Curated OER
Why the US Fought and Lost the Vietnam War
Students examine the role of the United States in the Vietnam War. For this Vietnam War lesson, students research primary and secondary sources to find out why the United States was involved in the war and why it was unsuccessful in the...
Curated OER
Korean War
Students identify and interpret general information about the Korean War, including important dates, terms, events, and participants. They also identify what the Cairo Declaration was and what military forces, political forces, and...
Curated OER
Land of the Rising Guns?
Students discuss the decision after World War II of Japan's to follow a policy of pacifism. After reading an article, they identify the ways Japan is strengthening its military. They watch a video to discover how their Constitution was...
Curated OER
Lesson III: Crisis, Pearl Harbor, Internment
The third in a series of lessons introduced by “A Fence Away From Freedom,” uses the Smithsonian website, “A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution” and focuses on the section of the presentation devoted to the...
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Auschwitz Episode Guide: Surprising Beginnings
Students examine how the Nazis came to power and living conditions at Auschwitz. They watch and discuss a PBS documentary, read and discuss handouts, analyze a Pyramid of Hate, and assign experiences in their own lives to different...
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Life Prior to Kristallnacht (1933-1938)
Students research the way of life of the Jews before Kristallnacht. Using new vocabulary and resources, they discover how carefree life was before the days of discrimination and antisemitism. In groups, they create a timeline of the...
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Dropping the Atomic Bomb The Decision That Defined a Presidency.
Students examine historical evidence regarding the atomic bomb. In this Truman presidency instructional activity, students research images and documents about the use of the bomb in Japan. Students write position papers that identify...
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Out of the Dust: Visions of Dust Bowl History Lesson Overview
Students complete activities with the book Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. In this literature lesson, students read this story and view the Dust Bowl history from the eyes of a child. They discover the Great Depression and life in...
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Pictures from Korea: Shards of an Almost Forgotten Past
Students explore the Korean War through photography. In this Korean War lesson plan, students examine photographs taken by a soldier and respond to question about them.
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Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People
Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...
Curated OER
Fallout
Students view a short film about the results of dropping the atomic bomb at the end of World War II. They research controversies surrounding the use of the bomb and nuclear weapons. They write two editorials about the issue.
Curated OER
Venn Diagram: Maine And the U.s.
Students compare and contrast major events in U.S. histroy using a Venn diagram. They focus on how the events affected their state and the country as a whole. Events expolred include World War I, the Great Depression, Prohibition, the...
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Defining Moments From the Past: Japanese American Internment
Students conduct a mock Congressional Hearing to decide whether or not Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps during World War II should be provided financial restitution. They research and create a time line of events...
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WW II Historical Pop-Up Page
Students research and chart events associated with World War II from 1935-1945 using a data retrieval chart in order to list in chronological order important dates and events with accuracy. Each student create a Historical Pop-Up Page.
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The History of Ethanol in America
Sixth graders explore and examine the production of biofuels from the 1850's to the present. Included in their research is Henry Ford, ethanol, World War I and prohibition. They explain the importance of grains and grasses for the...
Weebly
Liberty Theme Park Project
Invite your young historians to demonstrate how the American Revolution truly was one crazy ride after another as they design a theme park! This unique and engaging project prompts learners to consider major events leading up to and...
PBS
Document This
Being a historian requires serious sleuthing. They examine primary source documents and look for evidence, for clues that reveal who wrote the document, when, and why. After watching two historians model the process, young history...
Curated OER
The Marshall Plan for Rebuilding Western Europe
Students examine the aftermath of World War II. In this Marshall Plan lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the plan to rebuild Western Europe and its outcome. Students respond to discussion...
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U.S. Entry Into WWI
Students identify the reasons why the United States entered World War I. In this world history lesson, students are given a lecture on Woodrow Wilson and analyze documents (specifically, Woodrow Wilson's speeches). Students answer...
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My Secret War - The WWII Diary of Madeline Beck: Lesson 2
Fifth graders explore world history by reading historical fiction. In this World War II lesson, 5th graders read the story My Secret War and identify the importance of fiction when analyzing history. Students answer study questions about...
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"A Sound of Hammering"
Tenth graders study "A Sound of Hammering," which is a letter written by a former soldier after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II.
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The Jewish Holocaust
Ninth graders research the causes and events of the Jewish holocaust during World War II. They view a video and PowerPoint presentation and take notes, participate in a class discussion about the term "genocide," and take a quiz.
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Did WWI Make Your Country Happy or Mad?
For this World War I worksheet, students respond to 5 short answer questions regarding the effects of World War I on different countries. The questions are answered from different country's perspectives.
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Studying Japanese Internment with Primary Documents
Eleventh graders view photographs of the Japanese society being interned in camps during World War II in the United States. In groups, they read and discuss Executive Order 9066 and try to determine what group they are trying to focus...