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England: Discover a World of Culture and History
England is a very interesting country full of cultural and historical geography. Here is an impressive collection of lessons that will familiarize your students with England's cultural and historical geography. The activities presented...
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Labor Day
Students examine the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a national holiday, and analyze the role of labor unions in American history, past and present, through a variety of activities.
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Memorial Day Fun
Students research Memorial Day and complete activities about the day. In this Memorial Day lesson, students discuss the definition of the word 'memorial' to understand its meaning. Students create flags for the day and listen to a...
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The Great Depression: An Oral History
Students examine the hardships experienced during the Great Depression through an oral history interview with person who lived through the event. Students transcribe their interviews and discover the contributions oral history can make...
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Cultural Comparisons Interview
Students interview a family member and give an oral report. In this oral history lesson, students create interview questions relevant to an American historical period. Students interview a family member and present an oral report to the...
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Dad's Magnetic Personality
Students create a gift honoring Father's Day. In this Father's Day instructional activity, students examine the meaning of fatherhood and explore the history of this tradition. Students create a picture collage over a template of their...
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Hands That Touch The Heart
Young scholars create Valentine's Day hearts in this variation of a classic activity for the early-elementary classroom. The "hands that touch the heart" is a great gift that can be given to family, friends, or fellow students. A...
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Treaties
Third graders explore Canadian history by participating in a role-playing activity. In this First Nation treaties lesson, 3rd graders identify the difficulties the Aboriginals faced when dealing with early European settlers. Students...
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Valentines Roses
Students create bouquets of roses using tissue paper, pipe cleaners, masking tape, paint, and construction paper in this early elementary art lesson. A possible extension includes making Vlentine's Day cards to go along with the flowers.
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Personal Stories and Primary Sources: Conversations with Elders
Students learn from their elders. In this oral and social histories lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the America in which their grandparents grew up. Students conduct interviews with elders in...
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Fringe My Heart
Learners create fringed Valentine's Day hearts in this Art lesson for the elementary school classroom. The lesson includes step-by-step instructions and a materials list. This was created by an 11-year old who loves arts and crafts.
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A Day In The Life
Students create an online newspaper documenting the politics and culture of ancient Rome. Using online tools and websites, they conduct research on ancient Roman politics and everyday culture. The informaiton gathered is used to create a...
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A Walk Through History
Fifth graders construct a multi-media CD-ROM using cross-platform Hyper Studio software. They identify a person in history to research for their report. In order to broaden their horizons, 5th graders are encouraged to investigate...
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Dark Days
Fifth graders explore U.S. history by viewing video clips in class. In this dust bowl era lesson, 5th graders identify the impact of giant dust storms on the U.S. agriculture systems and the U.S. economy in the 20th century. Students...
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Notable Nebraskan Research and Student Presentations
Fourth graders explore notable Nebraska. In this instructional activity on the history of Nebraska, 4th graders will use primary sources to research people of events from Nebraska's history. Students will create a presentation to share...
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Esperanza Rising: Lesson 9
Sixth graders explore culture by reading a book with classmates. In this Hispanic history lesson, 6th graders read the story First Day in Grapes, and discuss the tough lives of migrant workers. Students answer study questions after the...
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Poet James Whitcomb Riley: Famous in His Own Day
An engaging biography of "Hoosier" poet James Whitcomb Riley serves as a springboard for study of his unique dialect-based verse. Several activities illuminate differences between spoken vernacular and formal language. Learners record...
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Ben Franklin Timeline
Celebrate inventions such as lightning rods, bifocals, and stoves with a Ben Franklin Day. Young historians conduct research and write a paragraph about an accomplishment of Benjamin Franklin including an illustration or collage that...
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Reliving History Through Writing
Students read a first hand account of John F. Kennedy's assassination. They write an essay describing how a world or national event affected them.
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The Journey to Civil Rights
Learners explore Civil Rights. For this Civil Rights lesson, students read about Ruby Bridges and define the words segregation and supremacy. Learners make a timeline of important events in Civil Rights and write a paragraph about why...
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Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Lesson: Immigration
Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...
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Victorian Celebrations
Fifth graders investigate the Victorian era by participating in Victorian style activities. In this World History lesson, 5th graders read about the traditions and customs of men and woman from the Victorian era and how the industrial...
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What Makes a Hero?
Here is a well-designed activity inviting learners to consider the qualities of a hero. They describe the lives and deeds of national, state, and/or local heroes. This is a thoughtful activity, which is part of a sequential group on...
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Learning the Blues
Students take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee in their study of the blues, its characterisitics, founding fathers, and histororical influence on modern music. They compose blues lyrics that reflect present-day attitudes and...