Curated OER
Immigration and Ellis Island
Fourth graders explore family histories. In this social studies instructional activity, 4th graders identify the countries from which their ancestors came and locate them on a map. Students discuss the role that Ellis Island played in...
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Tracing Our Own Family Pilgrimages
The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...
Curated OER
Family Tree Community Project
Fifth graders answer questions such as: Where does my family come from? What was it like for my ancestors to grow up as America developed? What differences in society were present then? What was similar to today? students conduct...
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Kindred -- A Book About Families
Young scholars research specific events that occured in their family or community. They interview a member of their family to discuss historical events. They focus on the impact of the event on the family.
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Celebrate Your Heritage
Students investigate what countries their ancestors originally came from and locate them on a world map. They use a map to plot the ancestral path that has led to their hometown. They create a travel log outlining facts/data about...
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Unique Family Traditions
Second graders examine unique family traditions. In this family tradition lesson, 2nd graders listen to a book about immigration. They interview a family member to determine where their ancestors came from and choose an article to share...
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History - Up Close And Personal
Students identify national origin and population movement across U.S. of ancestors and/or community residents, explain historical development of major local industries, identify local social patterns/economic development as provided by...
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Discovering My Family History
Pupils research their family trees. They research Internet sites, conduct interviews and, when possible, access primary sources to compile information about their family's history. Students present their findings in a family tree.
Curated OER
Discovering Your Heritage
Young scholars interview a family member about their heritage. They listen to and record part of their family's oral history. Students also create and label a family tree going back a minimum of two generations and compare and contrast...
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We Are Family
Second graders research their family history and how it connects them to the past. They identify their ancestors, graphically organize relatives in a family tree, and chart significant events in their lives on a timeline.
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Archaeology and Storytelling
Students identify and interpret both individual families and whole cultures learn about their pasts by collecting and analyzing stories and artifacts. Then they identify that not all archaeological finds readily reveal their history to...
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Asian and Other Cultures
Middle schoolers view and discuss a video showing different festivals celebrated in Asian cultures. They participate in a class survey of the different festivals celebrated in their own families and brainstorm the purposes for...
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Oregon Trail Diary
Students write a diary. In this writing and creativity lesson plan, students pretend they are moving west and keep a diary about their adventures. Students study real-life scenarios about families who made the trip out west before...
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Coming to America: Immigration Today
Young scholars research their own family histories and current U.S. immigration issues, rules, and regulations. They participate in a class discussion, watch a video about a Mexican immigrant's experience, and complete a WebQuest and a...
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My Family Tradition
Students examine different family traditions to further explain social patterns. They complete a graphic organizer using educational software.
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Discovering Why I Am Who I Am
Young scholars analyze their family history and traditions. In this family history lesson plan, students identify family members to research and interview their family about the people. Young scholars write their family histories and...
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Anne Frank: Heritage
Students research questions about their ancestors and their family history. They discuss their findings and include problems of immigrants today.
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Displaying the Data
Students gather facts about their parent's families through the completion of parent interview forms. Using tally marks, the data gathered is counted, transferred to graphs and used to create family timelines.
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East Meets West
Students explore the influences of culture in food choices and customs. They compare and contrast information to create a menu using a Web site and Student Writing Center. Suggestions for creating an on-line graphic organizer as well as...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Celebrating and Remembering
Help scholars understand the history, geography, traditions, and art of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Find background information for your reference as well as a detailed cross-curricular lesson plan. Learners compare...
Curated OER
Question What You Read
Readers test their reading comprehension after reading a nonfiction text about Paleo Indians. (This text is in Alabama: It's History and Geography, but other texts can be used.) After reading the nonfiction article as a class, they...
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Social Studies: Where I Come From
Students research the countries of their origins and examine life there today. They write family travel logs by interviewing family members about their heritages, and they visit the Xpeditions Website for online resources about their...
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Human Migration
Students explore human migration, refugees and human rights. They read articles about immigration, create a migration journal, and participate in a mock human rights commission meeting. After collecting information about immigration,...
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Where Do I Come From?
Students research immigration from Europe to the United States. In this immigration lesson, students read the book, The Long Way to a New Land. Students use a world map to locate Sweden and other countries in Europe. Students pretend...