PBS
Women's History: Glass Windows; Glass Ceilings
Discover stories about women's history in beautiful stained glass windows. The second in a three-part series teaches scholars about a famous artistic style of stained glass windows and the influential women that used art to impact...
Curated OER
Slavery in the United States
Students investigate the personal accounts of slaves in the United States. They participate in various activities according to grade level to examine the role of slavery in the South.
Curated OER
Oral History of World War II
Students research how citizens from the United States respond to the onset, duration and aftermath of World War II. They view clips from the movie "Swing Shift" and discuss the roles of civilians, minorities and military personnel. They...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Isn’t It Exciting? (The American Industrial Revolution and Urbanization)
America was built on the ingenuity, work ethic, and foresight of our ancestors. Sixth graders learn about the complex Gilded Age in American history, including the prominent inventors and captains of industry, and how they all connect...
American Battlefield Trust
Contrasting the North and South Before the War
Fundamental differences between the North and South led to the South adopting a system of enslaved labor. These abstract ideas become concrete when class members create a standing cube using information provided in the resource. Young...
Curated OER
The Growth of America's Production System
Students, assessing a variety of sources, explore the growth of inventions that were brought about by the Industrial Revolution. They analyze labor practices and philosophies within the history of the United States. A timeline is set in...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Debate Against Slavery
Slavery is a serious topic that can be challenging for middle schoolers to study. Young scholars can see firsthand through primary sources what occurred during that time period in the United States. The third of five lessons provides...
Curated OER
Labor Day
Students examine the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a national holiday, and analyze the role of labor unions in American history, past and present, through a variety of activities.
Curated OER
Labor Day Newspaper
Students examine the history of the Labor Day holiday and write a newspaper article about it. They practice using new vocabulary words and discover the layout of a newspaper.
Curated OER
In the Footsteps of West Virginia
Students prepare for a visit to the West Virginia State Museum. In this West Virginia history lesson, students research the individuals whose leadership impacted the state. Students create multimedia projects featuring the individuals...
Curated OER
A New Society Project
Ninth graders examine the social and political movements of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. In this American history lesson, 9th graders work in groups to form their own society and laws. Students make a diagram of their town and...
Curated OER
Irish-Americans: Work and Song
Young scholars research the experience of Irish immigrants who helped build the railroad systems of the United States. They analyze primary source documents, take notes, and create an artistic piece.
Curated OER
Tracing the Route of Bracero
Students make a map showing the work of a Bracero Worker. In this Bracero lesson, students listen to a worker in an online oral history as he explains his work locations and crops. They use a map to plot the areas he worked and the crops...
Curated OER
Soil, Designing the Small Farm of the Future
Young scholars examine the history of farming. In this environmental farming activity, students explore the web and complete a variety of activities in order to understand the necessity of local, sustainable, and small farms for the...
Curated OER
Literature: Esperanza Rising
Students read and discuss the book, Esperanza Rising. After analyzing and identifying the novel's structural elements, they examine working conditions for migrant workers in the 1930s. As part of the lesson, students in groups choose...
Curated OER
MEDIEVAL SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Seventh graders examine the area of medieval Sub-Saharan Africa through eyes of travelers in the company of one of history's greatest travelers, Ibn Battuta. The project has been structured to include all the State standards for this unit.
Curated OER
The Abolitionist Movement: A Fight for Freedom
Sixth graders investigate the Civil War by identifying famous figures of the era. In this slavery abolitionist lesson plan, 6th graders read a text on the history of the Civil War and discuss heroes of the era such as Harriet Tubman and...
Curated OER
Progressive Newspapers
High schoolers create a newspaper on local, state and national issues in the muckracking style of progessive era journalism. They research the style by reading articles from the time period on women's sufrage, child labor laws and...
Curated OER
Days of '49: "I've Been Toiling Hard for the Last Two And a Half Years"
Young scholars trace the stages of gold mining in California. They discuss the life of a gold miner and how the discovery of gold influenced towns and cities in California during the 1949 Gold Rush.
Curated OER
Jazz in America Lesson Plan 8
Young scholars explore the present and juture of jazz. They identify terms associated with jazz and listen to contemporary recordings. They participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of American...
Curated OER
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Primary learners will embrace diversity and celebrate multiculturalism through these engaging activities. Which include reading the story Martin Luther King and singing the song "A Man Named King." They will also explore the concept of...
Curated OER
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
Tenth graders identify causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution, analyze the benefits and negative consequences, describe the operation of British government, and identify British social and political reforms resulting from the...
Curated OER
Harvest Celebrations Around the World
Students, working in groups as cultural anthropologists, research harvest festival around the world. They design a Harvest web page based on their research.