Federal Reserve Bank
Ten Mile Day
Get your class working on the railroad with this detailed and interactive lesson. After reading and discussing Ten Mile Day, learners explore division of labor, human capital, and productivity with a hands-on group activity in which they...
PBS
Master of the Airwaves: How FDR Used Radio to Ease the Public’s Fears
The political and economic climate during the 1930's was uncertain and tumultuous. But Americans' minds and hearts were eased with the reassuring words of their president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and addresses over the radio. High...
Curated OER
Gaining Perspective
Discuss race in the United States. Start by having each learner read a copy of Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech, "I Have a Dream." Then, have them read the article "Shared Prayers, Mixed Blessings" about a church in Atlanta,...
Curated OER
Consequences of the Sedition Act
Students research and discuss the consequences of the Sedition Act. They illustrate the difficulty of balancing security needs and personal freedom using an example from John Adams's presidency.
Curated OER
Musical Change
Young learners record observations about different coin denominations and create a song about coins to the traditional song, "The Wheels on the Bus." This lesson is based on the Tennessee Quarter Reverse, and has all sorts of excellent...
Curated OER
Effects of Urban Growth
Learners explore population growth in the United States and the impact it has had on society. First, they brainstorm the reasons for population growth and the results of these increases. Then, they design surveys, record results, and...
Curated OER
Follow the Leader
Here is a phenomenal lesson on the three branches of government for your second and third-graders. It presents this often-confusing information in an easy-to-understand format. Many excellent activities and worksheets are embedded in the...
Historical Thinking Matters
Spanish-American War: 3 Day Lesson
Why did the United States choose to invade Cuba in 1898? As part of a 3-day lesson plan, your young historians will first develop working hypotheses to answer this question, then work with a variety of historical primary source documents...
iCivics
The “Supreme” in Supreme Court
Does a public school have the right to restrict what t-shirts learners wear? Discover what happened when this question was brought to the Supreme Court, and review other major cases in United States history involving judicial review....
Facing History and Ourselves
Preparing Students for Difficult Converstaitons
Many of the issues facing 21st Century learners are challenging and even discussing these issues can be a challenge. So how do teachers prepare learners for these difficult conversations? How do instructors create a safe classroom where...
Curated OER
The Great States Race
Here is another in the interesting series of lessons that use the special State Quarters as a learning tool. This one uses the Indiana State Quarter. During this lesson plan, utilize a brilliantly-designed board game that is embedded in...
Federal Reserve Bank
Barbie in the Labor Force
How have the women's share of the labor force and chosen occupations evolved in the United States over the last century? Using census reports, graphs detailing the gender makeup of the labor force, and analysis of the careers of Barbie...
Center for Civic Education
The Power of Nonviolence: Rosa Parks: A Quest for Equal Protection Under the Law
Teach young historians about the historical legacy of Rosa Parks with a multi-faceted lesson plan. Pupils follow stations and use journals to explore prominent events, analyze primary resource documents, and engage in interesting...
Little Kids Rock
The Latin Rhythms of “Despacito”
When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...
Curated OER
From Claws to Jaws: Atlantic Regions of the United States
Students explore New England, Mid-Atlantic, and southeastern regions of the United States. In this social studies thematic unit, students research a state and make a regional quilt. Students wrte a book report and read two novels whose...
Curated OER
Data Comparison And Interpretation: North Korea, South Korea, And the United States
Ninth graders brainstorm "what they know about North Korea and South Korea." They determine the approximate distance from the United States to North and South Korea and create a graph comparing the birth rates, death rates, infant...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Eleanor Roosevelt and the Rise of Social Reform in the 1930's
Eleventh graders explore the various roles that Eleanor Roosevelt took on. In this US History activity, 11th graders analyze the views that Eleanor Roosevelt held as an advocate for social justice. Students evaluate her contributions to...
Curated OER
Economic Recovery? a Comparison of Indicators for Utah And the United States Since March 2001
Students discuss key business and consumer indicators that are used to measure the health of the economy. They compare the economic recovery (from the 2001 recession) of Utah and the United States. They discuss the benefits and...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Single Parent and Blended Families
Students discover the challenges of single parent and blended families, noting the positive and negative effects of each. The lesson includes video clips, case studies, discussions, and an Internet quiz. There is also some attention...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Kyrgyzstan Bride Kidnappings
Students examine the Kyrgyzstan bride kidnappings and compare wedding traditions there with those in the United States. They explain these differences and similarities in a fictitious letter to a peer in Kyrgyzstan.
Curated OER
Social Activism In The United States
Middle schoolers explore justice issues. In this social activism lesson, students watch "Social Activism in the United States," and then locate newspaper articles from the 1960's and 1970's about events during the era.
Curated OER
Safe In the City
Students read a news article about the most dangerous cities in the United States. In groups, they develop a plan to present to the city council to improve the situation in their own community. They examine how the media presents the...
Curated OER
The Embodied Presidency Wilson
Young scholars take a closer look at U.S. intervention in Mexico. In this 20th century history lesson, students examine primary documents to consider why the United States entered the Mexican War and then write DBQ essays on the topic.
Curated OER
Civil War Research Project
Give your WWI study collaborative energy using a group research project. Groups are assigned one of the six main themes (included). Each group has an outline to guide research but will need an assignment guide. Consider supplementing the...