Curated OER
What do they want? Critical Perspectives on the 1960's in the United States
Students determine that history is a field of study that can help them understand themselves and the people around them. By reading sources by and about people with many of the same interests and concerns that they have and learning to...
Curated OER
Views of the American West: True or False?
Young scholars explain that a landscape painting may or may not accurately represent a specific place. They identify techniques that create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface.
Curated OER
In Search of Rights
Seventh graders research Supreme Court cases. They formally debate court rulings, write a scenario portraying a possible futuristic America and participate in a field practicum for media production, while evaluating various social,...
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The Architecture of New England and the Southern Colonies as it Reflects the Changes in Colonial Life
Students compare and contrast the various types of architecture in the Southern colonies. Using slides, they discuss how the homes were made and the materials used. In groups, they identify how the types of homes reflected the...
Curated OER
Stop the Bus: Confronting Our Assumptions About Muslims in America
Students explore Virginia Interfaith Center's A More Perfect Union "Misunderstanding" Ad Campaign, view two episodes of PBS America at a Crossroads series, examine historical context of colonialism and geo-political tensions in Middle...
Curated OER
Jewish Women: Chief Cooks of Culture, Family, And Community
Students explore and analyze how one's culture, food, family and community end up having or shaping our environments as well as determine our destiny's. Food preparation serves as a key component in a Jewish woman's makeup and strength...
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the Not Forgotten - Sharing History & Archaeology
Students create a catalog of gravestones in a cemetery that includes a burial ground from the Revolutionary War. They photograph and document the grave sites, research the Battle of Bunker hill and work with community members to create...
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Political and Social Impact of World War II
Sixth graders study the life in Jewish ghettos during World War II and learn about tolerance and compassion. In this WWII lesson, 6th graders discuss Jewish ghettos but with a mistreatment of the kids with stickers to signify the Jewish...
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Amelia Earhart: Pilot, Activist, and Legend
Ideas for introducing the concepts of heroism, women's rights, and the scientific method using the famous Amelia Earhart.
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Coming to America
Through this set of three lessons about Ellis Island, class members will learn about why immigrants came to the United States, find out about the difficulties that went along with coming to America, become familiar with the immigration...
Curated OER
More than a Hostess: The Role of First Ladies
A study of the country's First Ladies deepens understanding of their role in history.
Curated OER
Liberty Rhetoric
What is liberty rhetoric? Examine how people have used it in four different time periods and situations. High schoolers investigate original source documents and compare them with the Declaration of Independence to decide how liberty...
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Historical Perspective
Students research the different perspectives of important groups and figures involved in the American Revolution and apply their findings to write and perform monologues depicting this pivotal time in history.
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The Westward Movement
Students study the westward movement through examining stamps. In this westward movement lesson plan, students draw conclusions, determine cause and effect relationships and examine the westward movement of the United States by...
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Understanding Political Cartoons
Students draw two political cartoons. They compare the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 to the stand-off that took place at Wounded Knee in l973. They examine the role that Manifest Destiny played in the West.
Curated OER
Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. For this Westward Movement lesson, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period. They prepare and...
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The Life of Frederick Douglass
Students discuss the importance of effective leadership in a democratic society. They study the significance of the contributions of Frederick Douglass to America. They compare the effects of political, economic, and social factors on...
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Imperialism
Students explore the concept of Imperialism. In this foreign policy lesson, students examine the policies of the US and other countries through time. Students then create a political cartoon of their own and create a timeline that...
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The People of Kansas: Where did they come from and why did they come?
Students review census data to correlate to emigration in Kansas. In this Westward Expansion instructional activity, students analyze a painting and create definitions for emigration and discuss why people emigrate. Students read and...
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The True Story of Abbie Burgess
First graders read a story from their textbooks about women in the 1850's. They discuss what it was like to be a woman living in American during this time period. They brainstorm heroines of American history and then discuss woman...
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Keeping the Home Fires: The lives of Western women
Fourth graders explore the various trails that settlers took West from Missouri. They examine the reasons that people took these trails as well as the kind of people who made the journeys. They examine the Oregon, the Mormon, the Santa...
Curated OER
Bill of Right in Action
Groups reserach and write about topics given to them by their teacher dealing with the Bill of Rights.
Stanford University
King Philip's War
King Philip's War was the crescendo of a violent period between the Pequot and English colonists. Using documents from English settlers, including a contemporary report on the conflict, learners explore the little-known period. They then...
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Her stories: African American folktales, fairy tales, and true tales
Students discuss the illustration's allusion to the myth, Pandora's Box. Students locate instances of folk sayings or expressions that make these tales seem authentic to the reader. Students draw a Venn diagram comparing Catskinella and...