Learners read and analyze Jessie Benton Fremont's travelogue of her trip out west in 1849 to identify the gender roles, social attitudes and class distinctions of the time. They then adapt the the travelogue into a film script.

Students investigate the mystery of Stonehenge. In this Stonehenge lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to research information about Stonehenge as well as information regarding archeology and...

Students consider the relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II. In this Japanese relocation lesson, students examine photographs by Dorothea Lange, the "Pledge of Allegiance," and a US government flyer from 1942. They use...

High schoolers explore African American history by researching the Jim Crow laws. For this Civil Rights lesson, students define the Jim Crow laws, the reasons they were put into place, and how they were ultimately defeated. High...

Learners revisit issues of civil rights in the U.S. They use the recent national discussion of retiring Senator Strom Thurmond's 1948 Dixiecrat Presidential campaign as a starting point.

Students examine the Battle of Little Bighorn and its impact on United States and Native American culture through reading current and historic New York Times articles and by creating a research-based exhibit about this historic event.

Young scholars create exhibits about patriotic symbols for a living museum. They write reflective essays exploring the themes and symbols of independence and their influences on social responsibility.

Young scholars discuss the societal roots of music from times of slavery and black spirituals, and compare it to the emergence of Rap and Hip Hop music.

Students explore theories about how the Olmec civilization influenced other Mesoamerican societies. They research the Olmecs to create a museum exhibit of their findings and reflect on how an Olmec person might have understood the...

Students read a first hand account of John F. Kennedy's assassination. They write an essay describing how a world or national event affected them.

Students use on-line resources to research their own name, determine its language origin and meaning. They take an on-line quiz to determine their "naming-style."

Stuck for a journal topic? Download CAHSEE’s 21 “Expository Journal Prompts” as a pdf handout for yourself or class. A great resource for your writing program, print it up and add it your curriculum library.

Learners examine the history of Spanish in what is now the United States. They examine the current language status of the Hispanic population. Students are able to characterize Spanglish and Chicano English. They examine some features...

How does geography influence daily life? Guided by an essential question, class groups select and then research an ancient culture, and develop a news broadcast about the geographical setting and its impact on the culture. Teams...

Students investigate African American history by researching culture. In this Harlem Renaissance lesson, students identify the teachings, music and art associated with African Americans in Harlem in the early 20th century. Students...

Students examine the relationship between language and culture in the Deaf Community. They discover the history of sign language and how it has been viewed in the past. They examine the Deaf community's beliefs and values.

Learners use mystery novels to focus on the history and ethnicity of different regions of the United States. As a class, they are introduced to the elements of a mystery and compare them to the other types of novels they have read. In...

Students observe the human or personal side of history by assessing the background to the people in the community who are basically "living" historians. They compare the histories of different ethnic groups to identify areas of patterns...

Students write personal histories. In this historical analysis lesson, students explore their own places in history as they read the diaries of others and write their own.

Students practice researching history through oral traditions.  In this U.S. History lesson plan, students examine an online exhibit titled Harvesting the River, in which students interview someone from the story.  Students...

Students gain an understanding of Peru's history. They analyze how specific ideas and beliefs have had an effect on a particular period of time and they trace the route of the Spanish Conquistadors on a map of Peru.

One of a series of lessons from Ellis Island. In this lesson, learners use research from a previous lesson to conduct oral history interviews of family members to learn about their cultural and ethnic heritage.

Students discover the value of oral history by creating their own audio recordings.  In this traditions and customs lesson, students listen to a local historian discuss the idea of preserving history through oral traditions....

High schoolers respond to Holocaust literature. In this interactive history lesson, students select quotes from chapter 1 of Elie Wiesel's Night and reflect on their meaning as they record their thoughts on poetic, prose, comic. or...