Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Reward: Valuable Slaves
To gain insight into the American institution of slavery and how African Americans were viewed during this time, groups examine run-away slave ads and slave auction broadsides. Teams use the provided worksheet to record their impressions...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
We Are History: Family Stories
Students examine their own family heritage and share family stories with the class. They differentiate between primary and secondary sources, and bring in and write about three artifacts from their family. They conduct an interview...
Curated OER
Lesson 11: Printed Materials (Ads and Broadsides) 1780-1820
Students use primary resources (gazettes, broadsides, advertisements) to consider life at the turn of the 18th century in Deerfield, Massachusetts. They infer observations about life in the nascent United States.
Curated OER
Foods and Languages of the World
Students study world cultures with an emphasis on languages and cultures. In this world cultures lesson, students study the countries of Spain, China, Italy, and the United States. Students read the story Everybody Cooks Rice and move...
Curated OER
The Civil War in Henry County
Students consider how the Civil War impacted their community. In this Civil War lesson, students use primary and secondary sources to research the Civil War in Henry County, Georgia. Students use their findings to create multimedia...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
What is Suffrage? Understanding the Right to Vote
Students discover one of the restrictions forced on women of the early 1900s. In this civil rights lesson, students investigate suffrage and why women were not allowed to vote in the early twentieth century. Students create a mock...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Astronomy and the Cold War: How the United States Used the Moon to Target the Soviet Union
Students examine how astronomical observations were used to help target sites in the Soviet Union during Cold War and why such targeting was needed. Students then make predictions and observations of same astronomical events for their...
Curated OER
The Immigrant Experience
Students utilize oral histories to discover, analyze, and interpret immigration and migration in the history of the United States. A goal of the unit is fostering a discussion and encouraging students to make meaning of the bigger...
Curated OER
Victorian Philosophies in the Connecticut River Valley: The Connection between Mind, Body, and Spirit
Eleventh graders explore late 19th century concepts of physical and spiritual health, which includes spiritualist and conservation movements, heath tonics, the perceived relationship between climate and physical well being.
Curated OER
REFINEMENT IN DEERFIELD AS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE VISUAL IMAGE OF THE TOWN
Students study how Deerfield became prosperous because of the river trade and improved agricultural practices. They make connections between the changing ideals of "decencies" of life, new modes of behavior, and consumption.
Curated OER
The Vietnam War: A Popular Music Approach
High schoolers explore the Vietnam War in music. In this Vietnam lesson, students listen to and analyze popular music from the Vietnam era in order to understand the use of propaganda regarding the controversial war. High schoolers...
Curated OER
Out of this World: Inquiry-Based Teaching
Connect classroom learning with real-life experiences by using photographs and data taken by the Mars Pathfinder.
Curated OER
Better Your Vocabulary Instruction
Use the magic squares activity to develop vocabulary and make reviewing target words fun!
Curated OER
Immigration History Firsthand
Middle schoolers interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this immigration lesson, students conduct research regarding Ellis Island and the American immigrant experience. Middle...
Curated OER
To Kill a Mockingbird: A Historical Perspective
Students research the Great Depression. In this Great Depression lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of life in the American south during the depression era as they read Harper Lee's To Kill a...
Curated OER
Exploring Energy with GIS
Learners examine GIS technology as it is used to locate energy sources. For this GIS lesson, student access an assigned website to locate a series of lessons using the GIS software. They use the maps that are located on the primary...
Curated OER
Forensic Examination of Artifacts: The Mystery of Meriwether Lewis' Death
Students role play the position of a scientist to gather information on Meriwether Lewis' death. They discover what he did after the famous expedition and how centuries affect the study of a body. They share their information with the...
Curated OER
The Holocaust
Tenth graders reflect on the effects of the Holocaust and the events leading up to World War II. In this World History lesson, 10th graders complete several activities, including a WebQuest, that analyze the Holocaust and its...
Curated OER
Music of the Great Depression
Eleventh graders take a closer look at the music of the Great Depression. In this 1930's America instructional activity, 11th graders read and analyze the provided lyrics of 6 songs from the era. Students then compose their own lyrics...
Curated OER
From the Source to the Sea: The Nisqually River Watershed
Middle schoolers research the conflicts over different uses of the Nisqually River resources and role play as mediators between Chief Leschi and other interested parties. They cite and interpret relevant artifacts and primary and...
Curated OER
Declaration of Independence: Created Equal?
High schoolers examine how Jefferson dealt with equality. In this lesson plan on the Declaration of Independence, students use primary sources to analyze what the phrase, "All men are created equal" meant. They will compare what they...