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Narrative History - Hypertext Dialogues
Students create scripts about California settlers. The document reflects the settlers' fears, expectations, and realizations.
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Reasons for Settling the New World
After studying the reasons settlers entered the New World, primary learners try to persuade others to enter this new land. Class members present their arguments in a variety of ways including posters, writings, and charts. Richly...
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A Practical Experiment In Colonization
Role-play and simulation exercises are fantastic ways to help learners understand the reality behind many social and historical events. Pretending they are colonists, upper graders choose a location, create a history, establish laws, and...
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The History of Rice
Fourth graders investigate the history of rice by drawing a timeline of important dates. For this food history lesson, 4th graders research the history of rice, where it came from, and who first used it for food. Students...
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James Welch's Fools Crow
Learners explore the history of Montana's Native Americans by reading James Welch's Fools Crow. Set shortly after the Civil War, the novel focuses on a young Blackfoot Indian and his tribe. Over the course of several weeks, class members...
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Hit the Trail
Students read about the history of cattle trails and complete language arts, math, social studies, and more activities about barbed wire. In this barbed wire lesson plan, students read poetry, research changes over time, draw cattle...
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Kansas Prairie Homes
Students read about settlers in Kansas and the adaptations they made in order to build different kinds of houses. In this Kansas settlers lesson plan, students participate in choral reading and retell information they learn.
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Treaties
Third graders explore Canadian history by participating in a role-playing activity. In this First Nation treaties lesson, 3rd graders identify the difficulties the Aboriginals faced when dealing with early European settlers. Students...
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The Fable of Franny And Her Fabulous Fainting Goat
Mix the art of reading comprehension with the skill of telling time. Children in grades two and three will discuss the importance of goats throughout history based on the provided background information. They'll create cute goat...
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The French in Texas
Fourth graders use Internet to examine early French exploration and settlement in Texas, and write journal entries from point of view of 17th Century French settler, French or Spanish explorer, or Native American whose land was taken.
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The Mayflower Compact
Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact. In this U.S. History instructional activity, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S....
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Johnny Appleseed
Students investigate Johnny Appleseed. In this cross curriculum literacy and U.S. history lesson plan, students listen to Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg, and dictate important events in his life as the teacher writes them on...
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Arkansas Geography/History Relief Map
Sixth graders research a number of sources including the Internet to find information about the regions of Arkansas while locating sites of national historic interest. They located sites on maps while working at assigned websites. They...
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More Than Tipis and Feathers
Fourth graders research Native American People of the plains, the forest, the northwest coast and the desert. They compare how their lives were similar and how they were different. They make a model of one type of dwelling.
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A Visit to Deerfield: Learning about the layout of this colonial village
Tenth graders explore land allotments to the English settlers, Puritan influence on the settlement, and the story of two colonial women.
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Pocahontas: Ambassador to the New World
Students watch the video "Pocahontas: Ambassador to the New World," complete a vocabulary list and discuss the video using the provided questions.
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Nebraska: Using Pictures
Students create a scrapbook about Nebraska history focusing on Post Office murals. They choose their favorite murals and write a story to go along with the mural. In groups, students present their murals to the class and visit the...
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Carnival Celebrations: Masks and Vejigantes
Students explore Carnival. In this Puerto Rico Carnival lesson, students discover the history of the cultural celebration as well as the significance of the elaborate masks worn for the festivities. Students create their own Carnival masks.
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Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson plan, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and...
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Homes of the West
Fourth graders read about homes in Utah over time and design models of the homes. In this homes of the west lesson, 4th graders draw and label five homes that existed in the west. Students research each home and gather information...
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Tall Tales
Young scholars examine the characteristics of tall tales and how exaggerations are used. They create a character that is larger than life, they brainstorm attributes for their character, before writing a Tall Tale. They plan out their...
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An Investigation Into Our Community
Pupils examine maps of Palmer, Massachusetts and practice giving directions. As a class, they discuss how it changed from a farming community to more industrial. To end the lesson, they take pictures of the community to show how it has...
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From These Beginnings
Students prepare a bulletin board that shows the changing identity of their state before and after statehood.
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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.