United States History Lesson Plans

Students explore events from United States History. In this US history lesson, students select four significant historical event to examine. Students will pair off and conduct library research which will culminate in a 3 minute oral presentation.

In this lesson students investigate slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery.  In this U.S. History lesson, students write fictional stories based on slaves found in historic photographs.  In this lesson students discuss what life was like during slavery in the 19th century.

Students review all the information they gathered in their first United States History class. In groups, they identify the major contributors to early American history and how they have affected America today. In groups, they create a newspaper on one topic and share it with the class.

Learners engage in a lesson that is part of a pre-assessment of knowledge found in a United States History class. They answer the questions and then discuss prior knowledge as a class. Then the class could create a graphic organizer.

Students explore child labor. In this cross curriculum United States history and literacy lesson, students work in groups to describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. Students write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the working conditions of children laborers.

In this lesson students share their knowledge of Lewis and Clark, then read a news article about the redesign on the U.S. nickel to commemorate Lewis and Clark's expedition. In this U.S. history and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students read the news report and participate in a class discussion. Lesson includes interdisciplinary follow-up activities.

In this lesson students investigate human rights.  In this U.S. History human rights lesson, students view a film about the internment camps in which Japanese Americans were sent during World War II. In this lesson students work in groups to examine a section of The Bill of Rights. In this lesson students summarize and share what they have read. In this lesson students write a reflection including opinions about whether or not the U.S. government was justified in any of its actions toward Japanese Americans during World War II.

Students examine the historical structure, as well as the purposes and functions of the United States monetary system. They utilize a "scavenger hunt" model to compare U.S. currency notes from specific eras in U.S. history. They identify the key security features in newly designed $10 note.

Students explore The New Deal. In this cross curriculum fine arts and U.S. history lesson, students work in groups to sort and discuss photographs and artwork from the 20th century representing Franklin D. Roosevelt and The New Deal. Students view a PowerPoint presentation and read related textbook material, then make revisions to their picture sorting based on what they have learned.

In this lesson students explore John Edwards, the running mate for 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. They research the ways in which vice presidential candidates have impacted presidential elections in modern United States history.