Finding good primary source materials to support any study of history can be a challenge and time-consuming. A set of 11 primary source letters, images, and text excerpts provide young historians with an opportunity to sharpen their...

World War I was known for its gruesome battlefields and horrific injuries. Using photographs from a battlefield surgeon's scrapbook, scholars see first-hand what life was like in the trenches. After creating a timeline of the war using...

The power of a picture. During the events surrounding World War I, propaganda posters were widely distributed in American society to sway the emotions of its citizens. By analyzing World War I propaganda posters in the first installment...

Learners examine world history by writing an essay in class. In this World War II lesson plan, students identify the attack on Pearl Harbor, the response from the U.S and the effect it had on Japanese-Americans. Learners define Japanese...

Students examine World War II through the use of literature. As a class, they brainstorm a list of words they relate to the war itself. In groups, they read various novels and view photographs showing the experiences of the Jews,...

Has media always had an influence on public policy? After researching and reading news articles written during World War I, learners understand the influence of communication and media. They discuss articles in small groups and as a...

The Cold War—with its roots in World War II—impacts the world today. Using an extensive curriculum, scholars consider its impact through primary sources, including speeches and propaganda, as well as other skills-enhancing activities. An...

The Holocaust is unbelievable! Examine this piece of history with your class. Using the Internet, research groups determine the relevance of information presented, compare how different sites present the same information, synthesize...

Because World War II encompassed most of the globe in one way or another, many pivotal battles and events are not as visible in the history books, leaving veterans of these conflicts feeling overlooked by more famous skirmishes. High...

Fifth graders explore world history by participating in a class game. In this propaganda instructional activity, 5th graders identify Madeline Beck and the role women played during World War II. Students create fictitious propaganda...

Eleventh graders analyze primary source documents during the Second World War. Students recall statements of Japanese-Americans who were placed into internment camps during the war.

Young scholars view a video clip of the experiences of Japanese-Americans during World War II. They read parts of a book in which a child tells her story about living in the internment camps. They participate in a simulation activity as...

Without the benefit of history, Western Europe in the 1940's had no idea what was about to befall them. Class members use primary sources, including political cartoons, videos, and internal documents, to analyze how much of a threat...

Seventh graders create a classroom timeline of important world events. This lesson is meant to be used during the entire school year. As the school year goes along, events are added to the timeline as chosen by the class. The events are...

When it comes to the law, is justice always served? Teach scholars about how law sometimes enables prejudice of entire groups of people with a unit on World War II that includes a warm-up activity, analysis of primary sources,...

Of the images that have permeated history to define American courage, perseverance, and patriotism, the 1945 photograph of United States Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima is one of the most well known. After researching the pivotal...

Students research the events and results of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. As a class, they discuss the role of the military in the entire European theater and write a paper describing the situations and conditions the...

There are some historical events that may warrant greater reflection and more in-depth analysis, and the decision to intern Japanese-Americans in the United States during World War II, as well as to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and...

Fifth graders explore women's rights by discussing the events of WWII. For this American work force lesson, 5th graders identify the events that led to World War II and how women helped fight the war through non-violent efforts. Students...

Students explore the Holocaust. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research Hitler's rise to power, the terror of concentration camps, and World War II. Students read The Diary of Anne Frank , listen to a Holocaust survivor, and...

Pose the question to your historians: who really freed the slaves? They critically assess various arguments, using primary sources as evidence. In small groups, scholars jigsaw 5 primary source documents (linked), and fill out an...

Not all party platforms stay democratic. A resource covers many political issues in Germany during the time of World War II, and teaches pupils about the Nazi party platform and what went wrong. Individuals participate in a warm-up...

Students explore who has photographed war and why. They examine Mathew Brady's process for photgraphing the Civil War. Students investigate how photographic equipment has changed and improved through time. They analyze primary source war...

Students examine the events related to the Russian Revolution. In groups, they use the internet to discover the concerns of Woodrow Wilson during this time period and relate them to the origins of the Cold War. To end the instructional...