Curated OER
Wants Vs. Needs: The Pilgrims sail to America
Students work in groups to create a list of the items needed by the Pilgrims to bring to America. In this wants vs. needs lesson, students must agree on what should be on the list. Students create their list by order of importance....
Curated OER
Jamestown Celebrates 400th Anniversary
Students view a world map and identify the locations of England and Virginia and discuss what kinds of things they would take with them on this kind of trip. They read the words in the news box on the student page and fill in the blanks...
Curated OER
Jamestown Changes
Students examine how the Jamestown settlement changed the first few years after it was founded. They take a virtual field trip of Jamestown, read primary source documents, discuss census information, and write a summary of changes in...
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lessons 7 - 10 What's My Line?
Fifth graders research their assigned regions, complete regional guide and prepare presentations about the New World colonists. They refer to "Everyday LIfe: Colonial Times" as well as searching marked internet sites.
Curated OER
The Mayflower Story Up-Close and Personal
Students gain a deeper understanding of what the early colonists experienced in search of a new life in America while giving them a taste of historical methodology. This is an engaging way to assess what your students know about the...
Library of Virginia
Antebellum Freedom
From indentured servitude to involuntary race-based servitude, slavery has taken many forms in American history. Class members examine three manumission petitions that reveal how the rights of African Americans and African American...
EngageNY
Inferring: Who was John Allen?
Help your learners work with difficult or archaic words. A continuation of lesson two of this module, the plan here focuses on deciphering the Inventory of John Allen, in particular the unfamiliar words that make up much of the list. Add...
Curated OER
Abigail Adams: Integrating Social Studies and Language Arts
Third graders increase reading strategies while learning about Abigail Adams and her role in history. In this Abigail Adams lesson, 3rd graders read about the American Revolution and Abigail Adams using all the balanced literacy...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Understanding the Salem Witch Trials
Students describe some of the important elements of life in Puritan New England. They create a timeline of the events of the Salem Witch Trials. They work in groups to explore the concept of multiple interpretations of history.
Curated OER
The Living Museum: George Washington, the Slave Owner
Eighth graders bring early America to life. For this George Washington lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the first president, explore the relationships he had with his slaves, and research the backgrounds of some of his...
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 1—Pilgrims and American Indians
The Pilgrims first arrived in America in order to gain religious freedom. Here is a lesson that takes the class on this journey with the Pilgrims, stopping to look at how they got here, who they met when they arrived, and a peek into...
US House of Representatives
Exclusion and Empire, 1898–1941
Often forgotten and written off as the model minority, Americans with heritage in Asia and the Pacific Islands have played an essential role in American history, including Congress. Budding historians reclaim history by researching the...
Curated OER
Immigration to the Golden Land: Jewish Life in America
Students examine waves of Jewish immigration during three time periods and analyze a variety of primary sources, including letters, memoirs, and laws, to gain insight into both the American immigrant experience and American society...
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 4 - What Went Wrong?
Fifth graders compare and contrast two early colonies and make a T chart. They list examples of worked well and what did not, and significant historical events. They use higher order thinking skills by deducing how different scenarios...
Curated OER
Jobs in Jamestown
Middle schoolers research occupations of Jamestown settlers using census data, and evaluate the data to show the needs and activities of the colony.
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 5 - Dear Mem
Discover colonies! Young historians will listen to a primary source journal entry read aloud with a backdrop of wave sounds. They discuss the entry, add historical facts to a chart and personal insights to another. Then they listen to...
Curated OER
Development of the English Colonies
High schoolers research one of the original 13 colonies using the included worksheet. They also record their findings on a poster board to use during a class presentation. Students then take notes on the presentations using the...
Curated OER
Honor and Passion for Glory: George Washington in the Ohio Valley
Students examine George Washington's life as a young British colonial officer during the French and Indian War.
Curated OER
The Height of Diplomacy
Students explore issues that might be discussed at the G8 summit meeting hosted by the U.S. after reading and discussing the article "World Leaders Get a Glimpse of America's High Life" from The New York Times. Students work in groups...
Curated OER
Early Settlements
Learners embark on a journey through colonial times. In this early settlement instructional activity, students come to understand what life was like for the settlers in the early colonies. Learners research and create projects...
Curated OER
Rules, Rules, Rules
Fourth graders create their classroom rules. In this Mayflower Compact lesson plan, 4th graders listen to the Plymouth story and learn about the Mayflower Compact. Students analyze the Mayflower Compact and create a class compact of...
Scholastic
Teaching About the First Thanksgiving
Learners research information about the Mayflower, Pilgrims, the Plymouth Colony, the Wampanoags, and the first Thanksgiving. They take an online tour of the Mayflower, interpret timelines, create a postcard, and compare and contrast the...
Curated OER
Pilgrims
For this pilgrims worksheet, students read facts about the history of the Pilgrims beginning during the early 1600's and ending with the first Thanksgiving. Students answer thirteen short answer questions.
Scholastic
Voyage on the Mayflower for Grades 6–8
Imagine living in the hold of a sailing ship for 63 days, enduring rough seas and autumn storms. As part of a study of the voyage of the Mayflower, class members examine an online resource that details life about the ship, watch a slide...