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Lesson Plan
iCivics

Why Government?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Why do people create governments? Where did we get our ideas about government? This is a fantastic introductory instructional activity for your American government class that begins by reviewing the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John...
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Lesson Plan
Civil War Trust

Map the Civil War

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
Mapmaking was a very important element in successfully planning attacks on enemies during the Civil War. Guide pupils through the process of pacing to find the average length of their steps, measure the distance between one object to the...
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Lesson Plan
Civil War Trust

Genealogy

For Teachers 6th - 9th
The Civil War is undoubtedly a part of America's history, but could it be part of your pupils' history as well? Middle schoolers conduct research to discover a connection between their ancestors and the American Civil War. Whether they...
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Lesson Plan
The New York Times

Teaching the Vietnam War with Primary Sources from the New York Times

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
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BrainPOP

Civil Rights Lesson Plan: Tracking History Through Timelines

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Use the accompanying assessment to determine your class's prior knowledge on Martin Luther King, Jr. before beginning a lesson on the famous civil rights movement leader. The resource has young historians thinking about life for African...
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Lesson Plan
1
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US House of Representatives

“The Fifteenth Amendment in Flesh and Blood,” The Symbolic Generation of Black Americans in Congress, 1870–1887

For Teachers 7th - 12th
The reading of a contextual essay launches a study of Black Americans who served in Congress from 1870 through 1887. Young historians identify the African Americans who served during this period, investigate the ways they won national...
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Activity
Mrs. Robbins' Social Studies Site

The Berlin Blockade

For Students 7th - 9th Standards
The Berlin Blockade may not take up as much space in the history books as other events of the Cold War, but for the citizens of west Berlin in 1948—and the events to follow between the Soviet Union and the United Stattes—those 318 days...
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Lesson Plan
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Judicial Learning Center

Judicial Independence: What’s Wrong with This Court?

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Why is it important for judges to operate independently of politics or other branches of government? Scholars ponder the question as they examine video clips, case studies, excerpts of the US Constitution, and an interactive computer...
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Lesson Plan
2
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Judicial Learning Center

Understanding the Types of Cases

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Most young scholars are aware of the criminal courts system, but the United States Constitution allows for a much broader role. What other roles do courts play in settling other questions? A case study and WebQuest-style activities...
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Lesson Plan
1
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School Improvement in Maryland

Smart Growth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
New roads, new businesses, new developments, new mass transit systems. All growth has both positive and negative effects on communities. Government classes investigate the principles of Maryland's 1997 Smart Growth program and the...
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Lesson Plan
National WWII Museum

Communities at War: Reading Primary Sources Imaginatively

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Uncle Sam wants you to support the troops. Learners use an engaging lesson plan to analyze primary and secondary sources to discover what life was really like for American citizens at home during WWII. Pupils complete worksheets, group...
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Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Civil War Overview: Elementary Lesson Plan

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
How do you teach the Civil War and all its intricacies within the time limits of an average school day? Using a three-part plan, teachers easily integrate coverage of key Civil War battles into the unit. The lesson includes activities to...
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Unit Plan
3
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Curated OER

Voices from Little Rock: Understanding the Civil Rights Movement through Primary Sources

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
As part of a study of the Civil Rights Movement, class members examine documents associated with the Little Rock Nine, the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, the 14th and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution, and chapters from Melba...
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Lesson Plan
National Park Service

Should America Have Gone to War in 1812?

For Teachers 8th Standards
Using an incredibly engaging activity and detailed lesson plan, your learners will serve as advisors to President Madison on whether to participate in what would become the War of 1812! Utilize a variety of effective instructional...
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Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Sa Hi Pa Ca (Once Upon a Time): Lesson Plan 2

For Teachers 4th Standards
What tools do archaeologists and anthropologist use to learned about what life was like in the past. After watching West of The West's documentary Once Upon a Time that details how scientists use artifacts to establish a history of the...
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Breaking the Code: Actions and Songs of Protest

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Ezell Blair, Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil changed history. Their sit-in at the lunch counter of the Woolworths in Greensboro, North Carolina on February 1, 1960 became a model for the nonviolent protests that...
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Lesson Plan
Albert Shanker Institute

Dream Under Development

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
As part of their study of the 1963 March on Washington, class members do a side-by-side comparison of the original text of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech" with a transcript of the speech he delivered. The take away from the...
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Activity
Library of Congress

Women's Suffrage Movement Across America

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An engaging resource provides many primary source materials to inform a study of the Women's Suffrage Movement. Suggestions include building a timeline of the fight, using the documents as the basis of a DBQ, and/or using a Venn diagram...
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Lesson Plan
Historical Thinking Matters

Social Security: 1 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Should the United States provide relief for those who are unemployed? Trace this question back to the Great Depression with your young historians, who will engage in careful reading of historical documents and classroom discussion to...
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

The Power of Words and Activism: Susan B. Anthony

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Where have all the activists gone? Class members compare 21st-century activism with the suffrage movement and the work of Susan B. Anthony. They begin by examining Anthony's biography and speeches to find evidence that her words and...
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

Birmingham: The Magic City

For Teachers 4th
Why is Birmingham known as the magic city? A comprehensive lesson plan provides hands-on activities, group discussion, and writing exercises to teach young historians about the importance of the city of Birmingham. Scholars learn the...
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Lesson Plan
NPR

Journalism Lesson Plan

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Honor women in journalism with an online exhibit called Women with a Deadline. Class members demonstrate their understanding of the topic in a final assessment by writing a newspaper article on the information they learned in the online...
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Lesson Plan
2
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Historical Thinking Matters

Spanish-American War: 5 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Nine historical documents, an interactive online notebook, and a fantastic opportunity for historical inquiry await your pupils in this 5-day lesson plan. Class members identify and discuss various causes for the Spanish-American War...
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Activity
Staples Foundation For Learning

The President’s Desk

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
What stories can a desk paperweight and picture frame possibly tell us about the president of the United States? Pupils are transported to the desk of President John F. Kennedy through an engaging interactive site. The guide offers a...

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