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.

How did Native Californians and Franciscans influence one another in early California? Learners analyze a few cultural pieces to examine the impact that integration had on Franciscan and Native Californian culture.

The tradition of the First Thanksgiving is really a story of immigration. Connect the feelings and customs of the early Pilgrims to the experiences of the immigrants in your class with an introduction to the 13 colonies, the Mayflower,...

What was the most significant tool used by the Chumash? How did the environment make the tool possible? What group behaviors allowed the Chumash be be successful for thousands of years? After watching West of the West's documentary Once...

Students view a world map and identify the locations of England and Virginia and discuss what kinds of things they would take with them on this kind of trip. They read the words in the news box on the student page and fill in the blanks...

The class reads the description of the "Drawing of an African Burial Ground Grave In Situ" then completes a work sheet. They act like archaeologists and answer a series of critical thinking questions to better understand the historical...

Students take a field trip to watch a reenactment of the Revolutionary War. In groups, they participate in the same daily chores as the soldiers and examine the contributions of the colonies. To end the lesson, they eat a typical...

Fifth graders research and explore what life would be like for human colonists on Mars. They explore various websites, read and discuss newspaper articles, develop a chart of the hardships and conditions that would be faced by colonists...

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

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...

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

Students explore U.S. History by reading biographical text in class. For this Benjamin Franklin instructional activity, students read about the famous American's first job and the transition he underwent from printing to politics....

Second graders identify: why the Pilgrims came to America; how they adjusted to life in America; what impact the Native Americans had on the survival of the Pilgrims; and what events brought about the First Thanksgiving.

Students are given a category to research (clothes, life before the New World, the voyage, etc.) about Pilgrim life. s Students, in groups, create presentations using software program such as PowerPoint.

Students build a model of the Mayflower inside of the classroom in order to learn about the voyage of the Mayflower and the hardships faced by its passengers. For this American history lesson, students work in small groups to construct...

Students read a primary source document about the rules of civility and behavior in the presence of company. Using the text, they make assumptions about how life was like in the colonies. They compare and contrast the culture of the...

Students complete problems dealing with whole numbers, fractions and percents. After exploring the history of corn and related farming vocabulary, students work in pairs to solve multi-step problems. They incorporate the use of number...

Fifth graders use the Internet to view collections of famous artists throughout the eighteenth century America. Using the artwork, they identify the themes that portrayed America as the land of opportunity. They record their findings...

Young scholars discover the complex culture and trading economy of the Hidatsa and Mandan tribes in North Dakota during the 18th century, as seen by anthropologists and artists.

Students explore various websites featuring the life and achievements of Benjamin Franklin. They investigate Franklin's roles in colonial society as well as pictures of his various inventions. They view excerpts of historical documents...

High schoolers explore the many resources that one can use to explore a community, the Colonial Revival movement, and how the industry and technology reshaped life in Deerfield the Connecticut River Valley.

Young scholars develop a visual display illustrating an event from F. Scott Fitzgerald's life and write a paper showing the relationship between the visual and The Great Gatsby.  In this The Great Gatsby lesson plan, students...

Students explore George Washington. Focusing on his personal life, it offers an examination of the man behind the towering symbol. Washington's stature as first president and founding father created a public persona. George

Learners discuss the ways in which an environment is used to provide the basic necessities of life. In groups, they compare and contrast how different hunter and gatherer groups have used the environment to their advantage. They place...