Young historians have an opportunity to study the complex history and culture of Mexico by learning about several holidays: The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los...

Learners, in a high school class for autistic children, take a virtual tour of Boston's "Big Dig" and the artifacts discovered there. During weekly lab sessions, they discover the processes involved in artifact preservation. Using...

Fifth graders read literature that explains several reasons the Virginia Company was established. In this history lesson, 5th graders use different learning styles; interpersonal, artistic, logical, visual, and auditory to understand all...

Twelfth graders explore figurative language as it appears in Washington Irving's original text, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, answer questions based on story, and write sequels to it by using the different types of figurative language...

Fifth graders refer to text and timeline to fill in a graphic organizer and timeline from 1492-1607. They participate in a class discussion that allows for speedy accumulation of events and fill in their own timelines. They work in small...

Young scholars compare foods available for the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving with contemporary Thanksgiving foods. After reading information about the first Thanksgiving, pupils create a menu and compute the cost of a turkey dinner, using...

In this George Washington activity activity, students read a one page information sheet about George Washington. Kids put 10 events from his life in correct order. Then students answer 4 critical thinking questions.

Students research the history of a school system. In this school system lesson, students list the grade levels and subjects taught in their school and interview their teachers and administrators. Students collect past photographs of...

Fourth graders create a flip book illustrating the 13 original colonies. They study the growth and development of each of the three groups of the original colonies. They use maps to observe and interpret geographic information and...

Learners explore food. In this processed and fresh foods lesson, students discover how some foods are processed and how they differ from fresh food. The complete group activities and an individual reading assignment. This lesson includes...

Parades are a great way to celebrate. Get young historians into the festivities by asking them to create an informational float for a Freedom Parade. Picking a topic from the provided list or suggesting one of their own, class members...

Fifth graders investigate the connection between taxes and government services.  In this economics lesson, 5th graders discuss the process and benefits of paying sales and income taxes.  Using calculators, students compute the...

Learners determine how animals and people adapt to the desert environment. In this desert lesson, students review vocabulary about the desert and how humans have to make changes to accommodate their environments. They listen to and...

Students investigate the US policy for the country of Somalia. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They locate the country and then discuss major geographical features of the areas. Students discuss the present US...

Learn about American colonial history via this pdf file article which analyzes various Colonial era artworks in order to uncover what they tell us about the past.

Consider the English identity of American colonists by examining the sorts of imported goods and decorative arts Americans chose to purchase and display.

This is a comprehensive site that tells the story behind one of John Singleton Copley's most famous paintings, "Watson and the Shark." The site discusses the artist's life and provides compositional information about the painting....

Several examples of pots for coffee, tea, and chocolate from the colonial period. Learn how Americans adopted the practice of drinking coffee and tea, and how this practice affected society, daily life, and the decorative art created by...

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides this informative page on American portrait miniature paintings of the eighteenth century.

A site with examples and information about early American paintings from 1671-1829. Use the timeline to click on a time period, or click and select by artist, genre, or place of origin. Also includes an extensive bibliography.

This guide focuses on twenty-four paintings from the impressive collection of American art housed at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. The earliest work, a portrait of the children of a Puritan family, dates from 1670. The last piece...

New Britain Museum of American Art main page. Three Centuries of American art broken out into six era's. Under Education teachers can get lesson plans and learning activities for students like ABCs, puzzles and printable coloring book...

This site has a lesson plan that contrasts the methods of travel during Colonial Times, with those of today.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents "Architecture, Furniture, and Silver from Colonial Dutch America". This is an on-line overview of the exhibit that features works both decorative and utilitarian objects from from Colonial Dutch...