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- 03-28-11
Eras in American History Teacher Resources
Find teacher approved Eras in American History educational resource ideas and activities
Groups of high school learners conduct research on a particular era of African-American history, focusing on events, people, and places important to that era. Next, they review children's literature in four different genres. As a culminating activity, group members combine what they have learned in their research and readings to create their own piece of children's literature based on African-American history.
Compare and contrast old and modern historical accounts of the life of Thomas Jefferson. Learners begin by evaluating the responsibilities of history textbooks in reporting historical events, people, and eras. Next, they discuss how new information should be used to enhance the information contained in standard texts. This exercise could be used as a critical thinking activity for your class.
African-American history is an integral part of what America is. Learners examine important events, read informational texts, and create quilts depicting specific eras in African-American history. Each image created for the quilt will be followed by a written explanation of its significance. This is a great lesson plan, it is appropriate for any time of the year.
Investigate events leading to American Revolutionary War era from perspectives of Britain and the American colonists. Research causes, effects, events and people involved in the conflict. Then create a class newspapers that offer views and perspectives of the war.
With the comprehensive resource presented here, examine the history of barbed wire, its impact on the Old West, and resulting conflicts between farmers and ranchers. Learners read informational text as well the Cole Porter song "Don't Fence Me In," and answer comprehension questions. They also complete a barbed wire geometry worksheet. Related P.E. activities, relevant vocabulary, and a cowboy poem are included. Then, hold a debate in which pupils role-play either ranchers or farmers.
Young historians interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources in this American Revolution activity. They select topics from the time era that they are interested in researching. Additionally, they follow the provided directives to conduct research and write research papers on their topics.
In this lesson students research an important event in American history and use drama, art, music, and dance to express their findings. Suggested activities include illustrating a time line, decorating a shoe box, reciting a speech, putting on a play, or singing a traditional song from a particular time period.
Helpful for an American literature or history unit, this lesson prompts middle schoolers to examine slavery in the United States. They read slave narratives that were part of the Federal Writers' Project and then conduct their own research on slavery in the nation. After, they write descriptive stories that reflect what they learned in their research.
Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing lesson. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The lesson includes several options to complete the activities, such as PowerPoint, Venn diagram, and several biographical stories. Use this lesson to begin an informative writing assignment or to reinforce research procedures.
Make text-to-world connections between 1920s American history and The Great Gatsby. Upper graders share facts they researched about the 1920s the evening prior, view two video clips about F. Scott Fitzgerald, and then choose a book to read in literature circles. The suggested readings for the literature circle are Time Capsule, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, Patron Saint of Butterflies, and Walking Up a Rainbow.