Curated OER
Westward Expansion Unit
Eighth graders investigate the importance of Westward Expansion in the history of the United States in this unit of lessons.
Curated OER
Growing a Nation
Eleventh graders examine the major events and inventions that changed American families and communities. In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze various documents dealing with the changes. Students create a project on an event...
West Virginia Department of Education
An Act Worthy of Reward
John Brown is considered by many to be a martyr for abolition and civil rights. The resource covers an important event in West Virginian history, the raid by John Brown, as a standalone that discusses Brown's last words and his reaction...
US Institute of Peace
Simulation on Conflict Prevention in the Greater Horn of Africa
Is containing a conflict possible in the Horn of Africa? Young peacekeepers engage in a simulation that examines the multi-faceted conflict that exists between the countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Representatives from ten countries in...
Curated OER
Gettysburg
Students investigate the major events of the Civil War by reading and depicting the Gettysburg Address. Video clips are used to create an iMovie to enhance their background knowledge.
Curated OER
My Brother, My Enemy
Students visit the West Virginia Museum, with the goal of creating and publishing a newsletter that demonstrates learning. Students complete vocabulary activities, and are given web site resources to this end. Students choose from 5...
Curated OER
Unionism versus Secessionism in Virginia
Eleventh graders, in groups, analyze newspaper articles and then debate and discuss if Virginia should succeed from the Union or not.
Albert Shanker Institute
Economic Causes of the March on Washington
Money can't buy happiness, but it can put food on the table and pay the bills. The first of a five-lesson unit teaches pupils about the unemployment rate in 1963 and its relationship with the March on Washington. They learn how to create...
Curated OER
What Would Pink Say
Students create Venn diagrams of similarities and differences between two main characters in Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.
Curated OER
Chapter 8: Reconstruction
In this Reconstruction instructional activity, students read assigned textbook pages regarding Reconstruction plans and respond to 44 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Social Activism in the United States
Seventh graders explore the goals of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In this US History lesson plan, 7th graders read a newspaper article that reported a significant event during this era. Students write a summary of...
Curated OER
Eisenhower: The Contentious 1950s
Students explore 1950's America. In this American history lesson, students research the McCarthy hearings, Civil Rights, war fatigue, and economic issues of the decades. Students respond to discussion questions about topics.
Curated OER
Children at War
Students conduct Internet research to investigate the use of children in combat throughout the world. Students read personal testimonies and analyze media coverage of children in combat.
University of California
Anti-Communism at Home
Have you ever been accused of something without cause? The sixth installment of an eight-part series asks scholars to create a museum exhibit on the anti-communist activities in the United States at the start of the Cold War. To make...
Center for History Education
Daily Lives of Slaves - What Really Happened?
The stories of enslaved people are preserved forever thanks to the Great Depression. Budding historians explore slave narratives gathered by a federal government initiative to discover what life was actually like for enslaved people....
Curated OER
Social Changes in America Caused by World War II
Young scholars research and examine the social changes that occured in the United States during World War II. In pairs they conduct research using a variety of resources, and organize and compose a "Guide to Life" for veterans returning...
Curated OER
World War II
Students create a Powerpoint presentation covering key information regarding a World War II battle and present the information to the class in the form of an oral presentation. They then will turn in a summary report including two...
Curated OER
Samuel's Choice - Social Studies Using Children's Literature
Fifth graders read a book about independence, freedom, and slavery. Students create a story map of the book. They research the causes of the Civil War. Students write a newspaper article from the point of view of an American colonist.
Curated OER
Denying Civil Rights
Students continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...
Humanities Texas
A President's Vision: Abraham Lincoln
Invite your learners to take a close look at Abraham Lincoln's presidency through analysis worksheets of several images and primary documents, presented on an educational poster entirely dedicated to this great United States president.
Curated OER
Unit 1: Building Historical Background Knowledge: The Road to Revolution 1754–1776
What were the conditions that led to the American Revolution? What are the conditions that lead to revolution in other times and places? Class members examine primary source materials and use evidence drawn from these documents to craft...
Curated OER
AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY BEFORE EMANCIPATION
Explore poetry written by African-Americans before emancipation. 8th graders create collages, and explain why they chose specific stanzas. They display the collages on the class bulletin board that demonstrate an understanding of the...
Curated OER
Uncle Tom's Cabin and American Culture
Students examine and analyze primary sources. They analyze the causes and effects of major events of the Civil War. They explain a variety of antebellum notions of slavery. They understand the impact that Uncle Tom's Cabin had on the...
Curated OER
Reaction to Pearl Harbor: Japanese American Internment Camps
This student produced presentation provides a great exploration of the Japanese-American Internment Camps during World War II, but should be used primarily as a discussion tool. The presentation includes photos, audio and pictures of...