Curated OER
Telling My Story: Conducting and Writing an Oral History
Students analyze the use of oral history as a way of gathering history. In this oral history lesson, students define oral history and then discuss researching immigration. Students research immigration. Students create questions for to...
Curated OER
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Students explore the American dream. In this contemporary music lesson, students analyze the lyrics of songs by Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, and David Massengill. Students create 3-D representations of the American dream and write...
Curated OER
Listening to History
Students consider the insight to the past that oral histories can provide. They, in groups, analyze oral histories, prepare to interview a family member on their recollections of a historical event and then write a historical narrative.
Curated OER
Telling My Story - Oral History
Students determine the importance of the process behind creating an oral history. In this oral history lesson, students determine how to ask important questions in an oral history interview. They practice interviewing each other and...
Scholastic
Hillary Conquers Everest
If a field trip to the summit of Mount Everest isn't in your school budget, make the trek virtually! An interactive instructional activity allows class members to follow Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's trail up the mountain, and...
Civil War Trust
Genealogy
The Civil War is undoubtedly a part of America's history, but could it be part of your pupils' history as well? Middle schoolers conduct research to discover a connection between their ancestors and the American Civil War. Whether they...
Curated OER
All About Me
Students complete various biographical and autobiographical writing activities. They write an autobiographical essay, biopoem, biographical essay, and design and decorate a bag presenting character traits.
Curated OER
Nous Nous Souvenons: French-Canadians
Students research the French-Canadian influence in northern New York. They interview families of French-Canadian descent, research immigration history, visit a French restaurant, write narratives about their experiences interviewing...
Curated OER
Wise Spenders and Savvy Savers
Second graders investigate the business community in their own town. They design interview questions before interviewing business people. They look at what type of good and services are offered in their area. They design a multimedia...
Annenberg Foundation
Native Voices
The Navajo people build their dwellings with the doors facing the rising sun in the east to welcome wealth and fortune. Pupils learn about the traditions of the Navajo people in the first part of a 16-part unit. They explore American...
Curated OER
Harvesting the River Lesson Plan: Taking an Oral History
Students practice researching history through oral traditions. In this U.S. History lesson, students examine an online exhibit titled Harvesting the River, in which students interview someone from the story. Students utilize Internet...
Curated OER
Cloudy Days Are for Reading and Writing
Learners consider a variety of well-known proverbs that refer to the weather. They research the scientific validity of these proverbs, conduct interviews about public perception of the proverbs and summarize their findings in writing.
Curated OER
Heraldry and Biography
Help learners discover more about their backgrounds. This family history activity includes links to sites about heraldry and family names. Begin by sharing your family history with the class and then allow young scholars to do some...
Curated OER
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day
Second graders interact with the story of Alexander's horrible day by connecting it to their lives. They practice predicting, writing paragraphs, reading aloud, discussing his problems, making a card to cheer him up, and designing a pair...
Curated OER
Elk Rapids- Its Past and Future
Students participate in activities that help them appreciate the history of their local community as it celebrates its sesquicentennial year. They construct timelines, maps, interview, and writing. They use technology in a number of...
Curated OER
All About Me
Students practice biographical and autobiographical forms of writing: autobiography, biopoem, character traits, classmate biography.
Curated OER
Teacher Appreciation Week
Students write a biographical narrative about their favorite teacher. In this teacher appreciation lesson, students interview their favorite teacher and compile it into a biographical narrative including a teacher quote.
Curated OER
Awesome Animals
Sixth graders write descriptive narratives about animals. In this descriptive writing lesson, the teacher models how to write a paragraph with interesting sensory words and exciting verbs. Students choose a picture of an animal they want...
Curated OER
I Will Survive!
Learners define and explore the term "survivor" through the study of real-life stories of survival. They interview a person whom he/she considers to be a survivor, and share their interviews with the class.
Curated OER
Multicultural Attire
Students research the native attire of a chosen culture, write an essay reflecting the role of the attire in the given culture, and create a significant piece of attire from that culture that be modeled in a fashion show.
Curated OER
"Dr. Xargle's Book of Earthlets"
Young scholars examine the expressive and descriptive language used in the books "Dr. Xargle's Book of Earthlets" and "Planet of the Robots." In pairs they take notes about each other's physical appearance and conduct interviews,...
Curated OER
Am I Really Free?
Fourth graders write about slavery and freedom. In this freed slaves instructional activity, 4th graders read historical information about free blacks during slavery and explore books, objects and slave narratives to learn more. ...
Curated OER
Wanted Poster
Learners examine a fairy tale character of their choice in great detail. They create a wanted poster that includes the following: a picture of the character, a written description of his/her appearance, a reward amount, and reasonthe...
Curated OER
Career Research
Students research a career they are interested in. They explore print and online want ads for job prospects, interview a person currently in that career, and make a class presentation about the career.