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Lesson Plan
Syracuse University

World War II

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
During World War II propaganda was as important to the war effort as the soldiers in the field. Scholars consider how the government communicated messages of patriotism with propaganda by examining pieces from World War II. Then, they...
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Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Latino Patriots

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Pupils may not be familiar with Bernardo de Gálvez or Juan Seguín, but these Latinx patriots played important roles in American history. Using biographies of the Revolutionary War hero and Texan politician, historians consider how Latinx...
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Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

American Indians and their Environment

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
People could take a page in ingenuity and survival from the Powhatans. Deer skins became clothes, and the members of the Native American group farmed the rich Virginia soil and hunted in its forests for food. Using images of artifacts...
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Great Plains Homesteaders

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Westward, ho!" may have been their cry in spite of the hardships. Using a series of photographs by Solomon D. Butcher of those who ventured west, class members consider what life was like in the 1800s for those who embarked on the...
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Assessment
Stanford University

Japan and America

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
When Commodore Matthew Perry sailed to Japan and demonstrated American naval strength, he forced the empire to engage in trade with the United States. How did this new, strong-armed relationship influence both parties? Pupils consider...
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Annexation of Hawaii

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Once an independent nation, Hawaii became part of the United States only after a business-sponsored coup of its queen. After examining newspapers from the 1890s, learners consider whether native Hawaiians wished to become Americans at...
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Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

The Common Civil War Soldier

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
If it were possible to step back in time, what would learners want to know about the Civil War? With the aid of discussion prompts, they now have that chance. Invite a Civil War re-enactor to your classroom and have all their questions...
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Ansel Adams at Manzanar

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Analyzing photos from Ansel Adams of Manzanar—a camp where the American government imprisoned thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II—individuals consider what images have to say about this period in American history....
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Migrant Mother Photograph

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
A picture often has hidden stories to tell. Looking at the iconic Migrant Mother photography by Dorothy Lange, individuals examine the human toll of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression at large. Other documents, including a statement...
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Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

1862: Antietam and Emancipation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Was the Emancipation Proclamation a revolutionary document or just a military strategy? It proclaimed that all those enslaved in Confederate states would be "forever free." Logistically, though, it did little. The order, however,...
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Civil Rights Act of 1964

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Was JFK a fallen Civil Rights hero—or a fraud? Learners examine Kennedy's own words and those of his critics to decide for themselves. After examining Kennedy's actions before his assassination, they determine what sort of legacy he left...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-1865: Effects of the War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging instructional activity focuses on the impact of the war and Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction had on the United States. Historians analyze primary documents, such as Constitutional Amendments and newspaper experts. They also...
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Activity
US Department of Commerce

The Opportunity Atlas

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The American dream is to climb the social and economic ladder, but is it really possible? Using an online opportunity atlas, class members explore income and social mobility throughout the country. Discussion prompts allow learners to...
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Activity
US Department of Commerce

The Census Questionnaire: Then and Now

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As the United States has changed, so has the census! While required by the Constitution, the questions the government asks to allot representation and federal funding has developed over time. Using images of previous censuses, young...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Should Your State Modify Its Voter Registration Laws and Methods for Submitting a Ballot?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What is the balance between democracy and security? Using articles and videos that examine state voting procedures, learners explore the difficult question. After looking at voting regulations in their state and nationally, they consider...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Voting Discrimination and the Effects of Shelby County v. Holder

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Show learners that every vote counts as they debate the federal government 's role in protecting voting rights in historically racially discriminated areas. In the Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder, the high court found that...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Political Polarization

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Dive into the political breach with pupils and explore the reasons for political polarization. Using clips from C-SPAN that include discussions from reporters and scholars, class members consider what is causing the political fault lines...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Letter to President Abraham Lincoln from Annie Davis

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
What freed enslaved people? The answer, it turns out, is complicated. Using a set of online documents and writing prompts, young historians examine a series of primary sources, including a letter from a woman asking if she was freed and...
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Breaking Through Gender Roles: The Women of NASA

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Whether recognized or not, extraordinary women were integral to breaking gender barriers and putting Americans into space. For Women's History Month, explore a series of video clips and biographical information that profile these...
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Activity
Exploratorium

Antibody Attack - Discover How Antibodies Launch Attacks on Invaders

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Jump into the action and help antibodies defend against an antigen attack! Investigators match antibodies with antigens to model the body's identification and recall of specific pathogens. Young biologists also recognize that each...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Why is John Adams Standing on Thomas Jefferson's Foot?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Was it a bromance, or were they frenemies? Young historians use a controversial portrait and letters between Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and others to evaluate the relationship between the two Founding Fathers. Examining the primary...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Nineteenth Century Reform Movements: Women's Rights

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
It's hard to imagine a world where women were marginalized from the seats of power. Yet, there are women today who remember what it was like to not be allowed to vote. Using a DBQ of images and other primary sources, such as political...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Civil War Weaponry and Medicine: A Disastrous Mismatch

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Ironically, science was the reason why the Civil War was so deadly. Despite the use of medical practices now considered barbaric—such as conducting surgery with bare, dirty hands—developments in weaponry meant that more men died on and...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Women’s Inequity in Pay: Could It Be Sexism, Implicit Bias or Both?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Equal pay for equal work? High schoolers research the reasons for the inequity in women's pay. They read articles, examine graphs, engage in discussion, and then craft an essay in which they suggest a way to address the gender wage gap.

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