Which comes first? The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future? What clues can readers use to establish the chronology of A Christmas Carol? The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Marley, and Tiny Tim provides the text for an activity that...

Where does it fit in history? Learners consider the choices historians make when evaluating events by constructing a timeline of World War II. Using photographs of events in the conflict, they create a chronology. Once finished,...

What happens next? Work on story sequence with a instructional activity that prompts kids to put a story back in order. Additionally, they discuss what would happen if one event was missing from the sequence.

The city of Los Angeles' 1979 Special Order 40 states: "LAPD officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." After reading a fact sheet that details the history of Special Order...

Throughout his life and presidency, Theodore Roosevelt contributed to the America we know today in so many ways. An adaptable lesson prompts young historians to create a chronological timeline of Roosevelt's contributions to different...

Cut it out! Beginning readers practice sequencing skills at home or at school with a variety of activities that require cutting out multiple sets of picture cards and putting them in the correct order. 

The Holocaust was an evolution of anti-Semitism, scapegoating, and targeted violence against Jews with Nazi policies. A resource unpacks the escalation in violence, along with the erosion of democratic institutions, during the 1930s....

Investigate the growth and development of New York City with the final lesson in this four-part series on skyscrapers. Learners first explore the concept of urban growth by looking closely at a series of three paintings made of Wall...

A highly engaging warm-up activity starts this plan for teaching class members about the Vietnam War. After the anticipatory activity, the teacher chooses how to provide an overview of the war (PowerPoint, lecture, textbook, etc.). Next,...

Life science learners read a set of six short Discovery Readings that describe historical events in the field of microbiology. For each, they identify clues about when the event occurred and then they try to arrange events in...

Imagine a tool that magically engages readers in the classroom. A handbook for Indiana educators doesn't guarantee success, but it does offer a variety of strategies for teachers to try. The handbook opens with research-based theory...

How do you teach the Civil War and all its intricacies within the time limits of an average school day? Using a three-part plan, teachers easily integrate coverage of key Civil War battles into the unit. The lesson includes activities to...

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...

Though the grandeur and elegance of the British palace remains unchanged throughout history, the role of the monarch has shifted from absolute rule to collaboration with a constitutional parliament. Young historians learn about the...

Make a prediction! Read The Very Cranky Bear with your first graders, making predictions and asking questions. Consider creating a list of comprehension questions to post while readers are listening to the story. Also consider...

Betsy Ross, Toni Morrison, Sacajawea, Amelia Earhart, Maya Lin, Sally Ride, Judy Baca. No matter the subject area or the grade level you teach you will find much to value in a manual that focuses on the contributions U.S. women have...

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” Ambrose Bierce’s short story, is used to model how structural moves, the decisions an author makes about setting, point of view, time order, etc., can be examined to reveal an author’s purpose. Groups...

Youngsters who are just beginning to learn about the age of exploration do a study of Christopher Columbus. They each select four pictures from the voyage of 1492 and write a caption below each one stating what is happening. The class...

The end of World War II saw the world deeply changed over the last few years. Four thorough lessons explore post-war Europe, America, and Asia through reading assignments and discussion questions about the Grand Alliance and the signing...

Five learning stations for five physical fitness components: cardiovascular exercise, body composition, muscle endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility. As pupils progress through each station, they will complete assigned tasks,...

While the Black Death wiped out a third of Europe's population during the Middle Ages, its destruction paved the way for better wages for workers and even an early form of modern capitalism. The relationship between the cataclysmic...

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this activity is worth so much more! Learners closely analyze a series of photographs from World War II, matching them with their appropriate captions and sequencing them into a correct...

An ambitious and engaging activity on the Westward Movement for your students to enjoy! Groups of learners rotate between learning tasks such as learning about the Chislom Trail, Lewis and Clark, and the Gold Rush. A WebQuest is also...

An incredibly thorough, and well-designed instructional activity teaches youngsters about the presumed extinction and rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas. Learners discuss the environmental factors that led to the...