Using a Florida map from 1597, young explorers consider the physical characteristics they would need in a site for a new colony and the resources they would need to survive. After selecting a site, class members research to discover the...

Bring life to your next California geography lesson with this great project! Learners design a three-dimensional wall relief map of California, painting and decorating regions using a variety of materials and labeling major geographical...

Young scholars read an essay to improve language skills and understanding of American culture for ESL teachers. In this American culture activity, students read the essay 'Maps and Legends' by Michael Chabon and complete various...

The history of science instruction at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) is the focus of a lesson that explores the early challenges these institutions faced in accessing equipment for their labs and instructors for...

The Le Moyne brothers, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre, were among the first explorers of the Gulf Coast. Class members read biographical information and journal entries about these men, study maps showing where the settlements they established...

Students gain an understanding of some of the challenges the U.S. faced at its birth. They are asked to compose a report on the state of the nation in 1790 (addressed to President George Washington), which includes a narrative, maps and...

We are all immigrants to this country and the study of immigration can help students connect to history in a personal way. Students will listen to audio clips from the Ellis Island web site, discuss the treatment of immigrants in the...

Chicago is one city, four neighborhoods, and countless nationalities. The lesson explores the ethnic division of Chicago in the early twentieth century. Academics read primary sources, analyze maps, and tour an online exhibit to...

Learners investigate several maps detailing Sir Francis Drake's voyages.  In this geography lesson, students practice reading maps and locating the precise locations of where Sir Francis Drake visited.  Learners create an...

Students, after studying The Early Peoples, explain and give examples of how Native Americans and Europeans adapted to living in certain environments. They give examples of early cultures and settlements that existed in North America...

Third graders research ghost towns. In this geography lesson plan, 3rd graders locate ghost towns on a map and choose one location to research. Students construct a research paper and present it to the class.

Following the book, Marco Paul's Travels on the Erie Canal, readers complete an activity for each chapter, take part in discussions, and respond to several questions. To show what they know, scholars create an alphabet book using primary...

Pupils examine the laws, food, clothing, and shelter of early American Indian cultures. They conduct research, answer questions, and plan and map out an early American Indian village.

Sick of selling candy and washing cars? How about hosting a Digital Day or a Learning Lunch? The suggestions here make fund raising fun and rewarding. Raise money to preserve important maps and other primary source documents.

Students, working in pairs, use maps to determine the most efficient routes between two cities. They research which route would have been used by early trailblazers. They present a first person account of one of the trailblazers place in...

Eighth graders explore historical records. In this cemetery mapping lesson, 8th graders analyze local community data as they examine gravestones and read epitaphs. 

Middle schoolers explore the trail followed by Lewis and Clark on their journey across the United States. In this United States History lesson, students complete several activities to establish the Lewis and Clark Expedition, including a...

Here is a nice set of activities and discussion questions to accompany your class reading of No Pretty Pictures, a memoir of a young girl's experiences and struggle for survival during the Holocaust.

Students explore how to create books about their towns. They read and discuss Katy and the Big Snow to identify how it relates to their community. They identify environmental print and its importance in early readers. They create books...

Fifth graders examine a time line of early American explorers from England, Spain, and France. They trace exploration routes on maps and write reports about early explorers. Students view a laser disc presentation, Land of Opportunity...

Sixth graders discover what everyday life was like for Ancient Greeks. In this Greek history lesson, 6th graders examine the cultural diversity of Ancient Greece and how it affected daily life for its citizens.

Students examine several European maps with conflicting representations of the same geographic region. They uncover why different European nations produced different maps. In addition, they determine the role maps played in helping...

Fourth graders practice their research skills. For this North Carolina history lesson, 4th graders examine primary resources and draw conclusions regarding the birth of the city of New Bern, North Carolina.

Students act as surveyors. In this George Washington lesson, students read transcriptions from Washington's surveying journal and then try surveying skills on their own.