Hubbard's Cupboard
The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving
Students explore holidays by participating in class singing activities. In this Thanksgiving history instructional activity, students discuss the importance of Thanksgiving Day and read several poems which discuss the history of...
Curated OER
Kiskiack: Changing Architectural Landscape
Young scholars compare and contrast the changing Native and English colonial architectural landscape of the 17th and 18th centuries. Students research and evaluate how economic technology, and the environment reflected cultural changes...
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The Power of Journals: Going Beyond the Text
Eighth graders define and use new vocabulary and identify the reasons why Native Americans captured Europeans during the colonial period. They write their own journal entries about the topic and explain the importance of journals as a...
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Hull of a Ship
Fifth graders engage in this introductory unit instructional activity. A bulletin board for the unit be started, Colonial Notebooks be presented to each student, and a pre-test on colonization be administered.
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Abenaki Indians: A Jigsaw Activity
Students work together to research the Abenaki Indians. They discover how the Native Americans lives where changed after contact with the Europeans. They compare and contrast the Indians and the Europeans and present their information to...
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Field Trip to Living History Farms
Students tour "Living History Farms" in Iowa. In this field trip preparation lesson, students observe ways Native Americans began growing crops in the 1700's as well as how the farm changed in the 1800's. Upon their return from the trip,...
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Rules, Resistance and Repeal: How the Stamp Act Was Repealed
Eighth graders examine the causes of the American Revolution. Participating in activities, they discover how it would have felt to be taxed without representation. They identify an object from a museum and discuss how it might have been...
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New Nation
Fifth graders discuss leadership, citizenship, symbols for a nation, how to create peace after reading "The Iroquois Constitution," "The Declaration of Independence," and "Letters from An American Farmer." They create their own nations...
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The Colonies: An Adertisement
Students explore the early colonies of American settlements. After researching important characteristics such as land, politics, economics, and educational opportunities, students create their own advertisement for one of the colonies.
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Comparing Time Periods in U.S. History: The Ashford Project
Fifth graders use a "fact book" comparing periods in American history then students create a picture to illustrate their assigned periods. # # students use their pictures and concept maps to write expository paragraphs about their...
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Good Brother, Bad Brother
Students are exposed to the writings of John Wilkes Booth. They discover that fanaticism is not just a modern phenomenon. They examine four periods in American history when treason was at issue.
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From Slavery to Segregation
Students study the causes and effects of slavery and segregation. They write an essay (including either pictures, charts, graphs or copies of documents to support their essay) which addresses the African American's journey from slavery...
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The Fugitive Slave Law and Migration
Students examine the Fugitive Slave Law as a motivating factor for slaves to emigrate outside the United States. After discussing the relationships between fugitive slaves and North American and Caribbean countries, they write essays...
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Where's the Barbecue?
Learners identify the major landforms, regions and rivers on a map of South Carolina. They compare the locations of the major Native American groups in the state as well. They chart where barbecue restaurants are located and write...
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Creating a Neighborhood Timeline
Pupils research information about their neighborhoods. Uncovering facts about geology and Native Americans, they examine how the neighborhood has evolved over time. They work together to create a timeline of specific events.
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A Share in America
Pupils examine map - reflect on why English colonist kept coming to America (scarcity of land in England / seemingly endless land in America)
Recite line from English poem. They discuss English attitude towards Indians and their lands.
Ashbrook Center at Ashland University
Bill of Rights
Do citizens need protection from the federal government? Scholars investigate why the framers of the Constitution created the first 10 amendments and what these amendments mean to citizens of the United States more than 200 years later....
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French and Indian War
Fourth graders engage in activities that familiarize them with the causes of the French and Indian War. They discuss the problem that started the war, the countries involved, and the effects to come about as a result of the French and...
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Government & Politics
In this United States history learning exercise, middle schoolers reference their textbook to answer 16 fill in the blank questions and 8 short answer questions regarding the early government of the nation.
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The Terrible Transformation: Freedom Denied
Learners learn about the legal foundations for slavery and explore autobiographical writings of slaves. Students trace the development of laws that enforced the slave status of Africans and their descendants.
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Was the Stamp Act Fair?
Young scholars examine British and Colonial perspectives on the Stamp Act.
They determine whether or not the act was fair. Students are intrdouced to the social and economic forces that pushed Americans toward Revolution.
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Early America
Fifth graders, in groups, study the differences between the 13 Original Colonies, then explore the relationship between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.
National First Ladies' Library
Will the Real Pocahontas Please Stand Up?
Learners explore the life of Pocahontas and Powhatan Indians. After studying information on a given website, students compare and contrast what they read about Pocahontas and what they previously thought of her. They explore life in a...
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Causes of the Revolution Newspaper
Learners examine the events that led to the Revolutionary War. Using the internet, they discover the advantages and disadvantages of each side. They use the information to produce a special edition newspaper on the war. They must include...