National First Ladies' Library
State Dinners And Funerals: Protocol And Diplomacy
Learners investigate the use of dinners and funerals as protocol in the life of American Government. They conduct research using the internet and a variety of resources. The information is used in order to answer key questions about...
Curated OER
What America Knew About the Holocaust?
Students examine American involvement in World War II. In this World War II lesson, students discuss the Holocaust and its implications. Students read New York Times articles regarding the treatment of Jews during the war. Students infer...
Curated OER
Civil Rights: An Investigation
Students take a closer look at the political side of the American Civil Rights Movement. In this 20th century American history lesson, students research the contributions of President Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and J. Edgar...
Curated OER
Hoover Responds to Unemployment
Students examine the responses of Herbert Hoover to the challenges of the Great Depression. In this Great Depression lesson, students discuss how Hoover tried to improve the unemployment in the U.S. at the onset of the depression and...
Curated OER
Breaking News English: President Bush OK'd Spying in America
In this English instructional activity, students read "President Bush OK'd Spying in America," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.
Curated OER
What Does 'Post Racial' Mean, Anyway?
Eighth graders explore where they personally stand on a post-election continuum, spanning from euphoria to despair. For this American History lesson, 8th graders read and discuss an article immediately following the election and a later...
Curated OER
Jefferson on a Nickel
Students study our third president, Thomas Jefferson through stories and poems. They investigate the attributes of a nickel.
Curated OER
The Atomic Bomb Dilemma
Students examine consequences of using atomic bomb in light of resulting peace, distinguish between fact and opinion and analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view, and assume role of reporter, critic, cabinet member, or...
Curated OER
American History Research with Visual Timeline
Fifth graders research from a Washington, D.C. landmark, write a three page paper, then create a project depicting their topics to go on a time-line.
K20 Learn
(Mis)Reported and (Mis)Remembered: The Vietnam War
New ReviewWhat are the complicated legacies of the Vietnam War? Learners consider the question as they examine videos and primary sources from the conflict. After examining footage and documents such as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and an op-ed...
Smithsonian Institution
Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.
Curated OER
Jefferson vs. Franklin: Revolutionary Philosophers
Middle schoolers cite connections among Franklin's Albany Plan of 1754, his Plan of Confederation of 1775 and the U.S. Constitution and/or the Declaration of Independence. In an essay, they give examples of the philosophical and...
HISTORY Channel
Westward Expansion of the United States
How did early American pioneers decide what to take with them on their journeys, and what was their traveling experience like? Here you'll find a collection of activities to help you explore Westward Expansion with your young learners.
Curated OER
Nov. 2, 1976 | Carter Defeats Ford in Presidential Election
After reading about the presidential race in 1976, learners think critically about presidential legacy. They read all of the provided background information, related New York Times articles, and then respond to a writing prompt via blog...
The New York Times
Teaching the Vietnam War with Primary Sources from the New York Times
Use the New York Times database of primary sources to teach a unit on the Vietnam War. The resource consists of a variety of primary sources as well as a lesson plan showcasing how to teach a lesson using them. Pupils analyze the sources...
Curated OER
Drums of War
Students research the political climate prior to major American wars of the past, then reflect on the current call for power to confront Iraq. They create posters using newspaper articles and headlines to highlight the major opinions of...
Curated OER
State of the "States"
Students consider indicators that mark a country's progress, examine how last year's State of the Union address has affected U.S. foreign policy, research issues deemed important in that speech, and create report cards assessing the...
Curated OER
The Fact Finders
Young scholars analyze agricultural data and make predictions about events in history. In this history lesson, students correlate the relationship between historic events and issues in agriculture to see if there is a correlation. They...
Curated OER
Social Security
Young scholars examine the official website for the Social Security Administration. They learn the history of the program and what it is supposed to do for Americans. They compare social security with other types of retirement accounts.
Curated OER
US Policy Toward Egypt: A Dialogue
Students examine U.S. foreign policy concerning the 2011 Egyptian uprising. In this current events instructional activity, students discuss the uprising in Egypt and examine news reports related to it. Students then discuss their...
Curated OER
Budget Debate: How Would You Balance the Federal Budget?
Students examine how to balance the federal budget. In this American economics lesson, students read the provided article "Congress Debates Cutting the Budget." Students then collaborate in small groups to determine how to balance the...
Scholastic
The Rise of Railroads: California
Railways are an integral part of the history of California. Using a timeline format, class members connect major historical events to the rise of the railroads and their impact on the state. Activities include a mix of independent and...
Curated OER
George Washington: The Living Symbol
Students discuss George Washington's life and how he became a symbol of this nation. They categorize various images of Washington into the various roles he plays.
EngageNY
Drawing a Conclusion from an Experiment (part 1)
Challenge your classes to complete an experiment from beginning to end. Learners make their own hypotheses, collect and analyze their own data, and make their own conclusions. They are on their way to becoming statisticians!