Curated OER
Places Where Women Made History
Using places can help students identify with the history-making women associated with them.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
EarthViewer
Can you imagine Washington DC and London as close neighbors occupying the same continent? Learners will be fascinated as they step back in time and discover the evolution of the earth's continents and oceans from 4.5 billion...
DocsTeach
Memorializing Abraham Lincoln in Washington, DC
The legacy of President Lincoln continues to endure. Scholars view images of three statues that have been created to honor President Lincoln. Academics analyze the three images and share their findings in a group discussion format. Young...
Student Handouts
Geography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Young geographers follow Dr. Martin Luther King's journey during the civil rights movement by identifying major events on a map of the eastern United States, such as his birth in Atlanta, Georgia and his famous...
National First Ladies' Library
Building a Federal Town: Washington, DC
Young scholars create a timeline of the history of Washington, D.C. from 1787 to 1879. Using the internet, they read specified articles about the design of the capital and city of Washington DC. Students write a newspaper article about...
National First Ladies' Library
Capital Monuments: Exploring Washington, DC Frances Cleveland: Law, Politics and Government
Students, working in small groups, research seven of the most famous monuments found in Washington, DC. They design brochures based on the information they gather from Internet and print resources. Upon completion, they share the...
PBS
March on Washington: A Time for Change
Young historians conclude their study of the events that lead up to and the planning for the March on Washington. After examining videos and primary source documents, they consider the civil rights objectives that still need to be...
Middle Level Learning
Philip Reid and the Statue of Freedom
Approach the concept of freedom in United States history from a variety of angles and delve into rich primary source analysis practice. Pupils study the Statue of Freedom, which sits atop the dome of the Capitol building in...
Curated OER
Creating Historians: Send Them Out
Get teenagers out of the classroom in the pursuit of history; part three of a series on approaching social studies as a group of historians.
US National Archives
Inaugural Quiz!
Inauguration Day is a time-honored tradition to celebrate the transition between presidential inaugurations. How much do you know about the history of the ceremony itself? High schoolers test knowledge about Inauguration Day with an...
Teaching Tolerance
Civil Rights Activity Book
An activity booklet includes a timeline of the movement, a song, and various informational reading passages on leaders, events, and the Civil Rights Memorial in Washington DC. Reading response questions and word puzzles are sure to...
Curated OER
Washington, D.C.
For this Washington, D.C. worksheet, students complete 6 pages of readings and questions about Washington, D.C. Included are general facts, geography, monuments, history, economy and people. There is a short text and 6 multiple choice...
Curated OER
What is History? Timelines and Oral Histories
Young scholars consider how we learn about the past and discuss how the framing of history is always done by the person who is telling it. They construct a personal and class timelines, compare two or more accounts of the same event and...
Curated OER
A Barn Guide to History
Students use the internet to research the history of their local area through the use of barns. In groups, they discuss the importance of the barns in their community and develop an interpretation of the history of various barns to...
Curated OER
The History of Climate Change
In this science worksheet, students gather in-depth information dealing with climate change over the next century. They analyze the grid to determine the average time difference between peaks in the temperature history for the last...
ProCon
Gay Marriage
The first legal gay marriage in the United States occurred in Massachusetts in 2004. Since then, countless others have tied the knot. Scholars decide whether gay marriage should be legal by reading a history of the issue, analyzing the...
Curated OER
A "Capital" Idea
Eighth graders prepare for a field trip to Washington, DC by researching landmark, monument, or building in Washington. They use the information in small groups to design a multimedia presentation. They include a spreadsheet that shows...
Curated OER
Photographs and History
Students prepare for a visit to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, to preview a photo exhibit (specifically of James Van Der Zee). This lesson could be adapted when viewing any photo exhibit.
Curated OER
Washington, D. C.: Crossword Puzzle
In this United States history activity, students use the 14 clues in order to fill in the crossword puzzle with the appropriate answers pertaining to Washington, D. C.
Journey Through the Universe
Impact Craters: A Look at the Past
The Galle crater on Mars is also known as the Happy Face crater because of its appearance. First, scholars use pebbles and flour to simulate craters and study their properties. They then apply this knowledge to help decipher the history...
Smithsonian Institution
Mary Henry: Journal/Diary Writing
A great way to connect social studies with language arts, a resource on Mary Henry's historical diary reinforces the concepts of primary and secondary sources. It comes with an easy-to-understand lesson plan, as well as the reference...
ProCon
Standardized Tests
Does the use of standardized testing improve American education? Scholars dive into the issue as they prepare to discuss the debate topic with their classmates. After reviewing the pros and cons, they watch videos to help them arrive at...
Curated OER
Discovering pi
Tenth graders investigate the history of Pi and how it relates to circles. In this geometry lesson, 10th graders measure the circumference of a circle and the diameter of a circle. They relate these measurements to the number of Pi or 3.14
Curated OER
The Transit in Pictures
Students investigate the June 2004 Transit of Venus, write a screen play, and produce a movie or animation of the transit including a narration. The difference between storytelling and storyboarding is made clear in this lesson.