High school social studies teachers addressing the crisis in Darfur could use elements of this plan to increase social studies vocabulary and research skills. It includes a page of lecture/discussion notes, instructions for creating...

“Ich bin ein Berliner.” Here’s the full text of John F. Kennedy’s famous address delivered to the people of Berlin on June 26, 1963. The resource could be used as part of a study of Kennedy’s presidency, of rhetorical devices, or as...

An engaging resource provides many primary source materials to inform a study of the Women's Suffrage Movement. Suggestions include building a timeline of the fight, using the documents as the basis of a DBQ, and/or using a Venn...

Students take a closer look at U.S. intervention in Mexico. In this 20th century history lesson, students examine primary documents to consider why the United States entered the Mexican War and then write DBQ essays on the topic.

Students evaluate the ship of state metaphor in relation to the historical events in America from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. They synthesize ideas presented in ten different primary source documents and compose an essay...

In an age of fake news and photoshopped images, it is vital that 21st century learners development the skills they need to evaluate mass media and assess its validity. A great way to launch such a study is with a carefully crafted lesson...

To better understand the Indian Removal Act of 1830, class members examine primary source documents including letters written by Alabama governors and the Cherokee chiefs. The lesson plan is part of a unit on the expansion of the United...

How did the Voting Rights Act affect the daily lives of American citizens? A document-based lesson developed by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating committee (SNCC) presents a case study of the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on...

Students write about the impact of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, students examine primary documents as they conduct independent research to explore the role of the Underground Railroad during the fight for abolition....

Students examine opinions about the Boston Tea Party. In this colonial America lesson, students analyze several primary sources about the Tea Party and then write essays that reveal efforts to compromise as well as efforts to instigate...

Seventh graders complete a unit on the French and Indian War. They conduct an Internet document search and use what they find to complete a document based essay about the war.

Students use documents and other resources to evaluate the success or failure of the Reconstruction for giving rights to African Americans. The documents are primary resources with questions included for students to complete.

High schoolers investigate the region of Southeast Asia. They research the history, geography, and spread of ethnicity throughout the region. The various lessons consist of class discussion and group work to find common themes shared in...

Students examine the climate regarding women and slaves following the American Revolution. In this primary research skills activity, students examine 15 case studies that require them to discuss the scenarios paired with...

Students examine the relationship between Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Charles Dickens. They read and analyze a manuscript, answer discussion questions, conduct Internet research, and discuss societal and historical context of the...

Students engage in a instructional activity to investigate the concept of all men being equal. The concept has a historical context during the time of the American Revolution. They use primary and secondary sources in order to discover...