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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Childhood Lost: Child Labor in the United States, 1830-1930

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Working in groups, middle and high schoolers describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. They then write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
PBS

Women's History: Glass Windows; Glass Ceilings

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Discover stories about women's history in beautiful stained glass windows. The second in a three-part series teaches scholars about a famous artistic style of stained glass windows and the influential women that used art to impact...
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Handout
ProCon

Penny

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Twenty-nine percent of Americans want to abolish the one-cent coin, which begs the question: Is a penny saved really a penny earned? Scholars read fascinating facts about the history of the penny in preparation for a class debate or...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Smithsonian Institution

Art to Zoo: Life in the Promised Land: African-American Migrants in Northern Cities, 1916-1940

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
This is a fantastic resource designed for learners to envision what it was like for the three million African-Americans who migrated to urban industrial centers of the northern United States between 1910 and 1940. After reading a...
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Lesson Plan
Pulitzer Center

China's Rising Labor Movement

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Young historians will explore the complex causes and effects of industrialization in China by perusing the numerous articles included in this webpage. Throughout the resource, there are many writing and discussion prompts to help direct...
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Handout
ProCon

Cuba Embargo

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
President John F. Kennedy bought 1,200 Cuban cigars the night before he enacted the Cuban trade embargo in 1962. Should the United States maintain the embargo? Using the website, pupils explore the topic to prepare for a class debate or...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Labor History in the United States

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders read several articles regarding ethics and ethical behavior. They analyze the reasons for tragedies and circumstances surrounding the relationships between labor and owners. In small groups, 11th graders write a report...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Leaders, Laborers, and Other Perspectives of World War II

For Teachers 10th - 11th
How did the women in France feel about their country’s involvement in World War II? Class groups are assigned a country involved in WWII, and individuals within the group adopt the point of view of leaders, laborers, businessmen, women,...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Teaching Tolerance

Slavery as a Form of Racialized Social Control

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging lesson delves into the effects of slavery on society. Young historians read text excerpts, complete handouts, and participate in group discussion to understand how slavery was a means to control society and establish a racial...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Historical poetry is lyrical in form and rich with content. After examining the differences between the Northern and Southern states before and during the U.S. Civil War, learners complete a Venn diagram and create an illustration of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Silk Road, An Ancient Internet

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Pupils examine how goods and ideas moved along an ancient trade route between China and Europe. They make charts of items, ideas, etc. that were transported along the Silk Route.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Legacies of the Middle Passage

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students research the Atlantic slave trade during the 18th century. In this slave trade lesson, students read a narrative about colonial expansion in the Americas and the rise of slavery in the United States. Students write down what...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mexican American Labor in the U.S.

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the history of immigration, particularly from the perspective of Mexicans and Mexican Americans. In this Mexican American labor lesson, students research questions from the perspective of an assigned group. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unionized We Stand

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students compose a statement of basic rights to protect their own health and well-being. They research the history, power and purpose of unions in the United States before creating their own union to promote the interests of students.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Most Dangerous Woman in America: Mary Harris "Mother" Jones

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover labor issues of the 1800's.  In this Pennsylvanian history lesson, students research the case of Mary Harris Jones and discover her work as a labor activist.  Students discuss the case together in class.
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Pullman Strike

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners explore the Pullman Strike.  In this U.S. history lesson, students view a PowerPoint about the Pullman Strike of 1894.  Learners discuss how this strike divided our nation.  Students work with a group to analyze a newspaper...
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Writing
1
1
Oklahoma State Department of Education

Narrative Prompt

For Students 8th Standards
Reading about history is nothing like experiencing it firsthand. Encourage your eighth graders to do the next best thing with a historical narrative prompt, in which they describe the experience of a first-time traveler on the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Washington Irving in Context

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the various roles Washington Irving had in his lifetime. Examining the situation in Europe and the United States, they are encouraged to relate Irving's experiences to different events. They examine themselves in many...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Women Before and After the Civil War: Slavery and Freedom

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students listen to data on African American women in Texas before the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, students compare and contrast the lives of slave and free women, and discuss case studies, locating areas on a map. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early Colonial Labor Force: Indentured Servants and Slaves

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students study the labor force used during Colonial America. In this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Students read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students use the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Daily Life in Virginia

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore colonization in North America.  In this United States history lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation about indentured servants and slave labor, then construct a related Venn diagram. Students answer questions...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World War II Home Front

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Eleventh graders examine the political demands put on one of four groups living in America during WWII. Each class member is asked to research and write a paper describing the homefront experience for women, Hispanics, African-Americans,...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Election of 1912

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
The Election of 1912: an election with four competitive opponents. Pupils get to know the candidates with informative reading passages that provide context to the election. Then, the class engages in a debate and answers questions as one...
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Lesson Plan
The New York Times

A Worker's Compensation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Middle schoolers read about the history of Labor Day in a newspaper article. They discuss difficulties American employees of the past had to face, learn about labor rallies, and conduct Internet research. Part of the intention of this...