National First Ladies' Library
Designing the Common School: The First Educational Reform
Middle schoolers perform preliminary research to explore education before public (common) education was in place. They design a public educational system of their own. Students construct a report outlining challenges and solutions for...
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The Shape of Home
Students explore the diversity among homes in the world. For this diversity lesson, students share the story "Connected to Everything" which features the story of a family that was forced to leave their land and move to a reservation....
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Alice In Wonderland
Students compare and contrast surrealist paintings to Alice in Wonderland. In this literature lesson plan, students examine surrealism paintings and apply those principles to Alice in Wonderland. They explore how the...
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Amelia Earhart: Aviation Pioneer
Young scholars explore social practices and technological advancement of the 1920s and 1930s and relate this to modern life. They explore the events of Amelia Earhart's life and her poetry. They write their own poetry.
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James Peale Lesson Plans
Students explore the work of James Peale. In this visual arts lesson, students examine "The Ambush of Captain Allan McClane." Students create their own artwork that features animals or objects important to them that incorporate realism.
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Pots And People
Students compare present technology with that of earlier times. They explore the history of pottery from the perspective of the unknown men and women who contributed to the development of the early technology.
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Microbes & History: Microbial influence on the spread of Civilization
Students explore how to extract plant fibers from the flax plant Linum usitatissimum in the process of making linen fibers. Doing so spark interest in the importance of microbial action on the spread of human culture and civilization.
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Richmond Nature Park Field Trip
Learners identify different plants and their uses by attending a field trip. In this Canadian plant lesson, students explore the great outdoors of Vancouver, B.C. and discuss the uses of plants by the Native Americans that once resided...
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The Water Cycle
When homeschooling parents and children tackle the water cycle, the results can be a fascinating exploration of our environment.
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Frederica: An 18th-Century Planned Community
Pupils explore life as early settlers in Frederica by pretending to be crafts/tradesmen there and writing letters describing the fort/town to a friend or family member still in Great Britain, debating reconstruction vs. preservation, and...
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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.
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Roll the Union On: the National Labor Relations Act and the Rise of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)
Young scholars examine the many different programs Roosevelt created as a result of the Great Depression. They research the National Labor Relations Act and explore what working conditions were like during that time.
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Latinos Spice Up Melting Pot
Students investigate the history of early Hispanic workers in the U.S. They complete an online Webquest, explore various websites, read about Latinos in the U.S. today, view a mural, and answer discussion questions.
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Criminal or Hero
Fifth graders explore the origins of slavery. In this US History activity, 5th graders create a map of the United States that shows where slavery existed. Students examine the life of a Northern slave through the use of a...
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Imperialism and Expansion: Part 1
Students explore the era of imperialism and expansion of the United States. In this American history lesson plan, students play a game regarding the U.S. attempts to expand the nation in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
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Prairie Voices: Plum Grove
Students explore Plum Grove located in Iowa City. In this Iowa history activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on the history of Plum Grove and the leadership of Robert Lucas. Students select assessment...
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Art and War
Students analyze art and war and the Futurist movement. In this art analysis lesson, students define manifesto and its role with artistic movement. Students explore art as a response to political and social issues through image based...
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Types of Trains
Third graders explore different types of trains. For this science lesson, 3rd graders study the "Orphan Train" and write a paragraph about what it would feel like to be riding a train during this time period.
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The First Humans: Prehistory-3500 B.C. "Lucy"
Students explore prehistoric times by completing web activities in class. In this human ancestry lesson, students identify the archaeological discovery of the "Lucy" skeleton and what it meant for science. Students investigate the Leakey...
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Pierre Elliott Trudeau: Memoirs
Students watch the video "Pierre Elliot Trudeau: Memoirs," complete a vocabulary list, and participate in a discussion of the video. They explore one of Cananda's most charismatic leaders.
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Surveying: 19 Chains and 50 Links
Through an interdisciplinary lesson, emerging engineers explore the history of surveying systems. After discussing various systems, they perform surveys on printable pages. Using their geometric skills, they physically stake out plots...
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Cinderella
Young scholars explore literary perspective. In this point of view lesson plan, students consider the perception of Cinderella from different points of view. Young scholars share their reflections with their classmates orally or in...
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What's in it and Who Eats it?
First graders explore farming by illustrating images. For this livestock lesson, 1st graders discuss what types of plants are used to feed livestock animals and how pets and humans eat the livestock animals. Students draw images of what...
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Tennessee Williams: Wounded Genius
Students explore how Tennessee Williams revolutionized American theater with plays like A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie. But he never escaped the painful legacy of his childhood.