Lesson Plan
Foreign Policy Research Institute

Imperialism, Arab Nationalism and World War I

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Continued conflict in the Middle East makes this lesson relevant, and the inclusion of a critique of Lawrence of Arabia might increase student interest in a potentially challenging topic. The resource includes a solid...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

War and International Law:America’s Foreign Policy: A Brief History

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover the history of American foreign policy. In this foreign policy activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture that presents a brief history of American foreign policy. Students respond to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nationalism and Conflict-Two Fronts, Two Perspectives!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine the major conflicts of the 20th century. After watching a video, they discuss the various types of technology and how they were used in World War I. They watch excerpts from films covering different wars and view them...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modern-Day America

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners remember the September 11 terrorist attacks. In this public memorials lesson, students research 20th century memorials. Learners then design their own memorials for the victims at the World Trade Center site.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Press Perception of Jack Johnson

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Foundations of WWI

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore how World War I created a foundation for the United States to become a world power. In this World History lesson, students work in small groups to create posters and an oral presentation to share their findings with the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 9- Billy Wilder: Film Noir Inventor and Genius

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study what influenced and inspired Billy Wilder while determining the plot, characters, and historical context of the film Double Indemnity. They investigate the stereotypes of Film Noir and how it shows the media messages of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Fall and Rise of the White-tailed Deer Population: Conservation Success Story?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students analyze the problems that have come along with the conservation movement and the fall and rise of the white tailed deer population. In this conservation lesson plan, students see how important the deer were to the Native...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

P.O.W.: Products of War

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders are introduced to concepts of war through musical lyrics. They demonstrate and understanding of the role of segregation in US military policy and practice.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World War Ii - Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders determine that nationality is not defined by race, especially in the United States. They group into teacher created dyads with eight pictures. Four pictures are of American citizens (multiracial representations), and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Putting a Face on Our Fears

For Students 8th - 12th
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about the nuclear war threat and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Observing Human Rights Day

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How much intervention is appropriate for America to take in cases of human rights violations? Class members ponder a question that has lingered since the birth of America with a series of primary sources that reflect the degree to which...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are We Americans Again? A Portrait of Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars study letters and images of the Japanese American Interment during World War II. They discuss the issues presented.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Live

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore Chinese life during the Cultural Revolution. They read and discuss a brief historical essay on 20th century China as well as viewing a fictionalized film account of the time period titled, "To Live". They write a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inventions and Inventors

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate an introduction to both Invention Convention and Unit 3 in the Social Studies Book, the teacher will point out that many changes occurred in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s.¿¿¿...
Worksheet
Curated OER

U.S. Expansion and the Age of Empire

For Students 9th - 12th
In this American foreign policy instructional activity, learners respond to 20 essay questions about expansionism in the country during the 20th century.      
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Antisemitism in Early America

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the rise of antisemitism in the United States in the early 20th century. After reading a passage concerning one man's ordeal, 11th graders discuss how the civil rights of minority groups has been viewed in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Advertising and Consumerism of the 1920's

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders discover the impact of advertising in 1920's America. In this 20th century history lesson, 11th graders complete KNU charts as they research marketing techniques that were used during the decade to promote consumerism.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Friends or Foes?

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students discuss Spain's relationship with Europe and the U.S. and research incidents of American-European disagreements regarding international actions and policy. They write essays on how the world might be different if a multipolar...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The African-American Struggle for Equality in the World War II Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students respect and appreciate the challenges people faced during World War II. They develop the different perspectives on race during WWII. Students develop that the nation's actions may not exemplify a nation's stated ideals. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ethnic Groups in World War II

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students discuss the contributions of various ethnic groups during World War II prior to visiting the George Bush Gallery of the Pacific War. After the visit, they interview veterans about prejudice during the war or listen to a guesst...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Automobile’s Influence on Post-WWII Suburbia

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore post World War II America.  In this American History lesson, 8th graders analyze primary and secondary sources to research how the automobile influenced the growth of suburbs, and how the growth of suburbs...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Collaborative Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Show Business

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two decades...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jackie Steals Home

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students draw on their previous studies of American history and culture as they analyze primary sources from Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball Highlights, 1860s - 1960s in American Memory. A close reading of two documents relating to...