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What is Government?
Students explore values that unite Americans. In this government activity, students recall the symbols of America and discuss how to create a "Classroom Constitution." Students form rules and write their own Constitution.
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Pioneer America: Pioneer Living
Fourth graders research pioneer life. In this pioneer lesson, 4th graders read the book Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and discuss what life was like for early pioneers. They research pioneers and show what they...
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Pioneer America: Journey West
Fourth graders experience pioneer life on the Oregon trail. For this pioneer lesson, 4th graders research the reasons for moving west and what life was like on the trail. They create a map, complete an oral presentation, and write about...
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The American Mosaic
Students discuss what it would be like to be new to a town. They are then asked questions related to the immigrants coming to America. Extensions of this lesson are available.
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Food
Students examine the types of foods eaten after the Civil War. They create their own cowboy style menu.
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Press Perception of Jack Johnson
Students role-play the role of journalists during the 19th and 20th centuries. They create their own sports newspapers. They report on Jack Johnson's life and career.
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Buffalo Soldiers
Fourth graders explore the role of the buffalo soldiers in the United States Army during the nineteenth century conflict along the frontier with the Indian tribes. They discuss the social change represented by African Americans serving...
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Mill-Worker Simulation
Students participate in a simulation in which they transition between a farm economy to a factory economy They discover labor relations during the 19th and 20th century. They discuss the impact mass produced goods on the economy.
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Omaha Immigration Case Study
Eleventh graders explore the immigration patterns in the United States. In this American History lesson, 11th graders study the push and pull factors that caused immigration. Students research one group of individuals and...
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Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce
Eleventh graders explore the life of Chief Joseph and Nez Perce. In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze paintings and photos detailing the flight of Nez Perce. Students create a narrative newspaper article based on...
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The Texas Cowboy: Myth and Reality
Young scholars create "cowboy ballads" in this interactive, multi-day lesson plan. The cowboy is researched using various sources and class discussions. Students evaluate individual work at the end of the lesson plan.
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Gender Roles in the Mid-Nineteenth Century What Fiction Tells Us
High schoolers read and discuss a book on etiquette. They create their own book of etiquette.
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Irish-Americans: Work and Song
Students research the experience of Irish immigrants who helped build the railroad systems of the United States. They analyze primary source documents, take notes, and create an artistic piece.
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Natural Disasters: Nature's Fury
Students explore the human experience. For this business ethics lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the American natural disasters of the 19th and 20th centuries and the implications they presented.
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Constitutional Change During the Progressive Era
Young scholars analyze the passage of the 16th through 19th amendments during the Progressive Era around the turn of the century. Using research skills, they write papers and create portfolios supporting and opposing the adoption of...
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Westward Expansion - Fur Trade
Students complete a unit of lessons to learn how products reach the market and study the history of the fur trade. In this history and trade lesson, students first learn about the technology that allowed products to reach market faster....
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Going West: The Artist Who Painted the Way
Fifth graders study the artists and artwork of the Westward movement. For this Westward Movement lesson set, 5th graders examine the characteristics of the art of this era. They look at the lives of the artists and think about how the...
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Donner Online
Fourth graders participate in a simulation of the Donner Party in order to learn more about this episode in history. In this social studies lesson, 4th graders take on a role which dictates their group job; each role was assigned to...
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Henry David Thoreau
Pupils explore the life and philosophy of Henry David Thoreau. Students watch a slide show on Henry David Thoreau. They visit a quiet, tranquil location and observe nature. After reading and discussing Thoreau's works, pupils create a...
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Return South Migration Lesson Plan
Students study the reasons so many immigrants returned to the South following the Civil Rights Movement. They examine how the former slaves influenced the cultural life in the Northern cities.
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Changing Landscape at the Fort Vancouver Reserve
Students investigate the international background and consequences of The Louisiana Purchase, The War of 1812, and The Monroe Doctrine. The lesson helps to improve critical thinking skills about American History.
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Oregon City: A Convergence of Endings
Young scholars describe the activities that occurred in the Willamette Valley before the establishment of the Oregon Trail and agricultural settlement and explain the impact that American settlement had on the landscape and native groups...
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Sailing Through History
Students research examples of different types of sailing ships, investigating the vessels as well as the politics, economy, and people at the historical time and place the boat was launched. They create displays for a museum exhibit...
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U.S. History: The Second Great Migration
Students examine the migration of rural African Americans to northern cities following World War !!. After predicting the effects of cultural and economic factors, they write essays explaining the impact of migration on communities and...