Curated OER
Sami and the Time of Troubles
Students read Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland's, Sami and the Time of Troubles before discussing it as a class. They brainstorm ideas for a letter to the main character, Sami. Next, they write a rough draft of a letter to...
Curated OER
The Life Masks of Lincoln
Students analyze two life masks of Abraham Lincoln. For this Life Masks of Lincoln lesson students determine which events during his presidency formed the change in Lincoln's countenance. Lastly students create a timeline of important...
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...
Curated OER
A Hero Betrayed: The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant
Students analyze the career of Ulysses S. Grant. In this Grant presidency instructional activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of Grant's presidency. Students respond to discussion 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
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Young scholars explore the concept of Japanese internment. In this Japanese internment lesson, students examine primary sources that enable them to discover what internment camp life was like and its implications, Young scholars write...
Curated OER
With Liberty and Justice for All
High schoolers examine the role of Supreme Court justices. In this judicial branch lesson, students consider the civil rights and civil liberties as they investigate Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia State...
Curated OER
The Cold War: Civil Defense or Nuclear Disarmament?
Students research the positions of civil defense and nuclear disarmament during the Cold War era. They participate in a class debate to support a given position.
Curated OER
A New Birth of Freedom: Black Soldiers in the Union Army
Students investigate the history of civil rights by viewing historical photographs. In this U.S. history instructional activity, students discuss why Black Soldiers fought for their rights by joining the Union Army in the 1800's....
Curated OER
Do We Need a Permanenet International Criminal Court?: War Crimes, Violence, International Law and Politics, Nuremberg
In this lesson, students explore the history, relevance and current application of international tribunals for war crimes. Students look at cases from the Nuremberg trials, Tokyo trials and the Bosnian War.
Facing History and Ourselves
We and They, the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
Learners examine World War I war crimes. For this world history instructional activity, high schoolers use primary and secondary sources to research and understand the action taken by the United States during the Armenian Genocide....
Curated OER
Who is Robert M. Glass? - Black History Month
Students research the role of African Americans during the each of the United States' wars. In this African American history lesson, students research information and statistics about the role of African Americans in the following wars:...
Curated OER
The Battleground: Separate and Unequal Education
Students investigate the history of unequal education in the United States and the impact on African American history. For this unequal history lesson, students discuss the purpose of education and describe an ideal school. Students...
Curated OER
What is a war criminal?
Learners read the story Former president denies war crimes. They then read three different situations and discuss the situations. Students draw up plans for fair war, learners are divided into two equal halves. The students and their...
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.
Curated OER
Was Reconstruction a Revolution?
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Reconstruction activity, students research details pertaining to Congress's role in Reconstruction. Students use the provided worksheets to...
Curated OER
Remembering September 11
Students explore the impact of September 11 on American society through analysis of interviews and class discussions. Students evaluate the historic importance of the Gettysburg Address.
Stanford University
Japanese American Incarceration
Using documents, such as reports from government sources and civil rights activists, budding historians explore the justification for forcing hundreds of thousands of Japanese-Americans to leave their lives and re-evaluate that tragic...
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...
Stanford University
Ansel Adams at Manzanar
Analyzing photos from Ansel Adams of Manzanar—a camp where the American government imprisoned thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II—individuals consider what images have to say about this period in American history....
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
Before Rosa Parks: Ida B. Wells
The contributions of Ida B. Wells to the Civil Rights Movement are the focus of this social studies instructional activity. Middle schoolers read a handout regarding Wells, discuss the handout, and write about non-conformist behavior.
National First Ladies' Library
Martha Goes To War!
High schoolers investigate how women went to war and the contributions that they have made in history. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a class presentation and answer some...