Curated OER
President Madison's 1812 War Message: Answers Lead to More Questions
Students investigate President Madison's case for declaring war against Great Britain. Students assume the roles of newspaper reporters and cite key points in Madison's argument for declaring war, and hypothesize about primary documents...
Curated OER
President Madison's 1812 War Message: A Brief Overview
Students investigate President Madison's War Message. Students read the message and discuss any information they may have misunderstood. Students hypothesize about what kinds of documents might help them find answers to their questions.
Curated OER
President Madison's 1812 War Message: A Documentary Review
Students analyze primary documents to determine why President Madison believed it was important for the US to declare war with Great Britain. Students research documents on the Internet to determine President Madison's argument for going...
Curated OER
War of 1812
Eighth graders locate the major land forms and bodies of water on a map of Louisiana. In groups, they discuss the role of the Mississippi River in the Battle of New Orleans and how land and water affect the outcome of battles. To end...
Curated OER
"I Hear America Singing": Controversy and Music in the Mexican War
Eighth graders examine the Mexican War and its outcome through music. In this primary source analysis lesson, 8th graders analyze the lyrics of selected songs to consider the 2 perspectives regarding U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
Curated OER
The U. S. at War
Students examine reasons for going to war. In this foreign policy lesson, students analyze the reasons the U.S. entered the the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the...
Curated OER
Understanding and Using Primary and Secondary Sources in History
Explore primary and secondary sources in this historical analysis activity. Young researchers define the terms primary source and secondary source. They read a primary source document provided by the teacher and answer questions about...
Curated OER
Burning Washington: Dolley Madison's Historical Letter
Students review and discuss War of 1812, analyze the taking of Washington and the personal feelings of Dolley Madison by reading and discussing her famous letter to her sister, and respond to Dolley Madison in a one or more page letter...
Curated OER
Living History - Civil War
Eighth graders, after researching antebellum North Carolina and the role of North Carolina in the Civil War, write, edit, publish, and produce their own plays.
Curated OER
Dolley Madison and the War of 1812
Students read a letter that Dolley Madison wrote in 1814. They discuss her predicament with advancing troops and imagine what her personality was like. They compare the letter to a political cartoon and discuss its tone.
Curated OER
The Involvement of the Oneida in the War of 1812
Students read and discuss article with emphasis on Oneida participation in the War of 1812 and the federal government's treatment of the Oneidas during and after the war. Students discuss why the Oneida fought on the America side in the...
Curated OER
The War of 1812
Students research the War of 1812 as it affected Canadian history. They research primary source documents that are listed at the include websites. They answer the associated research questions.
Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson's Library: Making the Case for a National Library
The United States Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. But such was not always the case. The library was destroyed during the War of 1812. In a persuasive letter to Samuel H. Smith, Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his...
National First Ladies' Library
Dolley The Hero
High schoolers engage in a instructional activity that focuses on the events of the War of 1812. They conduct research using a variety of resources that includes the internet. Students then find images on the internet and then draw one...
Curated OER
War of 1812
Eighth graders examine how Andrew Jackson's decisions during The Battle of New Orleans led to victory. They study the importance of The Battle of New Orleans in the Treaty of Ghent and discuss the results of the War of 1812. Finally,...
Curated OER
Campaign Posters 1788-1816
Seventh graders examine the first years of the U.S. under the U.S. Constitution. They identify the main themes of the Federalist and Republican parties, conduct research, and write a campaign speech and create a campaign poster.
Curated OER
Understanding James Madison The Father of the Constitution
Students research James Madison and create a table of his strengths and weaknesses. In this James Madison lesson, students read Jean Fritz's, The Great Little Madison, while developing their research skills, vocabulary strategies, and...
PBS
Women's History: Clara Barton
Students investigate Clara Barton's contributions to society. In this Clara Barton lesson plan, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and conduct research regarding Clara Barton's life and her possible authorship of a Civil War...
Curated OER
Poetry and Our National Anthem
Students express the meaning of the Star-Spangled Banner. For this American history lesson, students read through the national anthem and complete an activities from a list of choices. Some choices include: writing the anthem in your own...
Curated OER
Ancient Greece: Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Second graders explore world history by writing newspaper articles. In this Greek history lesson, 2nd graders investigate the geography and society of Ancient Greece by utilizing the Internet as a research tool. Students collaborate with...
Curated OER
Oh, Say Can You See...
Learners explore the meaning behind "The Star-Spangled Banner." In this music lesson, students sing the first verse of the national anthem and watch several performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Learners define several vocabulary...
Curated OER
The Crusades
Students investigate the series of religious wars known as the Crusades. In this Crusades instructional activity, students research Christian and Muslim beliefs and create posters that compare the two. Students discuss the causes of the...
Curated OER
Native Lands: Indians in Georgia , Losing Ground: Removal, 1802-1838
Students investigate the removal of the Creek Indians from Georgia. Students read the story of the Creek removal from Georgia, locate sites mentioned on a map, and create a related timeline. Students share their thoughts on the Creek...
Curated OER
East Meets West: Americans on the Move
Students examine the settlement of the Louisiana Territory. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students watch segments of the Discovery video "East Meets West: Americans on the Move". Students conduct further research pertaining to the...