Curated OER
Melba Pattillo and Ruby Bridges: Two Heroes of School Integration
Learners put themselves in the shoes of students who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957-58. Note: The primary resources in this activity provide powerful and poignant descriptions of what those students faced.
Curated OER
The History of Maple Syrup
Learners explore the process of harvesting maple syrup. In this science and history activity, students make their own maple syrup and create a picture book that shows the Native American and American pioneer methods of making the syrup.
Smithsonian Institution
Stamp Stories of Westward Expansion
What a fantastic project idea for discussing not only the history of America's expansion into the West, but for reviewing any major unit of history in your class. Pupils build stamp collections to visually represent themes of the unit,...
Curated OER
Discovering the Oregon Trail
Students explore U.S. history by researching the Oregon Trail. In this American exploration lesson, students read the story On the Shore of the River and define the exact path early settlers took to find the state of Oregon. Students...
Curated OER
Pioneer Homes
Students compare and contrast Native American dwellings with pioneer homes. They identify the progression of these homes and locate examples on a frontier map.
Curated OER
"Families and Schools of the Past"
First graders listen to and discuss historical fiction and bigraphies from the early American time period. They role-play, draw, write stories and dress up to re-create events from these historical characters.
Curated OER
German Immigrants Contributions to the Upper Midwest
Students explore contemporary lifestyles, cultures, traditions are influenced by the contributions of the German settlers of that region. They research these influences and design a brochure to entice potential immigrants to the Upper...
Curated OER
Exploring Indiana's Natural Resources
Fourth graders complete a variety of activities as they study the European exploration of the Midwest, focusing on Indiana. They map the path explorers took, comparing the British with the French. They research why the explorers stopped...
Curated OER
Quilts and Math
Students create a pattern. In this patterns lesson, students review the meaning of symmetry and explore using pattern blocks. Students look for patterns in real quilts, photographs and pictures. Students work independently to plan a...
Curated OER
Henry Ford: A Cultural Icon
Students conduct research online for information about Henry Ford and his assembly line, examine economic, technological, and social changes that resulted from Ford's innovation, and use notes and resources to write five paragraph essays...
Curated OER
The Student Cafateria as the "Leafy Chestnut Tree"
High schoolers examine the difference between "news" of earlier periods, and "news" as we know it today. They then go out into the school common areas and analyze news from the perspective of word-of-mouth storys and discuss what they...
Curated OER
Canvas Transformations
Students transform the content of paintings currently in the collection hanging in the Utah Fine Arts Museum by using the four theatre techniques of storytelling, kinetics images, soundscapes, and ritual building.
Curated OER
Narrative History - Hypertext Dialogues
Students create scripts about California settlers. The document reflects the settlers' fears, expectations, and realizations.
Curated OER
The Kansas Flag
First graders study the symbols on the Kansas flag. In this social studies lesson, 1st graders read about the symbols on the state flag. Students create a flag folder and complete word work assignment for each of the symbols discussed.