocaust Museum
Educational Modules Based on Audio Podcasts
Imagine hearing someone claim an event like the Holocaust never happened. Pupils use audio podcasts and reading passages to dive into the lives of those impacted by the Holocaust of World War II. Using the information they gather, class...
Teaching Tolerance
Poetry and Storytelling Café
Academics take turns as actors in an engaging poetry cafe. Elementary learners work in small groups to create original poems or stories addressing community issues and read their work in front of a live audience. Scholars also reflect...
Digital Forsyth
Restoration Project
In need of a neat idea that incorporates technology skills, art, and history? Young art historians will each select an old photograph from a local archive to digitally restore. The primary focus is to add color, clarity, and remake the...
Curated OER
Mola Mural
Young scholars, after researching the traditional mola art of the Kuna Indians, explore and experiment with colorful fiber arts associated with the Kuna Indians. They work as a class to create a vibrant Mola Mural to showcase...