Achievement Strategies
CCSS Unpacked Learning Targets for Reading and Writing History/Social Studies
How do all the lessons and activities you have planned for your class align to Common Core State Standards? This can feel like a very daunting question. Help ease the process by referencing a template that not only lists and...
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Food Chain
Fourth graders explore the concept of food chains. In this food chain lesson plan, 4th graders discuss what different animals eat and how they are all connected. Students explore a garden and the environment around them to find examples...
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Natural Disasters: Nature's Fury
Students explore the human experience. In this business ethics instructional activity, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the American natural disasters of the 19th and 20th centuries and the implications...
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Land of Milk and Honey: Propaganda and the Colonies
Fourth graders explore the concept of propaganda. In this colonial settlement lesson, 4th graders examine primary resources pertaining to the settlement of North Carolina by colonists. They write a persuasive journal entry convincing a...
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Cuban Missile Crisis in Thirteen Days
Eleventh graders explore the Cuban Missile Crisis. In this Cuban Missile Crisis lesson, 11th graders take notes from a PowerPoint presentation regarding the topic and then watch the film "Thirteen Days". Students participate in...
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World Fair? A Global Classroom Unit On Economic Rights
Students explore economic rights of people. After listening to statements and songs by people such as John Lennon and Mahatma Ghandi, students examine the truths and values depicted by each person. Students participate in a simulation to...
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The Boston Tea Party
In this digital archive worksheet, learners examine a painting that depicts the Boston Tea Party. This worksheet may be used in a variety of classroom activities.
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Female Fury In The Forum
Learners examine the rights of women in Ancient Rome. They discover laws that were passed to keep women from speaking out. They participate in activities and answer discussion questions.
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From Smithson to Smithsonian: The Birth of an Institution
Students identify and evaluate primary and secondary sources relating to James Smithson and his gift to the United States. In this Smithson to Smithsonian lesson, students also examine the debate surrounding how to use the gift from...
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Choices and Commitments: The Soldiers at Gettysburg
Learners investigate the Gettysburg Campaign and the major actions for each day of the battle. They read primary source documents, write a diary entry, analyze the Gettysburg Address, and write a persuasive speech regarding an issue in...
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Real-Life History
Students collect artifacts which are part of their family/community history. They gather at home and share in the classroom at a specified time when extra care and supervision might be provided.
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Border History
High schoolers research primary sources to construct an outline of a border city's history.
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The Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880
Students examine the Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880. In this History lesson, students explore the issues of immigration and exclusion surrounding the Chinese Expulsion Act. Students will use a variety of primary sources to write an essay...
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Triangular Trade and Its Effects
Students investigate the trade routes and investigate goods and services were transported along each route. Given a primary source document, that represents a personal story related to the triangle trade, they discuss given questions.
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Building A Portfolio
Students gather images that are part of portfolio to be shared throughout the course of one school year. They complete written reflections based upon the images that are attained. The primary sources for the images is using a digital...
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An Investigation of Primary and Secondary Sources Using The Records on Mary McLeod Bethune
Students listen to a summary of the life of Mary Bethune. They read or listen to an excerpt from an interview with Mary Bethune. They discuss the differences between the transcript and the draft of the biography.
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Water Sources: Sprinkles (Newsletter)
In this science worksheet, students investigate water sources and the environment. Students complete a rebus, a home water survey, a game about the journey of water, an activity on waste water, a water cleansing experiment and a water...
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In Search of Al Qaeda
Students view a PBS Frontline video online entitled, "In Search of Al Qaeda." They complete pre-viewing activities in which they examine the use of primary sources. They look at the key groups and individuals and the history of...
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Standing Up Against Injustice
“Sometimes things are lawful yet are actually wrong.” Researchers examine primary and secondary source materials as they study five legal cases involving civil rights attorney William Kunstler in which he attempted to use the legal...
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Shakespeare: Standing on the Bookshelves of Giant
A phenomenal lesson on Shakespeare! Middle and high school learners create WebQuests about the texts and authors that Shakespeare himself studied when he was in grammar school. They use a variety of media in order to create dramatic...
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A Lens into the Past
Explore the history of immigration through photographs. Scholars will view and discuss photographs depicting the culture and lifestyle of late 19th and early 20th century immigrants. They take pictures of current examples of culture in...
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The Civil War Through a Child's Eye
Students use primary and secondary sources to observe a child's view of the Civil war. For this Civil War lesson, students understand that different people had different perspectives on the war. Students recognize the...
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Mark Twain's Hannibal
Learners research life in Hannibal, Missouri. In this Mark Twain lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of life in Hannibal in the late 19th century. This lesson may be used as an introduction to Twain's...
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American Indian Reservation Controversies
Young scholars interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this American history lesson, students research the reservation controversies of the 1870's. Young scholars use problem based...