Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Declaration of Independence and Your Own Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars read and discuss the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments. They discuss how the rights of the colonists and women were being violated. Students write about their own personal rights and how their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Nation

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders identify the main ideas of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. They read and discuss text, read and summarize a section of the Declaration of Independence in small groups, and write a paper on why the colonists felt it...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Examining the Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students examine the Declaration of Independence and its significance to American history. They read the document, identify America's grievances with Great Britain, and restate a part of the document in their own words.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

the Declaration of Independence Lesson

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including reading strategies, inference, literal meaning, and critical analysis.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Be An American

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars research the symbols of America, present their research to the class, write a paper about being an American and write their own Declaration of Independence.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fragment on the Constitution and Union (1861). The Purpose of the American Union

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine how President Lincoln formulated the principles of the Declaration of Independence as the goal of the American Union.  In this American Government instructional activity, 11th graders read and analyze...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Jeffeerson and the Declaration

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate Thomas Jefferson's intentions for the Declaration of Independence. In discussion, they consider what parts of the document are most useful today and to what purposes does it address the most. Finally, students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VS.5a

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore, examine and identify the reasons why the colonies went to war with England as expressed in the Declaration of Independence. They discover the conflicts that developed between the colonies and England over how the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Revolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review the events leading to the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. Using the internet, they examine many different political cartoons from the time period and discuss the political atmosphere. In groups,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Importance of the Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the importance of the Declaration of Independence by using a variety of research sources and computer technology to obtain information. They internalize the thoughts, actions, and motives of the signers of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does Government Secure Natural Rights?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain why a government with a constitution is not necessarily a constitutional government, and identify alternative models of government that the Founders had to choose from.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the Declaration of Independence and write a group paper. Students use a set of designated questions as a guide for the threee to four page paper.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Change: Just a Matter of Time

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars analyze the Declaration of Independence and primary sources to explain civil rights. Then, students write a Declaration of Change to express the grievances of African Americans, and their desire to participate fully in the...
Primary
Massachusetts Historical Society

Mhs: Coming of the American Revolution: Declarations of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
Features the history behind the document that "shaped the course of American history" and gave Americans their independence. Includes many supporting original documents and teacher resources.
Primary
University of Groningen

American History: Presidents: Novariglus,february 6,1775

For Students 9th - 10th
John Adams' response in this critical essay to the definition of the "British Empire", not an empire as other European monarchies, but a republic by constitution. Link to "Massachusettensis" for a Biography of Daniel Leonard.
Website
George Mason University

George Mason University: Interpreting the Declaration of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
Read multicultural translations of the Declaration of Independence, including interpretation of the document by translation in languages like French, Spanish, German, and Italian. Also includes topics on individual cultures views of the...
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: Thomas Jefferson's Original Letters and Documents

For Students 9th - 10th
This page from the Library of Congress provides us with links to images of original documents. These includes letters from Thomas Jefferson, holographs, and the transcript of Jefferson's "original Rough Draft" of the Declaration of...
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: Jefferson's "Original Rough Draught"

For Students 9th - 10th
Readers can explore a reconstruction of Thomas Jefferson's original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, before it was revised by the members of the Committee of Five.
Lesson Plan
George Mason University

George Mason University: Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Source analysis of the Declaration of Independence including text, audio, and video resources. Contains a scholarly analysis along with teacher discussion of relevant lesson plans. Includes images and transcript of the Declaration of...
Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Library of Congress provides a timeline of the events surrounding the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Click around the Exhibits Home Page for some fantastic treasures housed in the Exhibit Hall.
Website
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: Thomas Jefferson (Spanish)

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief biography on Thomas Jefferson with pictures and links.
Activity
University of Groningen

American History: Biographies: John Locke

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The University of Groningen provides information about the 17th century British liberal philosopher. Includes concise biographical information and a link to the text of "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Read about what part of his...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Declare the Causes

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Offers lesson plans that guide students to understanding the structure of the Declaration of Independence. Throughout the course of the lesson, students will be working on writing their own declaration of grievances relative to issues in...
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature: Declaration of Independence [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This is a 6-page PDF of The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America, better known as The Declaration of Independence.