Eighth graders explore where they personally stand on a post-election continuum, spanning from euphoria to despair.  In this American History lesson plan, 8th graders read and discuss an article immediately following the election...

Eleventh graders investigate Martin Luther King's decision to speak out against the war in Vietnam.  In this American History instructional activity, 11th graders read excerpts of MLK's speech.  Students examine why King made...

Students listen to selections of New Orleans street band music. They explore the culture of New Orleans in the 1920's, and perform a closer examination of Armstrong's music.

High schoolers read Martin Luther King, Jr's speech that he gave in Washington. They identify the social conditions that led to the civil rights movement. They discuss the significance of the March on Washington.

Students identify general business terms such as entrepreneur, corporation, marketing, demographic, promotion and distribution. They identify many Black music industry leaders and their contributions.

Students explore the ideological and political development of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X through primary source documents. They identify the various personal, social, and political factors that influenced Martin Luther King,...

Students explore the impact of the Klondike Gold Rush on the development of Skagway, Alaska. Lesson can be used in units on western expansion, late 19th and early 20th-century commerce, and urban history.

In this Westward Expansion activity, students respond to 7 short answer questions about America's vision of Manifest Destiny and its effects.

High schoolers identify many careers within the music industry such as producer, A&R representative and recording studio engineer. They connect achievements of noted artists with their roles in the music industry.

Students discover how manifest destiny and westward expansion are related. Using the Internet, they research the beginnings of the movement of manifest destiny and how it influenced people moving westward. They discuss the expectations...

Students listen to many examples of Motown music and explain the relationship between the word "Motown" and the city of Detroit. They examine and identify distinctive musical elements of the early "Motown Sound."

Students connect achievements of noted artists with their roles in the music industry. They identify many Black music industry leaders and their contributions with the Motown Sound.

Students investigate life on the trail West. In this Oregon Trail lesson, students collaborate to research the pioneer life and then role play a family's life on the trail. Students author an essay regarding their research finding and...

The students will become familiar with the Underground Railroad. They will gain an understanding of slaves and what it means to have little or no freedom and compare that with the rights that all Americans have now.

Students examine the experiences of an immigrant coming to the United States. Using the internet, they research information related to the Cuban/American baseball experience. They present their findings to the class and answer any...

Students compare current cultural perceptions of the immigrant experience with ones of the past. They will relate current immigration stories as seen in the PBS documentary "The New Americans" to those of the historical past.

Students identify the groups of immigrants who came to California. They trace the route they possibly took to American on a world map. They discuss the reasons why they left their homeland and what challenges they faced once they arrived.

Eleventh graders finish presenting their one minute novel evaluations while choosing one of the novels to read independentally. They view a variety of graphic organizers to strategically plan out their website content. In addition, they...

Students research a vacation to the state of Florida in order to acquire language skills. They also use the internet to create an imaginary vacation. Literacy is improved through student engagement and language is related to American...

In two groups, students research the history and current building of clipper ships. In this inquiry instructional activity, students present information and compare and contrast the technological revolution with the development of...

Young scholars explore careers they may have in their future. They create a paper collage self-portrait of themselves as adults dressed for work. They write an autobiography describing the education and training required for their chosen...

Teens will get a kick out of this presentation, which provides a glimpse of the consumerism and rising pop culture of 1950's America. They will especially appreciate the discussion of "Teen culture" including the music of Elvis, the...

Should immigrants who illegally reside in the United States be eligible for citizenship? With information about undocumented immigrant population estimates, sanctuary cities, and unaccompanied immigrant children, pupils consider the pros...