PBS
What Are the Primaries and Caucuses?
What are the essential differences between primaries and caucuses? As part of a study of the process by which Americans select their candidates for US president, class members examine the nominating process, the changes that have...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Soviet Espionage in America
The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of three lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1950. This first lesson asks groups to read an introduction that describes the Verona Project and...
Curated OER
The Texas Social Studies Controversy
Examine the Texas social studies curriculum controversy with your class. Using a current events lesson, learners read the article "A Christian Land Governed by Christian Principles," respond to the discussion questions, and participate...
Curated OER
What Are the Social Studies?
Identify core social studies subjects with adult learners. They will discuss key issues from twentieth century American history and identify key social studies concepts taught at elementary grade levels. They then modify this activity to...
Pulitzer Center
China's Rising Labor Movement
Young historians will explore the complex causes and effects of industrialization in China by perusing the numerous articles included in this webpage. Throughout the resource, there are many writing and discussion prompts to help direct...
Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
Frontline
Obama's Deal
Government classes benefit from examining how a bill passes through Congress, while they focus on the compromises made by Obama's administration regarding health care reform. This includes an online video and a couple of handouts. The...
City University of New York
The Split Over Suffrage
Compare and contrast Frederick Douglass's and the National Women's Suffrage Association's stances on equal rights and suffrage with a series of documents and worksheets. Learners work together or independently to complete the packet, and...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You
Ask not what the lesson here can do for you, but what you can do with the lesson. The answer is quite a lot! Young scholars revisit JFK's famous inaugural address with a focus on his plea for civic engagement. There's a...
City University of New York
Urban Politics: Machines and Reformers
What were political machines and whom did they serve? As part of a study of US immigration patterns and how these patterns influenced politics, groups investigate how Tammany Hall and other political machines gained support from voters.
Global Oneness Project
Recording a Dying Langauge
Is there value in preserving indigenous languages that are almost extinct? That's the question posed to viewers of a short film about the attempt of one Native American woman who is creating a dictionary for Wakchumni, the language of...
DocsTeach
Benjamin Franklin: Politician and Diplomat
Benjamin Franklin was many things: a scientist, businessman, diplomat, politician. Learners explore facets of the legendary figure with a matching activity. By matching primary source documents to their descriptions, they analyze the...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons: Literacy
Readers decode and deconstruct political cartoons to heighten critical thinking, extra-textual literacy, and making meaning from symbolism and metaphor. A compatible activity to use in English class when your 8th or 11th graders are...
C-SPAN
Primary and Secondary Sources: Trailblazers in Congress
Trailblazers forge the path into uncharted territory, they establish a precedent for others to follow. Young historians research trailblazers in Congress using primary and secondary sources to profile outliers that changed the face of...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Election Day, November, 1884" by Walt Whitman
To begin a study of Walt Whitman's poem, "Election Day, November 1884," learners first call out a word or two that describes their reaction to the recent presidential election. They then read an encyclopedia entry about the Presidential...
Curated OER
Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Students examine equal protection. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary documents from Korematsu v. United States and discuss the implications of the decision with regards to Japanese internment.
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Classroom Constitutional Convention
Students investigate the eight phrases that comprise the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution to determine its principles and purpose. Their own Constitutional Convention is convened to craft a preamble for their school's governance.
Curated OER
Crossroads of the Continent: Early Trade in Kansas
Young scholars study early Native American-European trade. They play bartering games to discover trade as an economic funtion, as well as other implications of trading one good for another.
Curated OER
GNP Simulation Using Foods in the Americas
High schoolers explore food supply distribution. In this GNP distribution lesson plan, students participate in a simulation that requires them to eat foods from the American continents. High schoolers are served according to their chance...
Curated OER
Geometry of Democracy
Students explore the architecture of New England by identifying geometric shapes. In this architectural lesson, students examine photographs of classic building architecture and use a transparency to trace geometric shapes they...
Curated OER
Baseball Saved Us Teacher’s Guide
Students read the book "Baseball Saved Us" and respond to the story through writing activities. In this reading lesson, students create a chart of events which they predict will take place in the story. Students then use their...
Curated OER
A New Twist on Race Relations
Learners analyze the impact of American Bandstand on race relations. In this race relations instructional activity, learners use the music and dance show American Bandstand to learn about race relations. Learners categorize pivotal...
Curated OER
Active Citizens 101
Students explore and investigate multiple aspects of citizenship and democracy in a sequence of lessons that involve thoughtful discussin and participation to assist in gaining a better perspective of what citizenship and domocracy is,...
Curated OER
Western Expansion or Eastern Invasion?
Fifth graders read from their textbook a story about the pioneer settlement of the Western Frontier. They review the pioneer standpoint, but also discuss how the Homestead Act of 1862 affected Native Americans. They write another story...