Curated OER
Lewis and Clark: Prized Possessions
Students consider the role of Sacagawea as part of the Corps of Discovery. In this Lewis and Clark expedition lesson, students discover details about Sacagawea's wampum belt and then create their own wampum belts using their computer and...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages of looking at a historical event from the multiple points of view of...
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Native American Folklore
Students create a paper that differentiates between written and oral history. They also create a visual narrative that is interpretative.
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Where I'm From: Personal and Cherokee
High schoolers write a poem about the land they are from. They research the previous inhabitants of the same land - the Cherokee Indians - and write a poem about the land from a Cherokee perspective.
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From America, With Love
Students research the experiences of specific immigrant groups in the United States. Letters are written from imaginary immigrants to relatives in their countries of origin, including historically accurate details.
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Labor Unions and Strikes
Teens explore economics by listening to a labor history lecture and an excerpt from Looking Backward, by Edward Bellamy. A detailed outline is provided for the lecture, along with follow up and assessment questions. In groups, they...
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Border Poetry/Writing Workshop
Students analyze a poem set in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands and defend their own interpretations of the work. They demonstrate understanding of poetic technique by writing their own poems of living on the border.
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Debating for Land
Students research pertinent information based on historical facts and is supported by quotations from primary sources in order to prepare for a class debate about land ownership in the 19th century.
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The Red Convertible
Students read and discuss the short story "The Red Convertible". They participate in extension activities related to each of the three parts of the story, planning a road trip, researching the Vietnam War, and writing a paper on their...
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Slave Narratives
Students use a database to find and read examples of slave narratives. In groups, they read the various narratives and discuss their feelings about them. They also research the time period in which the narratives were written to end...
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A Taste of the Caribbean
Pupils are introduced to the foods and traditions of the Caribbean. In groups, they brainstorm their own definition of culture and review the physical and political geography of the Caribbean. They spend time sampling different foods...
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Should We Celebrate Columbus Day?
Students gather information about Columbus' impact on the Americas. They use the information to determine whether or not a fictitious community should continue to recognize Columbus Day.
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Making A Colorado Brochure
Students create a Colorado brochure. Given a variety of brochures, students explore the aspects of an attractive brochure. In groups, students explore tourist attractions, important people, major cities, and statistics of Colorado. ...
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Heritage Hunt
In this history scavenger hunt activity, students respond to 17 fill in the blank, short answer and drawing questions in an effort to help them better understand the information that can be found at the North Dakota Heritage Center.
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Revolutionary Money
Examine paper money from the American revolution! Historians study the paper bills and discuss the history of money. How has money changed over the times? Activities are included.
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The Immigrant's Voice
Young scholars explain the concept of the "push-pull" effect. They distinguish between voluntary and involuntary immigrants and apply the concept of double consciousness to the immigrant's sense of national identity.
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Spain and France Influence in Europe and in the New World
Students examine the conditions in France and Spain during the Middle Ages and the Discovery of America. In groups, they compare and contrast the political situations in both countries and what effect they had on the New World. To end...
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Thinking About Diversity: One Student's View
Students are asked how would you describe your yourself (Racial/Ethnic). Students read Little Boxes, where it is discussed that the author describes that backgrounds of her parents. They continue to read where they still need to come...
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Whitman and Lincoln
Students determine if Lincoln and Whitman ever met and write a dialogue between the two men. In this Whitman and Lincoln instructional activity, students read Whitman's poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" and connect it to the events of Lincoln's...
University of California
The Cold War (America)
The Cold War—with its roots in World War II—impacts the world today. Using an extensive curriculum, scholars consider its impact through primary sources, including speeches and propaganda, as well as other skills-enhancing activities. An...
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Reading Images: Maconaquah
Students examine a portrait of Maconaquah and compose a list of things they observe about her. They look at her age, clothing, jewelry, and her emotions based on her facial expression. Conclusions are drawn as they "read" the pictures...
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Inside Catlin's Head
Students will develop a variety of skills that include spatial, body kinesthetic, and communication skills. They create journal entries about the artist George Caitlin and a script for a theatrical skit.
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Maps of Indian Territory, the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers' Enrollment Case File
Students, in groups, analyze one map at a time, first the 1885 map, then the 1891 map. After they have completed the analysis sheets, they compare the two maps and answer questions imbedded in the plan.
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Key Figures of the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition
Learners gain general knowledge of the goals, route, participants, and significance of the 1899 Harriman Expedition. They link names of glaciers, fiords, mountains, flora and fauna with names of the 1899 Harriman Expedition...