Students role-play as immigrants coming to America around the turn of the 19th century. They conduct Internet research and print out pictures to use in an immigrant scrapbook. Students write captions for the pictures and narratives to...

Students explore 19th century American artwork.  In this cross curriculum New York history and art appreciation lesson plan, students view a reproduction of the painting "Situation of America, 1848," and identify visual symbols and...

Students research and present their findings of the Native American's forced removal in the 19th century. In this Native American lesson plan, students read passages, write and reflect, and look on the internet for evidence of the Native...

High schoolers examine extension ideas concerning 9/11, Defining Moments. They analyze a variety of Supreme Court cases, the U.S. Constitution, Mass Media Interpretations, Racism, Immigrant groups and U.S. geography. Many questions are...

Students explore the immigration wave that hit the United States in 19th century. In this immigration lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources to determine what the immigration experience was like for new citizens. Students...

Learners investigate the history of patriotic music and practice singing the tunes with classmates.  For this U.S. History lesson, students examine lyrics of the traditional song "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and discuss the differing...

Working in groups, middle and high schoolers describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. They then write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the...

What a fantastic project idea for discussing not only the history of America's expansion into the West, but for reviewing any major unit of history in your class. Pupils build stamp collections to visually represent themes of the...

Seventh graders study the engineering projects that the US Army Corps of Engineers initiated during the development of Texas. They examine primary source documents that are in digital and print form, and identify US Army Corp of Engineer...

Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau.  In this philosophical traditions lesson, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work, and...

The Statue of Liberty may embrace the huddled masses of the world, but has American society always joined in? After young historians read a passage about the history of American immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on...

You needn't beware using Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in your classroom. You, too, can be valiant and let loose your young actor's creativity, guided by the suggestions in a curriculum guide so filled with a delightful mix of elements...

Did the United States Constitution uphold the institution of slavery, or did it help to destroy it? Young historians study Article 4, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution and evaluate the rights of slaveowners as they compared to...

Are you one of the 100 million Americans whose ancestors passed through the doors of Ellis Island? Learn about the historic entry point for immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with an informative reading passage. After...

Students learn about using decimals and fractions by referring to a 19th century currency table. In this decimals and fractions lesson plan, students discuss converting pounds to coins and how they relate to fractions and decimals.

Students discover how immigrant cigar makers in this section of Tampa, Florida adapted to life in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th century while maintaining their ethnic identity. They design brochures describing the Ybor City.

Learners explore the era of imperialism and expansion of the United States. In this American history lesson, students play a game regarding the U.S. attempts to expand the nation in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

This 3-day immigration study draws on historical trends and current events. A worksheet accompanies initial research on one group's U.S. immigration history, giving opportunity for collaborative learning through sharing findings. Groups...

High schoolers analyze changes in voter participation and regional power, and review archival campaign documents reflecting the dawn of politics as we know it during the critical years from 1824 to 1832. Students utilize worksheets and...

Eighth graders, working in pairs, explore the technological advances of the 19th century particularly photography. Researching on the Internet, they find the earliest photograph and prepare to use notes to answer questions about the...

Learners observe, discuss, and interpret Radcliffe Bailey's work, By the River. They create personal narratives of people who came to the U.S. during the 18th or 19th century.

Young scholars examine the phases of westward migration in the United States during the 19th century focusing on the incentives that led many African Americans to make the move.

Students research the events that were taking place in the U.S. during the time period when the SS Central America sank, and explore the adventurous, innovative, and individualistic traits that often define the American spirit.

Students conduct research on the events of the end of the 18th century in order to identify critical factors leading to the development of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican political parties. They summarize the key positions of...