While cities had only a small fraction of the population in colonial America, they played a significant role in pre-revolutionary years, and this was certainly true for the largest city in the North American colonies: Philadelphia. Your...

Native Americans lost so much—and gained so little in return. Scholars explore Native Americans' resistance to the United States government. The lesson uses primary sources to explore the different forms of protest and gives a voice to...

History sleuths read articles for and against Uncle Tom's Cabin, examine visual images, print responses, and multi-media tomitudes to better understand the impact of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel on American culture prior to...

In theory, at least, indentured servitude and slavery were two different practices in the American colonies. Class groups conduct a close reading of two primary source documents, one written by a slave and one by an indentured servant,...

Learners identify ocean, lake, gulf, and continent on maps of North America from 1845 and the present, and identify Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico on maps of North America from 1845 and the present.

Take a trip to the turn of the twentieth century with a resource about industrialism in America. With primary source documents and focus questions, learners think about the ways that government groups and organizations paved the way...

Scholars analyze the environmental movement started in the 1960s. Through excerpts from Rachel Carson's books as well as diary entries, they take a look at the reason for the modern movement to save the planet and then create final...

Pupils distinguish geographic features using Ptolemy's map of the world.

Someone finds a time capsule 100 years from now, and it includes your family photo album. What would the photos tell that person about you and your place in history? Scholars investigate how artifacts tell stories. Using photos, maps,...

Complete this after-reading activity for the novel Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy in order to explore the books themes of societal prejudice, peer pressure, authority, and bullying. Write the seven provided questions on...

Students familiarize themselves with the geography and culture of the Dominican Republic. In this Dominican Republic activity, students use the given scenarios as starting points to analyze the geography and culture of the Dominican...

Learners explore the history of the circus in the United States. They explore the life of John Bill Ricketts, founder of the first circus. Students compare Ricketts' first circus to the modern circus.

Eleventh graders study one of the selected images of John Brown and read an excerpt online that describes his role in the Civil War. They identify significant information about John Brown. They think about how this applies to current...

Students discuss and compare the waste disposal habits of today with those of Native Americans of long ago.

Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...

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...

Does your bank pay you for allowing them to hold your money? The lesson covers three different ways your money can make money. Topics include certificates of deposit, statement savings accounts, and money market accounts.

Get in the reading spirit on Read Across America Day while celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday with four printable worksheet activities. Included is a word search using story character's names, a quiz to test how many Dr. Seuss titles you've...

Stump speeches are the focus of this exercise that combines politics and language arts. After learning about this type of speech, the class listens to Obama's 2008 presidential campaign stump speech and answers a series of questions that...

The importance of considering multiple perspectives of the same event is the big idea in this exercise that focuses on the Boston Massacre. Class groups examine photos of four depictions of the massacre, an English and an American...

Students discuss the U.S. economy, society, and politics in the years following World War II. They explore the boom in advertising during this period by reviewing print advertisements from the late 1940s and early 1950s. Students view...

Does your bank pay you for allowing them to hold your money? Class members research three different ways they can earn money using money already in the bank. Topics include certificates of deposit, statement savings accounts, and...

Seventh graders compare myths and legends about corn and use creative abilities to act them out. In this corn legends lesson, 7th graders read background information about corn and its importance. Students work in groups to research...

Does your bank pay you for allowing them to hold your money? Class members investigate three different ways money can make more money. Topics include certificates of deposit, statement savings accounts, and money market accounts....