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Lesson Plan
3
3
Project Tahoe

Individual Rights vs. The Greater Good Within the Scope of War

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
When, if ever, is the government justified in restricting individual rights? When, if ever, should the "greater good" trump individual rights? To prepare to discuss this hot-button topic, class members examine primary source documents,...
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Lesson Plan
National History Day

Helping Life and Aiding Death: Science, Technology, and Engineering at Work during World War I

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Science, engineering, and United States history? Pupils research collections of artifacts from the Smithsonian to learn about historical scientific innovations. At the end of the lesson, they write an essay to discuss technology's...
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Unit Plan
3
3
Curated OER

Farewell to Manzanar

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Examine human resilience across two texts with a detailed unit. Over the course of a week, learners will conduct a close reading of excerpts from Unbroken and Farewell to Manzanar. The resource includes clear procedures for reading and...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Debating Monuments, Memorials and Statues

For Teachers 4th - 6th
An illustrative activity explores images of monuments, statues, and memorials in the US to decide whether they should be kept or removed. Scholars place images in a keep or remove pile, then complete a worksheet online. The resource...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Baseball: A Morale Booster During Wartime?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
How did baseball become America's national pastime? A sports-minded activity explores the importance government placed on baseball to boost morale during both world wars. Academics read letters to understand the importance of baseball...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

A Revolution, a Reaction and a Reform: Getting Ready for National History Day

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Get ready for National History Day! A thought-provoking activity focuses on a hypothetical project for National History Day (NHD). Academics review three primary sources to determine if they would meet the criteria for a NHD project....
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Integration of the US Armed Forces

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Uncle Sam wants you to integrate the military! The activity uses images and documents to help scholars understand the integration of African Americans into the mainstream military. Academics analyze a series of military photos and...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Introduction to the Domino Theory and Containment Policy in Vietnam

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Scholars analyze a propaganda poster against communism. The resource uses the poster to examine the domino theory and containment policies used by the United States to stop the spread of communism in Vietnam. Scholars work in pairs or...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution

For Teachers 7th - 12th
They sunk our battleship! An engaging activity focuses on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the sinking of the USS Maddox. Young historians learn how it increased tensions leading to the Vietnam War and read through a first draft of the...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Analyzing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Original Draft Resolution)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Breaking news, President Johnson addresses the nation! Scholars watch a video of President Johnson's address to Congress regarding the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The activity focuses on the  motivation behind the resolution and the...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Containment in Korea: Entering the Korean War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
An interesting resource explores President Truman's decision to enter into the Korean War to contain the spread of communism. Historians analyze the document using an online worksheet before participating in group discussion on the...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Analyzing US Involvement in the Vietnam War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
War: unavoidable or a necessary evil? A thought-provoking activity explores the United States' long involvement in the Vietnam War as well as the aftermath. Scholars research and summarize primary documents and complete online worksheets...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

WWI Propaganda and Art

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Uncle Sam wants you! During World War II, the US government and military created a propaganda campaign to gain public support. The activity uses primary documents such as photos to explain how and why the propaganda campaign was...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Japanese American Internment During World War II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
World War II turned nations against each other and neighbors into enemies. An eye-opening activity explores the dark past of Japanese-American internment camps during WWII. Scholars learn of the fear and distrust toward Asian Americans...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Resolution Analysis

For Teachers 5th - 8th
An eye-opening activity honors those soldiers that have fallen in battle but remain nameless. Scholars analyze the Unknown Solider Resolution created after World War I to honor those who died. Academics participate in group discussion to...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The Zimmermann Telegram

For Teachers 6th - 12th
An enlightening activity explains how a telegram prompted the United States to enter World War I. Scholars examine the telegram and work to decode it. To finish, individuals complete a worksheet and participate in group discussion to...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

New Technology in World War I

For Teachers 7th - 12th
A fast-paced activity focuses on the development of technology during World War I. Young historians match images of new technologies and complete a worksheet. Scholars also read an account of the war from the perspective of an American...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

Racism and Removal: Japanese Incarceration During World War II

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
During World War II people saw how far the government's control would go, but it was at the expense of its citizens. The resource brings the conditions of Japanese American internment camps to light using primary documents. Scholars...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

Borders with the World: Mexican-American War and U.S. Southern Borderlands

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
The Mexican-American War created social borders—not just physical ones. Scholars learn about the effects of the Mexican-American War on the people living in the borderlands using text excerpts, maps, and partnered activities. Academics...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The SS Quanza and European War Refugees

For Teachers 8th - 12th
World War II not only resulted in major loss of life, but it also displaced thousands of people. An eye-opening activity uses primary documents to explore the refugee crisis during World War II. Scholars compare the event to modern-day...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The Night Before D-Day

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Get inside the mind of General Eisenhower regarding the D-Day invasion. An interesting activity uses historical documents to highlight the differences between Eisenhower's public stance on D-Day and his private opinions. Scholars analyze...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Pearl Harbor Dispatch Analysis

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Scholars play a historical version of the telephone game when they analyze the dispatch from the Pearl Harbor attack. The quick activity uses primary sources to help academics analyze an historical event. Young historians also complete a...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Deborah Sampson Gannett: A Woman Soldier in the Revolutionary War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Fact or fiction: Women fought as soldiers in the Revolutionary War. The resource highlights the life of Deborah Sampson Gannett, a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight during the war. Academics decipher a legal document and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-1865: Effects of the War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging lesson focuses on the impact of the war and Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction had on the United States. Historians analyze primary documents, such as Constitutional Amendments and newspaper experts. They also participate in...