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Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

A History of the United States

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
This 262-page Core Knowledge teacher guide presents an overview of the two-volume History of the United States program designed for middle schoolers. The guide includes information about the learning strategies used, a pacing guide, the...
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eBook
Core Knowledge Foundation

Volume 1 - A History of the United States: Precolonial to the 1800s

For Students 7th - 8th Standards
Volume One of the 299-page Core Knowledge History of the United States covers events from the Precolonial Period to the 1800s.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Utopian Promise

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Scholars learn all about the Puritans in the third installment of a 16-part lesson series. After watching a video, they read and discuss biographies of Puritans and Quakers from American history, write journal entries and poetry, and...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

How the First State Constitutions Helped Build the U.S. Constitution

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Did you know that the United States Constitution was adopted after many state constitutions were already in place? Young scholars examine facts about the influence of states through an informative and interesting resource. Groups then...
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Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Give budding historians a guided exploration of the Declaration of Independence, historic photos, videos, and more as they deepen their understanding of the American Revolution and the attitude of the colonists leading up to the war.
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Peer Critique: Historical Accuracy of Ideas and Vocabulary

For Teachers 4th Standards
Promote collaboration in the classroom with a historical fiction instructional activity. Fourth graders partner up and read the other's narrative to give feedback on vocabulary choice and the accuracy of historical information. After...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Triangular Trade

For Teachers 5th - 7th
This lesson has it all, primary source documents, an interactive trade game, clear teacher background information, and sailing to the West Indies chance cards. You will play, trade, and live out the experiences of early colonists in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reasons for Settling the New World

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
After studying the reasons settlers entered the New World, primary learners try to persuade others to enter this new land. Class members present their arguments in a variety of ways including posters, writings, and charts. Richly...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the two...
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Unit Plan
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Core Knowledge Foundation

Colonial Towns and Townspeople Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers K Standards
A read-aloud anthology focuses on colonial towns and townspeople. Over three weeks, young scholars listen to stories, participate in discussions about town life, practice word work, and complete an extension activity with each lesson.  
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Interactive
Mr. Nussbaum

Colonial Rhode Island

For Students 5th - 6th Standards
An interactive focuses on Colonial Rhode Island. Scholars read a brief informational text, then answer 10 questions. Feedback appears immediately and comes with a final progress report.
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Interactive
Mr. Nussbaum

Pennsylvania Colony

For Students 4th - 6th Standards
An informational reading sheds light on the history of the Pennsylvania colony. Scholars read the text, then answer 10 questions.
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Handout
Plimoth Plantation

History In A New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth

For Students 4th - 12th Standards
Sixty-seven pages take scholars on a digital tour through the exhibit, History in a New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth. Crystal clear pictures accompanied by text offer a deep understanding of the...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

To Sign or Not to Sign

For Teachers 6th - 8th
To sign or not to sign, that is the question. Scholars review the Declaration of Independence and discuss the Framers' decisions for signing the document. The activity uses primary text, a worksheet, and group discussion to help...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Empire and Identity in the American Colonies

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The American Revolution was born out of a European conflict that spilled over into North America—and the documents prove it! Using primary sources from the era of the French and Indian War, including British plans to try to unite its...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life for Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Thirteen steps make up a lesson that challenges pupils to compare and contrast the daily lives of Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe. Learners revisit the Graffiti Wall then break into small groups for an investigative reading assignment...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Word Choice: Using Academic Vocabulary to Apply for a Colonial Trade Job

For Teachers 4th Standards
Scholars reflect upon colonial jobs such as a blacksmith, cooper, shoemaker, etc. Together, the class writes a job application as a practice for working independently. Learners employ their experience in writing a job application for a...
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
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...
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Colonial Designs

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The adventures of the New World came at a cost for Native Americans. Scholars investigate the economic side of settling the European colonies. Using video clips, statistical evidence, and primary sources, they create hypotheses and...
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Interactive
Plimoth Plantation

Thanksgiving Interactive: You are the Historian

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Take on the roles of two very different individuals living together during the same time: a pilgrim and a member from the Wampanoag Tribe. As learners navigate through the interactive, each click takes them to a part of each village to...
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Lesson Plan
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Education World

You Are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine the facts and myths that surround the "First Thanksgiving" (the harvest celebration of 1621) at Plimoth Colony. They study the role that historians play in the collection and dissemination of history and use their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Revolution Simulation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the grievances of the American colonists. They relate to that which is held most dearly i.e. life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research the impact of European voyages of discovery and colonial influence on different aspects of American culture. They access a number of online sources and reference maps to trace the influences of England, France, Holland,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biotechnology Laboratory Research

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students participate in an extended laboratory research to experience how scientific information is obtained, upon which we build scientific knowledge and understanding.