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...

Students explore World War II. In this World War II instructional activity, students discover how volunteerism demonstrates civic responsibility. The instructional activity uses World War II-era posters to appeal to the learners and...

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...

Students examine the domino theory. In this cold war lesson, students watch a video about dominos and then get into groups that represent different nations. Students will then act out a mock simulation of the containment and domino theory.

Students view video clips of September 11 and the assassination of John Kennedy. They discuss why these events hold such an importance to the United States. They also examine the role of coincidence and conspiracy in these types of...

Students compare terrorist attacks on the US. In this lesson on tolerance and war, students use various resources and links to examine the concept of toleration during war. Students will focus on the attacks of Pear Harbor in 1941 and...

Bring to life the severity of the Espionage and Sedition Acts through a mock trial. Learners have prior knowledge of WWI and the context of these acts. An anticipatory set gets the class discussing the ethics of wartime dissension, and...

Pupils view a film about Franklin D. Roosevelt and his fireside chats. THey identify political inferences in his speeches and how the media played an important role in the war. They answer questions to complete the lesson.

Students examine the effect of war on teenagers through an interactive program. They also examine how the war effects Americans. They listen to families testimonies and political opinion.

Resistance to the Holocaust took on many forms. Learners explore the passive and active resistance of Jewish people who continued their practices and observances, as well as organized resistance against the evils of the Nazis. An...

Eleventh graders examine the effect of the Vietnam War on California. They work together to research social movements that occured during this period and its outcomes. They also interview veterans to better understand the impact of the...

Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...

Get artsy with this WWII group activity, starting with a whole-class assignment. Create a map of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Pacific using geometric shapes cut from construction paper and placed on the floor. Consider splitting the...

A great idea for showing language arts pupils the universality of themes, even in the real world! Have class members choose an idea-noun (peace, justice, war, love, etc.) at the beginning of the year or semester. They complete weekly...

In 1941 FDR spoke out on the events at Pearl Harbor. The class will get to analyze word choice,  word meaning, author's craft and structure by analyzing an actual draft of this speech. They will look critically at the words used,...

Eleventh graders review the Progressive Movement and the Women's suffrage movement. They also review the changes from the end of World War I to the Great Depression.

Seventh graders investigate the concept of polymers. They discover unique properties and how polymers are natural. The lesson contains sufficient background information for the teacher. Students examine different types of materials and...

Students view a short film about the economies of Japan and Korea after World War II. They discuss their challenges and succeses in building the economy. They also identify human costs of ecomonic development in those countries.

Students examine conditions at state mental hospitals after World War II. They examine the treatment of patients and how to evaluate the credibility of sources. They write a short essay to complete the lesson.

Young scholars examine the Eugenics movement in America. They discover the Nazi's belief in racial purity and how it relates to Eugenics. They also analyze how science has been influential in creating public policy.

Students examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They discover the role of religion and cultural identity in the war in Afghanistan. They explore the arguments for and and against...

Students examine how various cultures define childhood. Using the internet, they research how countries around the world determine who is a child. They identify the sources they most relate with as a child.