Young detectives are given the "clues" to investigate whether King John should be remembered as a poor ruler of England, particularly in comparison in King Richard. They analyze historical informational texts and work in groups to...

It's the Royal Air Force against the Luftwaffe! While the Luftwaffe inflicts enormous damage, the RAF is able to hold them off, forcing Hitler to change his plan of attack. Discuss the advantages each group has during the air fights.

Scholars work in pairs to decide whether leaders wrote the Declaration of Independence for the rich and powerful or for every man. To draw their conclusion, pairs read excerpts from two historians and complete a graphic organizer citing...

After the Revolutionary War, the success of the United States was far from guaranteed. Foreign powers coveted the new land, and Great Britain challenged American sovereignty. Learners consider the challenges facing the new nation using...

What is the connection between greed and mercantilism? Historians consider this question by analyzing a fairy-tale like story about King Midas from the nineteenth century. The background information and excerpt help pupils understand the...

Long before modern labor unions, guilds worked to ensure that workers had a fair wage. But, in medieval Europe, they also cooperated with the government. Using a simulation and primary source analysis, young scholars become hatters in...

Winston Churchill is a larger-than-life figure, designated by the BBC as the most important figure of the twentieth century. Yet, his political career began long before World War II, and it was marked with failure. A well-rounded...

Douglas Haig, the British Field marshal during World War I, was known as both a national hero and butcher. His decisions directly led to the large numbers of deaths in the trenches, but Haig was driven by the quest for a great victory...

Best known as the author of the  Lord of the Rings trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien may have used some of his trench warfare experiences to create Middle Earth. While the trilogy is not entirely autobiographical, many scholars agree that...

Was British nurse Edith Cavell a spy? Just doing her job? A martyr and saint? Perhaps all of the above? Edith Cavell was executed by a hastily arranged firing squad for helping wounded British soldiers in German-occupied Belgium during...

Despite the violence of the colonial era, Great Britain was not prepared for the sheer volume of casualties in the Great War. British Field Marshal John French was one of the first to direct Britain's fight, but he was dismissed when the...

King George V ascended to the throne after the long-storied Victorian era. However, as an instructive video shows, he wrestled with defining his role in the context of a world war and complex relationships with the ruling family of...

Explore the differences between the United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England with a video that offers an in-depth look into each region and answers common questions about the surrounding countries. The video includes facts, engaging...

Tenth graders analyze works from the period of the Industrial Revolution in England and identify the cultural values depicted and inferred that paved the way for the Industrial Revolution to occur at this time. They create captions that...

How do cultural and historical background impact thought? To explore this essential question, class members view of portion of the film, The Passage to India, read an excerpt from The Magician’s Nephew, and Nissim Ezekiel’s poem, "In...

Take a trip to Great Britain with this fun reading activity! Young learners read an article about many famous attributes of Britain - 101 of them, to be exact - and finish several comprehension and grammar activities about what they have...

T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, is a legend in movies and popular imagination who was charged with breaking Ottoman rule on the Middle East. Yet, Lawrence's own words were prophetic in forecasting the foolishness of...

Students study the history of ginger and its uses. They discuss traditions of building gingerbread houses in Germany, England, and the United States. Using modeling material, students create their own gingerbread houses. Gingerbread...

Who was William Shakespeare? Although your class will surely have heard of him, how much do they know about the time in which he lived? The Renaissance, cosmology, scientific theories of the time, etc. are all introduced here....

Review concepts related to Roman leader Agricola's tenure in Britain. This worksheet could be used as part of an exploration of British and Roman history.

First graders summarize similarities and differences of life in England and America for the Pilgrims by reading a mini-book. Then, they write a journal entry in first person on what it is like to be a pilgrim in England and in America....

Offering a comprehensive overview of the beginning of World War II, this resource could be a useful addition to a unit on this topic. It could be used as a way to lead a discussion on the war, or as a review tool before a test. Either...

Sixth graders research conditions that caused 16th Century Black Plague and led to downfall of Europe, and examine causes and effects of population density, disease, and invention.

Students discover Boxing Day and participate in an activity about giving to people in need. They collect canned goods and/or clothing to give to those in need and decorate boxes for the donated goods.