Stanford University
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a propaganda victory for those protesting British rule over the American colonies. By using images from Patriots, as well as the testimony of witnesses, scholars consider what may have happened on that fateful day...
Curated OER
Survival Lesson Plan
Students participate in a survival lesson that teaches four steps to take in the event of dealing with an emergency. The skill of improvising is practiced and its importance is stressed as being resourceful. Students also cover the...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue
Young adventurers embark on a journey, setting sail along the blue ocean with Christopher Columbus. Teachers will find that this unit makes their lesson planning smooth sailing!
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...
PBS
Baseball: The Tenth Inning - Bases Divided
Baseball is a relatively high-interest topic through which social studies classes can explore racial prejudice in the US. Video clips provide much of the background information that groups record on their handout and then share with the...
Curated OER
Good Sportsmanship Leads to Home Run
Pupils share examples of good sportsmanship, then read a news article about a team helping an injured player score a home run. The teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students read the news...
University of Southern California
Persecution of the German-Jews: The Early Years - 1933-1939
Young historians learn about the dehumanization process of stripping German Jews of basic, fundamental rights prior to the genocide of European Jews in the 1940s. Learners watch video clips of survivors who recount such events as the...
Curated OER
The Life of Harriet Tubman
A well-designed lesson teaches about the history of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and the issues of civil liberties. Young historians watch a video, access Internet resources, and engage in cooperative activities which should...
Curated OER
Mapmaker, Mapmaker, Make Me a Map
Second and third graders practice with basic map skills. They create their own map including a legend and a compass rose. This fabulous plan has many excellent websites linked which allow learners to explore maps of all kinds; including...
Curated OER
What Can We Learn From the Past?
What would future archeologists learn from your scholars' personal belongings? Have them bring in a box of "primary sources" from their home. Discuss the difference between observations and inference, using some of your own items to...
Curated OER
Bank Loans Money to Start Businesses
After locating Latin American countries on a world map, children read about how microbanks are loaning money to help start small businesses. Involving both current events and economics, the teacher introduces the article with a map...
Curated OER
Survival Challenge: Would You Make It?
Students face a challenge. In this survival lesson, students discover the hardships faced by the pioneers who moved west and see if they would survive a similar situation. They discuss essential items they need to survive and...
Curated OER
Chinese Calligraphy
Explore the beauty of Chinese Calligraphy. This well-developed lesson will take your class on a journey through the history of Calligraphy, engage them in technique and style, then challenge them by having them create new strokes to...
Smithsonian Institution
George Washington: A National Treasure
Take a closer look at the life and presidency of George Washington with this great set of lesson plans and worksheets. The resource includes a timeline of the president's life and multiple opportunities for primary source and image...
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...
Curated OER
Country's Music
Jazz, Blue Grass, Hip Hop, Swing. Gospel, R&B, Ragtime, Disco. So many music genres born in the USA. After reading an article about the fate of New Orlean's Jazz after Hurricane Katrina, class members investigate the life cycles of...
Curated OER
A Leader's Lifetime and Legacy
In this lesson plan, students consider their prior knowledge about Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat and consider the immediate events surrounding his death. They then create timelines and write papers examining his political career.
Curated OER
Symmetry in Relief
Learners explore radial symmetry. In this 3 dimensional art and geometry lesson plan, students identify examples of radial symmetry in everyday objects. Learners create an imprint using radial symmetry on clay tiles.
Curated OER
New $1 Coins Honor U.S. Presidents
Elementary schoolers examine money, then read a news article about new coins being produced by the U.S. Mint. The teacher introduces the article with samples of American money and a vocabulary activity, then students read the news piece...
Curated OER
Hopi Tribal Council
Focusing on the differences between traditional Hopi government and the Hopi Tribal Council, this resource is a good addition to your unit on Native American culture. Learners conduct Internet research, analyze primary source photos, and...
Curated OER
Presidential Powers
Students study and discuss the section of the Constitution that refers to the executive branch. They write a new section or clause describing a new duty for the president of the United States. Students define the word power and proposal.
National Endowment for the Humanities
La Familia
Young scholars identify at least one country where the Spanish language is spoken, describe similarities and differences between Spanish, Mexican, and Puerto Rican families, and practice speaking the Spanish words for several family...
Curated OER
Measurement and Conversion of Units in a Recipe
In a cross-curricular measurement and literacy lesson, your class will identify and compare cooking measurement instruments. They read a recipe and sequence a set of similar instructions in which the steps have been mixed up....
Utah Education Network (UEN)
7th Grade Poetry: I Am Poem
A study of Alfred Noyes's poem "The Highwayman" opens a lesson plan about narrative poetry. Scholars read the poem and compare it to the animated video version using a worksheet. Learners look at models and use a template to craft an "I...