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Lesson Plan
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Smithsonian Institution

Conflicting Voices of the Mexican War

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...
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Lesson Plan
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Historical Thinking Matters

Spanish-American War: 5 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Nine historical documents, an interactive online notebook, and a fantastic opportunity for historical inquiry await your pupils in this 5-day lesson plan. Class members identify and discuss various causes for the Spanish-American War...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Blue or Gray? Perspectives on the Civil War

For Teachers 8th Standards
Using primary and secondary sources, such as letters and diaries from soldiers and civilians, learners consider why people fought in the American Civil War. A role-playing Historical Mingle activity, as well as discussion questions and...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Edith Wharton: War Correspondent

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners research how the field of war correspondence has evolved. Young historians read chapter's from Edith Wharton's book Fighting France, From Dunkerque to Belfort. Students investigate an American correspondents' experiences during...
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Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Post-1865: Effects of the War

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
What did Lincoln want? Historians still debate this question, and perhaps people will never fully know. Class members examine the legacies of the war, including the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. The lesson plan also...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

African-American Communities in the North Before the Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Middle schoolers may be surprised to learn that before the American Civil War there were more slaves living in New York than there were in Kentucky! Young historians examine maps and census data to gather statistics about...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Pontiac's War

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Invaders are coming: fight them off or run? Native American peoples had to decide this question after British colonists went west following the French and Indian War. Using a speech from Chief Pontiac, young historians consider if they...
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Lesson Plan
Shakespeare Uncovered

War and Leadership in Shakespeare’s Henry V

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
“Compared to war all other forms of human endeavor shrink to insignificance.” “War is not healthy for children and other living things.” These two views of war, embodied in George Patton’s statement and Lorraine Schneider‘s famous 1966...
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eBook
Core Knowledge Foundation

The Civil War

For Students K - 2nd Standards
A 48-page Student Reader focuses on the Civil War. Scholars gain information from a text that explores when, why, and where the Civil War occurred, as well as important people such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Abraham...
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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

The Civil War

For Teachers 2nd Standards
A unit focuses on the Civil War. Second graders follow along with an informational reading about the war—why it started, how it ended, and essential individuals such as Harriet Beecher Stow, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Ulisses, S....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

War Literature

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Working in groups, young historians review a war poem written by Stephen Crane. After reviewing the poem, they present an oral interpretation of the poem and hold a panel discussion about their analysis. The panel is made up of five or...
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Lesson Plan
National History Day

More Than Mud and Cooties: The Poetry of World War I Soldiers

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Poetry is not just for romance. Teach middle schoolers about soldiers' experiences during World War I with poetry written by the soldiers themselves. The instructional activity includes a simulation activity, a graphic organizer...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Star Wars – a Relaxation Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Take young padawans on a journey towards ultimate relaxation with a series of Star Wars themed yoga poses. Following a mindful and imaginative story, the force is strong with stretches including the Rey's Pole, R2D2, Yoda, and more! 
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

The Vietnam War and Protest Music

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Here's a must-have resource for your Vietnam War curriculum file. Class members view a PowerPoint that details the background of the conflict and then examines the reasons for and the effects of protest songs on American attitudes toward...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What This Cruel War Was Over: Slavery and the Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Can't travel to Richmond for your Civil War unit? This plan creates an authentic experience, using primary sources and the essential question: Over What Was the Civil War Fought? Historians examine the Appomattox Marker, the site of Gen....
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PPT
Curated OER

World War II - The Allied Response

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Your class will benefit from this excellent presentation on World War II, and the Allied Response to Hitler's threat. The PowerPoint is packed with important information about battles, key figures in the war, and has an excellent...
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PPT
Curated OER

The Civil War in Pictures

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Here is a really unique way to present information on the American Civil War. The slide show begins with a look at the first true photojournalist, Matthew Brady. It describes his tools and methods, then shows his pictures. Each image is...
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Lesson Plan
Civil War Trust

The Common Civil War Soldier

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Imagine you are a soldier in the Civil War. What are you wearing? What do you need to carry with you? Examine the life of a person during the Civil War, from drummer boys to powder monkeys to musket-toting soldiers. Elementary learners...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The War of 1812: America’s First Declared War

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Free Trade and Sailor's Rights! Pupils dive into America's first declared war, the War of 1812. They analyze the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison through diary entries and historical reasoning. To conclude the lesson, they use their...
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Lesson Plan
North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies

The French and Indian War: The War That Shaped America’s Destiny

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
How would a Frenchman, Englishman, and Native American have each viewed the French and Indian War? Your young historians will learn about their unique perspectives and the war as a whole through a role-playing activity, engaging...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Civil War Literature Circle

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Historical fiction can be a valuable asset when learning about the past. Integrate several novels written about the Civil War into your social studies unit, with groups of four working collaboratively to comprehend the novel from...
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Lesson Plan
Civil War Trust

Civil War Slang

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Introduce a instructional activity on Civil War slang to your class of fresh fish. After looking at pictures from the Civil War and examining the list of slang terms, young historians write a letter to a family member as if they are a...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Cold War: How Did It Start? How Did It End?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What is the difference between a Cold War and a Hot War? Scholars research the beginning of the Cold War. They analyze diary entries as well as excerpts from various events during the 45-year standoff. To finish, they prepare final...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Prison Camps

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders work with a partner to create a puppet show that demonstrates the condition of the prisoners in Andersonville, Georgia during the Civil War.