Curated OER
George Washington: Our First President
Young scholars explore the life of George Washington. In this George Washington instructional activity, students consider the leadership qualities of the first president as they listen to a description of his life and the create...
Curated OER
Jamestown Journey Part 1
Fourth graders work to solve one of the major problems facing the Jamestown settlers, the best location to settle upon arrival in Jamestown. Students discuss and review the past European and American events that lead to the...
Curated OER
Three Young Pilgrims
Fifth graders study the story of the voyage of the Mayflower told from the view point of the three Allerton siblings who were on board the ship. The book tells of their voyage across the Atlantic and their first year here on the North...
Curated OER
A Dream and an Idea: Searching for a Roadmap to Create a Country
Students listen in on American historical events. In this colonial America lesson, students participate in an activity that requires them to watch video segments that feature Revolutionary War battles and the Constitutional Convention....
Smithsonian Institution
Lexington and Concord: Historical Interpretation
Learners view and analyze three different images related to the Battle of Lexington and Concord. They also answer a variety of questions in a graphic organizer to help keep the information straight.
Curated OER
What Would Hannah Think?
Students read excepts from various government documents on the issue of slavery in America. Using the internet, they research a topic related to slavery of interest to them and present to the class their findings. They examine the life...
Curated OER
Learning from the Past: A New Approach
Young scholars research nonprofit organizations. As they research, they learn how those living in the colonial period formed community organizations to provide for the common good of their society. Each pupil chooses one organization to...
Curated OER
Stamp Act: Virtual Representation vs. Actual Representation
Eleventh graders research and discuss the different points of view of colonists in terms of taxation, as well as how these viewpoints helped lead to the revolution.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The President Under the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation sounds like one big, fancy title to middle schoolers. Here, scaffolded steps help to ease novices into understanding this all-important American document. Discussion questions, lesson plan activities, and...
Curated OER
Conflict On The Plains
Eighth graders investigate the culture and lifestyles of the Lakota Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne tribes. They use a variety of resources for research. They create questions based on information to be used during classroom discussion...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Magna Carta: Cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution
High schoolers use the Internet to read a brief description of Magna Carta (link provided). They "walk through" the document with the teacher, identifying four major themes. Students read and discuss "The Rhetoric of Rights: Americans...
Curated OER
Reconstruction of Iraq: A Lesson of Historical Precedents
Students view a video clip about the reconstruction efforts in Iraq. They work together to compare and contrast the reconstruction plans after the Spanish-American War and World War II. They compare those results to the situation in Iraq.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Patriots or Traitors - Point of View in the War for Independence
Patriots or traitors? Class members analyze images that present widely differing views of the Boston Tea Party, identifying the point of view of the image, the propaganda devices used, and the intended audience.
Reading Through History
Early History and Exploration Unit
We all know about Christopher Columbus, but who else explored the Americas, and specifically, the future United States of America? Learners find out these answers and more in a resource that includes four different reading sections,...
Curated OER
History In The Making
Students visit Colonial America in a Time Machine to discover the process that a citizen today must follow in order to make or change a law. Students research the Colonial Era in their Time Machines. Students encounter various government...
Curated OER
Decolonization and Self-Determination
Students define and discuss colonialism and self-determination. After reading the European's view on the topic, they analyze a map of imperialism in 1914. They watch excerpts of a video and take notes on various United Nations...
Curated OER
Art of Cynicism
Learners analyze selected pieces of art and infer how they reflect a sense of disillusionment, and/or cynicism in American society in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. Then they identify and place cultural attitudes...
Curated OER
U.S. History: The Progressive Era
Learners examine the Colonial Revival Movement as a response to industrialization and immigration. focusing on Deerfield, Connecticut, they create a documentary artifact reflecting the period.
Curated OER
Model United Nations Activity
Students examine current and past problems and situations affecting the United Nations, and explore life, career, and philosophy of Ralph Bunche, American diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Students then prepare portfolios to...
Curated OER
Paving the Road to the Constitution
Eighth graders argue for or against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In this U.S. government instructional activity, 8th graders complete four activities that encourage them to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the...
Curated OER
The Mayflower Compact
Students use primary source documents to discuss the Mayflower Compact and the story of the first Thanksgiving. They discover how the Pilgrims were influenced in developing a community and American democracy.
Curated OER
Jamestown in Context: The Colonization of North America
Students analyze the significance of Jamestown in the broader picture of colonization and analyze a historical document to determine the effects of previous explorations on the expectations of the Jamestown colonizers
Curated OER
Declaration of Independence
Eighth graders explain the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. They view a political cartoon of the period, then do a writing assignment for homework. They write about how they would feel if the British were calling them traitors.
Curated OER
A Constitution for Alaska
Students read sections cited from the Governing Alaska unit. They discuss factors that made Alaskans push for statehood. They view video A Constitution for Alaska.