Civil War Trust
Civil War Play
Raise the curtain to a class play that depicts the Civil War through both factual information and literary devices. The performance showcases the Battle of Antietam (Battle of Sharpsburg) and brings attention to women's roles, as well as...
Curated OER
Reformers versus Residents in Five Points: A Role Play
Social Studies and role-playing can go hand in hand. Learners use supporting evidence found in primary and secondary source material to develop a character from the Five Points neighborhood in the 1850s. Each student takes on the role of...
Curated OER
Forty Acres? The Question of Land at the War's End
Should land be redistributed to former slaves after the Civil War? This essential question guides a instructional activity on the Reconstruction Era, as learners analyze primary sources (linked), recording responses on a worksheet...
Lisa Staab Shadburn
Play Therapy Activities to Enhance Self‐Esteem
Discover activities to help learners increase self-awareness, build peer and family relations, and develop positive self-esteem. Here you'll find six suggestions for instilling a sense of confidence and self awareness in youngsters. Each...
Curated OER
Primary and Secondary Sources
Students understand what primary and secondary sources are. In this primary and secondary sources lesson, students take a list of sources and break down to primary and secondary sources.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
Pearl Harbor Activity #1: Newspaper or Radio Account
After listening to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Day of Infamy" speech, young historians research information about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, possible motives for the attack, and the consequences of the attack. Scholars...
Curated OER
Unit 1: Building Historical Background Knowledge: The Road to Revolution 1754–1776
What were the conditions that led to the American Revolution? What are the conditions that lead to revolution in other times and places? Class members examine primary source materials and use evidence drawn from these documents to craft...
Curated OER
Civil War Play Lesson Plan
Students act out the Civil War through reader's theater. For this performing arts lesson, students research the Civil War and find costumes, props and scenery appropriate to the time period. They become characters from the Civil War time...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
Freedom of speech is not always free. Scholars investigate how the First Amendment provides for the right to express opinions. Through the court case Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, they analyze free speech using primary documents—and hopefully...
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Spring
Celebrate the arrival of spring with this fun primary grade science unit. Engaging young scientists with a variety of hands-on activities and inquiry-based investigations, these lessons are a great way to teach children about seasonal...
Curated OER
Indian Meets Colonist - Role Play
Students role play as colonists and Indians. They are assigned a specific colony and Indian group, and write a script and then role play in front of their classmates.
Curated OER
Using Plays in the Language Class
Students improve their reading and speaking skills. They experiment with language, tone of voice, body language as they write a play. They write a script to a play. They act out roles of the play.
Curated OER
From Smithson to Smithsonian: Who Was James Smithson?
Students evaluate and examine primary and secondary source material as they relate to the life of James Smithson.In this "From Smithson to Smithsonian" lesson plan, students analyze documents looking for clues to the identity of James...
Curated OER
State History Acting and Podcasting
Students participate in a play. In this historical figures lesson, students choose a person from history and take on their role. Students research the character, create historically accurate costumes and work in groups to prepare a...
Creative Competitions, Inc.
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Fantastic Fairy Tale
Learning about literature can be so much fun; it can also be made more accessible through projects and dramatic play. As they explore theme, character, and setting, the class gets creative and makes a dramatic recreation of a classic...
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Mathematicus Dramaticus
The best part about this resource is that you've got four wonderful activities to choose from. Each of the projects can work together or on its own to help learners understand the history of math and how it can be seen every day. In...
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Fall
The weather is cooling down and the leaves are starting to change color; fall is right around the corner. Celebrate this special time of year with this earth and life science lesson series that teaches children about the causes of...
Curated OER
Learning About Fiction Genres in the Elementary School Library
Teaching about fiction genres can be challenging. The instructional activity here, designed for library media specialists, offers a fun way to do it. In the instructional activity, learners visit the library and learn about the...
University of California
Energy and Biomass Pyramids
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
Curated OER
Drama with Children I
Students participate in activities to introduce them to drama. They mimic facial expressions, pretend objects are something else, and play "Chinese Whispers". They create puppets and theater boxes, masks and costumes, and write scripts...
Curated OER
The Russian Revolution
Students explore the Russian Revolution through dramatization. In this Russian Revolution lesson, students participate in drama workshops prior to writing and presenting one-act plays featuring figures of the revolution.
Curated OER
American Focus on World Constitutions
Upper graders read several passages to gain an understanding of the nations that have adopted a constitution similar to the United States Constitution. This is a scripted lesson that is intended to build content-specific vocabulary and...
Curated OER
Bee Dance
Everything a bee does serves a purpose. Learners in grades one through five explore the behaviors of bees through reading and dramatic puppet play. First children will create honey bee puppets, then they will discuss how bees dance to...
Curated OER
Careers on Stage And Air
Students create and perform a scene for play using a common fairy tale for the story line. They view and discuss a video on careers in stage and radio to identify the roles and responsibilities for each of their group members.