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Native American Culture: The Light in the Forest
Seventh graders read the novel, The Light in the Forest. They work in groups to research and create artifacts for a Native American Living Museum. They complete a Powerpoint presentation of their virtual museum to classmates.
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Photo Analysis of American Inventions
Young scholars interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this inventions lesson, students analyze photographs of American inventions and and discuss the needs the inventions met...
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Artifact Exploration
Students develop an understanding of the ways in which different people can use, relate to, and understand an object. Students look at each artifact collected in this lesson plan. For each artifact, the students describe how members of a po
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Artifacts
Students learn that articles used by a culture reveal much about life and people's values. They learn the Japanese word to identify some artifacts and some simple games using Japanese toys.
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Asian-American History
Pupils access web based resources in order to study the history of Asian-Americans as they immigrated and assimilated into live in America using grade level appropriate resources. Also, they examine journals, artifacts, and complete arts...
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American Indian Art
Fourth graders discover and gain an understanding of American Indian art creating three beads out of clay, showing texture on at least one bead to make a balanced bracelet. They then explain either orally or in writing what kinds of...
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The American Presidents (Middle, History)
Eighth graders get a firm understanding of the major contributions and defining characteristics of the American Presidents.
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Suffering and Sunset: An African American Artist's Impression of World War I
High schoolers study paintings by a Pennsylvania artist, Horace Pippin, to explore African-American contributions in World War I. They create presentations based on their impressions of the artwork.
American Museum of Natural History
Tools of the Trade
Archaeologist David Hurst Thomas details his search for a lost Spanish Mission on St. Catherines Island, Georgia. A great way to introduce youngsters to the life of and the tools used by archaeologists.
Reading Through History
The Proclamation of 1763
The French and Indian War concluded with an important proclamation—that is, The Proclamation of 1763. Scholars read about the policies in the document and how the different sides of the French and Indian War reacted. Following, they...
Reading Through History
The March on Washington
How does marching get a point across to the government? Teach pupils about civics, human rights, and freedom of speech using the resource about the March on Washington. After reading, learners complete multiple-choice and short-answer...
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If These Objects Could Talk
Students examine American Indian artifacts through historical, cultural and artistic lenses. They explore the philosophy behind the Smithsonian Institute's new museum to honor American Indian history and traditions.
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Treasure in the Trash
Learners decode archaeological artifacts in order to recreate an event, using discarded objects as a model for real-life artifacts. They apply this model to reconstructing historical or literary events from artifacts they create.
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Immigration History Firsthand
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this immigration lesson, students conduct research regarding Ellis Island and the American immigrant experience. Students use...
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The Treaty Trail: U.S. - Clothing That Talks: Meaning and Material Culture
Students investigate the cultures of Native Americans and Euro-Americans through their clothing. In this photograph analysis lesson, students observe historic photographs and analyze the style of clothes people wore and how it...
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The Freedom to Fight
Students study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history lesson plan, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers who...
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America Moves Out!
First graders analyze the events of early American exploration. This is a unit resource for teachers in which there are six lessons about the American Western exploration and expansion. Within each lesson there are objectives, materials,...
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Civil War Medicine
Eighth graders discover details about medical care during the American Civil War. In this medical advancements lesson, 8th graders participate in classroom station activities that require them to study doctors, amputation, medical...
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Take a Memo - Primary Documents: African American Soldiers on the Homefront
Students examine the discrimination experienced by black servicemen during World War II. They read and analyze an official memo written in 1943, complete worksheet questions, and participate in a class discussion.
Smithsonian Institution
POWs
Why did Vietnam POWs and their families receive more media attention than POWs in previous wars? To answer this question, class members view artifacts, read articles, and engage in class discussion. Individuals then assume the...
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Classifying Artifacts
Middle schoolers examine pictures of pottery and classify them. They work together to create a list of characteristics for each piece. They share their findings with the class.
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Living Art-i-facts: Technology Takes Us There!
Students create living artifacts dealing with different times and cultures. They explore Ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, Islam, Africa, and the United States.
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The Grapes of Wrath: Scrapbooks and Artifacts
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary sources. In this Great Depression lesson, students read John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and use ethnographic research processes...
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Early Native Americans
Fourth graders locate on a globe where the land bridge was. They describe the progression of nomadic people into North America.