Stanford University
Public Housing
The Fair Deal was meant to give Americans after World War II a basic standard of living. Those in public housing often found that promise fell short. Learners consider whether the effort was successful by evaluating images, testimonies,...
Stanford University
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Was JFK a fallen Civil Rights hero—or a fraud? Learners examine Kennedy's own words and those of his critics to decide for themselves. After examining Kennedy's actions before his assassination, they determine what sort of legacy he left...
Stanford University
Chronology: Civil Rights in the 20th Century
Test pupils' knowlege of history and the way civil rights movements unfolded using a series of images. With a primary source analysis activity, scholars practice their chronology and deductive reasoning skills. They use their knowledge...
Stanford University
Migrant Mother Photograph
A picture often has hidden stories to tell. Looking at the iconic Migrant Mother photography by Dorothy Lange, individuals examine the human toll of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression at large. Other documents, including a statement...
Stanford University
Ansel Adams at Manzanar
Analyzing photos from Ansel Adams of Manzanar—a camp where the American government imprisoned thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II—individuals consider what images have to say about this period in American history....
American Battlefield Trust
Creating a Historic Site Lesson Plan
What makes a place historic? Using events from their own lives, learners consider this question, then deem places from their world historic. They then curate the experience for visitors, creating signs and other materials for their...
American Battlefield Trust
Preserving the Memory
Civil War battlefields themselves are under siege by development and other forces. Using materials from the Battlefield Trust, individuals explore local areas that face threat and write letters to support their preservation. An...
American Battlefield Trust
Civil War Personalities: Individual Examples of Character
What is a hero? What is character? Using biographies of figures during the Civil War, both famous and lesser known, scholars consider these questions. After brainstorming what they think makes a hero, they examine the lives of those who...
American Battlefield Trust
1864-1865: Bringing the War to an End
The Civil War—in its breathtaking ferocity—came to a close in 1864. However, turmoil echoed throughout the country's politics, including the presidential context between Lincoln and McClellan. Performing chronology and primary source...
American Battlefield Trust
Gettysburg Address: Abraham Lincoln's Greatest Speech
Most Americans have heard of the Gettysburg Address, but may not know what it means and why is it so important. Following guidance and scaffolded prompts, scholars analyze the short document that left an undeniable impact on the American...
American Battlefield Trust
The Common Civil War Soldier
If it were possible to step back in time, what would learners want to know about the Civil War? With the aid of discussion prompts, they now have that chance. Invite a Civil War re-enactor to your classroom and have all their questions...
American Battlefield Trust
Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan
While Joshua Chamberlain's name is not as iconic as Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee, he still played a pivotal role in the military engagements of the Civil War. Using two secondary sources—including one that draws heavily from his...
American Battlefield Trust
The Home Front
Women and children played key roles during the Civil War, even if their voices are often lost in history. By studying letters and personal testimony from them, budding historians get a glimpse into the day-to-day life of civilians during...
American Battlefield Trust
Civil War Play
Everyone has a role to play. Young scholars step into history by taking on the roles of soldiers—both male and female—during the Civil War using a fictionalized play of what life was like on the battlefield. Pupils also examine the roles...
American Battlefield Trust
1861: The Country Goes to War
What was it like to know the Civil War was coming? Using a graphic timeline activity and excerpts of speeches from Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, learners consider the early days of the conflict. The resource includes prompts for...
American Battlefield Trust
Jeremiah Handley
Designed for middle school scholars, a instructional activity explores the life of Jeremiah Handley, a young man when the Civil War broke out. Pupils read Handley's personal story, accounts of battles, and view images to understand what...
American Battlefield Trust
Emancipation 1861 to 1863
Academics read newspaper articles from 1861 to 1863 regarding Emancipation and answer questions to understand how public opinion changed over time and why. The activity provides scholars with good historical context and the vocabulary...
American Battlefield Trust
John Brown
How did the raid on Harper's Ferry contribute to the start of the Civil War? Curated for high school historians, the activity explains John Brown's contribution to the start of the Civil War by using violence to demand an end to slavery....
American Battlefield Trust
Life at War
It looks like a cracker, but hardtack was anything but. The staple of the Civil War soldier's diet is one of many aspects of military life that scholars consider using letters from soldiers back home and images from slavery. A PowerPoint...
American Battlefield Trust
1862: Antietam and Emancipation
The Emancipation Proclamation shifted the tone and purpose of the Civil War. Using a primary source analysis, pupils consider the significance of the document. A second activity investigates the founding of the United States Colored...
Osage County Interlocal Cooperative
Flight: 100 Years of Aviation
A 12-lesson unit traces the development of aviation from the Wright brothers flight at Kitty Hawk to Amelia Earhart's around the world journey, to Mercury 13.
National Woman's History Museum
19th Amendment
As part of a study of the women's suffrage movement and the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, young historians examine documents that detail when voting rights were granted to women in various countries and when US states...
National Woman's History Museum
State vs. Federal Campaigns
Campaigns to gain voting rights for women during the 19th and 20th centuries took place on both the state and federal level. After examining primary sources that document both types of campaigns, class members debate the merits of the...
National Woman's History Museum
Humor and Activism
As part of their study of the women's suffrage movement, groups analyze political cartoons and drawings. They create a caption for an image from the time, add an exhibit label that provides a context for their drawing, and post as part...