Curated OER
Blessings of a Free Government: The Louisiana Purchase in 1803
Students may take part in a multitude of activities listed such as creating political cartoons, comparison papers, and creating a portfolio to reinforce concepts and ideas surrounding the Louisiana Purchase.
Curated OER
Battle of New Orleans
Students use the Internet, encyclopedias, and other library resources to discover basic facts about the Battle of New Orleans and the 1768 revolt by French colonists in Spanish Louisiana. They examine two websites that give information...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Benjamin Franklin: Colonial Printer and Journalist
Fifth graders explore how important print media is to everyone's daily life. Students use present daily newspapers and they are to reproduce weather forecasts.
Curated OER
Indentured Servants
Students read the article, "Misery." and take notes about reasons immigrants came to America, their physical treatment on the journey, living conditions when they arrived in America, and benefits at the conclusion of servitude. Students...
Curated OER
Hull of a Ship
Fifth graders engage in this introductory unit lesson. A bulletin board for the unit be started, Colonial Notebooks be presented to each student, and a pre-test on colonization be administered.
Curated OER
American History Overview: February
Third graders examine and discuss the first permanent settlement in the New World at Jamestown, Virginia. They write responses to an excerpt from George Percy's journal, and trace the Middle Passage across the Atlantic Ocean for slave...
Curated OER
Ben Franklin the Good Citizen
Young scholars investigate Benjamin Franklin's contributions to society. In this history lesson, students read about Franklin's philanthropic behavior and play a bucket brigade game to re-enact how fires were put out during colonial times.
Curated OER
Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Landscape Long Ago and Today
Combine a fantastic review of primary source analysis with a study of Captain John Smith's influence on the Chesapeake Bay region in the seventeenth century. Your young historians will use images, a primary source excerpt, and maps...
National Endowment for the Humanities
How "Grand" and "Allied" Was the Grand Alliance?
Learn more about the Grand Alliance with a scaffolded lesson plan that includes four activities. Class members use primary sources to complete a map exercise, understand the goals and objectives of each individual nation, and participate...
Rice University
American Government 2e
An informative resource provides a textbook on American government that covers topics such as the definition of government and how democracy works. Each section provides brief questions at the end to assess scholars' understanding.
The Alamo
A Lesson in Citizenship
What does it mean to be an American citizen? Lieutenant Colonel Commander William Barret Travis believed that it meant honor to country first—even above one's own life. Middle and high schoolers read his final letters from the Alamo that...
Curated OER
Inspiration for and Application of the Bill of Rights
Students examine individual rights. In this case law lesson, students discuss the from and function of the Bill of Rights prior to investigating several cases that deal with Constitutional rights. Students discuss the outcome of the...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Imperialism: Locations of Colonial Rule
Eighth graders examine the conquest of the Americas. In this Exploration lesson, 8th graders locate the areas of colonization. Students create a visual map of these areas of conquest.
Curated OER
Corn in Ancient America
Middle schoolers explore the importance of corn to the survival of early civilizations of the Americas. Through research and discussion activities, they read and describe how corn was used as food and currency in early civilizations. ...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Postcards From Mars
Fifth graders research and explore what life would be like for human colonists on Mars. They explore various websites, read and discuss newspaper articles, develop a chart of the hardships and conditions that would be faced by colonists...
Curated OER
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
Fifth graders describe the changes in King George III's policy toward the American colonies by sequencing key events between the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. They explain the colonial reactions to command decisions...
Curated OER
The New Republic
Students research the Federalists and Anti-federalists. In the lesson on state legislature, students use primary sources to create a brochure and write an essay that illustrates federalist and anti-federalists viewpoints.
Curated OER
19 Chains and 50 Links
Students investigate surveys as it relates to chains and links. In this math instructional activity, students relate math to history and surveys done above, below and on the earths' surface. They review vocabulary pertaining to this...
Curated OER
Regulating Drugs: The Creation of the FDA
Students view a video about the Food and Drug Administration. They research its history and functions. They examine problems facing society today. They compare and contrast these issues with those faced during the Progressive Era.
Curated OER
Immigration to the Golden Land: Jewish Life in America
High schoolers examine waves of Jewish immigration during three time periods and analyze a variety of primary sources, including letters, memoirs, and laws, to gain insight into both the American immigrant experience and American society...
Curated OER
Virtual Colony Project
Students develop strategies to create a successful colony by analyzing the environment, individual rights, and responsibilities. They gain an understanding of the challenges faced by colonists.