Curated OER
What Should a House Do?
Students complete a unit of lessons on the similarities and differences between Native American homes and European settlement houses. They explore websites, read stories, design a dream house, and construct wigwam models.
Curated OER
Sodbusters!
Students study American settlers, how and where they lived by observing images. They investigate how the settlers used sod to build houses that were adaptable to the plains environment. They compare living in a sod homes with their home.
Curated OER
Arkansas is Our State: Differentiating Between a State and a Country
An ambitious geography lesson is geared toward kindergartners. They discover what the differences are between states and countries. They look at maps of Arkansas, and learn what the shapes and lines mean. Additionally, they create a...
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Hometown Heroes
Transform studying about veterans in a textbook to personal interviews with veterans in the community. Four varying lesson plans make up an entire unit or individualized learning based on your class's needs. Exercises include researching...
Curated OER
Dr. King's Dream
Students explore life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., reflect on section of King's "I Have a Dream" speech, discuss inequities that still exist in the United States, and create picture books about their own dreams of freedom for...
Curated OER
Then and Now: Life in Early America, 1740 - 1840
Students complete a unit of lessons that examine life in early America from 1740-1840. They compare items with similar objects we use today, explore various websites, create a paper doll, try and guess the function of various objects,...
Curated OER
It's In Your Pocket
Students examine federal powers. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students explore the powers of Congress to coin money. Students also study the meaning of the symbols on U.S. coins.
Curated OER
Fold the Flag
Pupils follow directions to fold a flag properly. They practice on paper flags first and then use a real United States flag. They also examine the history of the flag.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Honoring All Who Served Veterans Day
November 11th, Veterans Day, is a holiday set aside to honor all those who have served in the military. Here's a resource packed with ideas, activities, projects, and materials that will provide inspiration for ways to celebrate those...
Federal Reserve Bank
Bunny Money
Teach your class about saving, spending, and goal setting with a story about a couple of bunnies who went shopping and related activities. Learners keep track of the bunnies' spending, practice identifying long- and short-term savings...
Curated OER
Philanthropic Behavior
Youngsters create class rules by determining the environment they would like to have in their classroom. They come to a consensus about how to have a safe, fair, fun learning environment by discussing the rules in the Karla Kustin poem,...
Curated OER
The Importance of Place
Is art connected to geography? It sure is! Your class will find out how even clay that comes from a certain location can have deep symbolic meaning. The class will analyze the piece, Mud Woman Rolls On and then research how geographic...
Curated OER
Social Studies, Gender and the Blues
This lesson shows how the blues can be used to enable students to explore gender divisions in the United States, both in the past and the present. Most blues songs are about the relationships between men and women, as are many songs in...
Scholastic
Thanksgiving Lessons Grades PreK-2
A quintessential resource for teaching an elementary unit on the first Thanksgiving addresses a variety of skills, including informational reading, critical thinking, comparing and contrasting facts, technology tools, and historical...
Curated OER
Past, Present and Future Through the Eyes of Long Jakes
Even the littlest learners can become art historians if they have the right training. For the lesson, your preschoolers discuss the piece Long Jakes as they point out all the details they notice. They discuss what mountains and mountain...
Curated OER
Majestic Murals
Albert Bierstadt is a highly celebrated artist who was able to capture the beauty of the American landscape. The class will first learn how Bierstadt explored America during the 1800s and painted the majestic countryside. Then, they will...
Curated OER
Create your own Parfleche!
What is a parfleche? It is a box used by the Plains Indians to carry goods as they traveled. First, the class will discuss the uses of these highly ornate boxes and the nature of the Plains Indians' nomadic lifestyle. Then, the class...
Curated OER
Pack your Parfleche!
Imagine you are a Plains Indian, a nomad getting ready to follow a herd of buffalo. Now imagine what you would have to pack for your trip. Little ones examine images of a traditional parfleche (packing box), and then create packing lists...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Celebrating and Remembering
Help scholars understand the history, geography, traditions, and art of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Find background information for your reference as well as a detailed cross-curricular lesson plan. Learners compare...
Stanford University
Ruby Bridges
A two-part lesson features Civil Rights hero, Ruby Bridges. Part one focuses on the heroic actions of Ruby Bridges then challenges scholars to complete a Venn diagram in order to compare themselves to her. Part two begins with a...
Missouri Department of Elementary
How Do I Act Like a Friend?
Familiar puppets set the stage for a thoughtful discussion about friendship. To show what they know, scholars role-play scenarios. Peers offer a thumbs up when they view positive character traits exhibit good friend behavior.
Scholastic
Voyage on the Mayflower
After completing an online activity about the Mayflower, scholars draw a picture about what they know of the Thanksgiving holiday, including a one-sentence summary. A reading of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma is...
Scholastic
The First Thanksgiving Feast
Following an online activity, scholars listen to a read-aloud of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma. Pupils discuss their family traditions and complete a T-chart comparing the holiday then and now. Collages are made to...
Study Ladder
Halloween Activities: Grades 3rd-6th
Planning Halloween curriculum doesn't have to be scary! Check out a set of worksheets that include reading excerpts, word problems, grammar activities, and engaging Halloween trivia that is perfect for your October lesson planning.