Curated OER
You Decide
Fourth graders, who live on a Native American reservation, investigate how land management is addressed at Tribal Council meetings. They participate in a simulation of a meeting as the discover the workings of tribal government. They...
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We the Second Graders
Students study the history, development and meaning of the Constitution. They participate in a classroom simulation of the Constitutional Convention by writing a Preamble, developing a government, and writing a Bill of Rights for their...
Curated OER
Chinese New Year's Firecrackers Lesson
Students make 'firecrackers' out of rolled cardboard tubes to simulate Chinese New Year's firecrackers.
Curated OER
Problem in Inarqi
Students practice identifying and solving problems. They assume a role to solve an authentic problem. During the simulation, students explain the structure of the government and reasons for adopting that particular structure. They...
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Civil Society in Iraq
Learners use core questions to learn about the concept of a civil society. The dynamics of the war in Iraq serve as an example of a society that is in turmoil. They also develop an imagined society organization that would help promote...
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Negotiating Treaties
Eleventh graders recognize the interaction between early settlers and indigenous people in the U.S. They recognize the impact of the Indian Removal Act on displaced Natives in the early West and the impact on Native attitudes today.
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Terminating the War between the Allies and Japan
Ninth graders examine the arms race that took place in the period leading up to and during World War II that produced the atomic bomb. They analyze differing perspectives on terminating the war between the Allies and Japan. They ...
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Why Do We Separate Power?
Students investigate the separation of powers that are outlined in the Constitution. The lesson includes essential questions that are used to guide the research. The information is used to increase knowledge of how power is used in...
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Coming to America
Fifth graders listen to the song America by Neil Diamond, view pictures of Ellis Island, and role play as processing officers who evaluate, classify and recommend which immigrants can stay in America.
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Necessity is the Mother of Invention
Students research the Industrial Revolution. In this Industrial Revolution lesson plan, students research on the Internet, with books, magazines, fill out worksheets, and more to learn about inventions that were made out of necessity or...
Smithsonian Institution
Ceramica de los Ancestros
Scholars join a field expedition team to unearth a plethora of treasures from Central America. Artifacts listed in alphabetical order come with an informational blurb and a picture designed for participants to color. Activity pages...
Federal Reserve Bank
What Really Caused the Great Depression?
Falling wages. Rising unemployment. Falling prices. Sound familiar? Young economists look at the role the US banking system had in causing the Great Depression.
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Cold War Conflicts
Students participate in extensive discussion about the Cold War and then analyze and express their opinions (at least one for each of the 3 questions) posting them to a discussion board.
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Educating European Immigrant Children Before World War I
Discover the challenges in educating immigrant children at the turn of the 20th century. Reforms that New York City schools used are described here and data is included for your class to analyze, in its evaluation of the effectiveness of...
Curated OER
Second Graders Create Their Own Social Studies Book (Part I, The 5Ws of the Constitution)
Students study the United States Constitution and create a year-long cumulative activity for social studies. In this social studies lesson, students complete activities throughout the year to learn the 5Ws for the United States...
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Japanese Tall Tales
Students read the tale of 'Three Strong Women' looking for facets of culture that create a 'face' of the Japanese people. They create a Venn Diagram comparing Japanese tall tales with factual research about Japanese culture. One side...
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Clay Whistle/Ocarinas
Seventh graders create a clay whistle/ocarina and sculptue in the round using the pinch technique.
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What is Communism?
Eleventh graders explore Communism. They explore Communism's roots in economics and discuss the spread of Communism in the Eastern Hemisphere. They evaluate a Communistic and a Capitalistic society. Students reflect upon the positives...
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Environment: Mock Trial
Learners role-play a trial regarding the taking of family property for a new water purification plant. Among the roles are the judge, attorneys, witnesses, plaintiff, mayor, and jury members. Once both sides present their case, the...
American Battlefield Trust
American Battlefield Trust: Civil War: The Battle of Antietam
Watch this animated Civil War simulation depicting the The Battle of Antietam of 1862.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Dinosaurs: Theropod Biomechanics
How fast could a Tyrannosaurus rex really run? Visitors to this resource will see how scientists use theropod biomechanics to simulate the movement of these large dinosaurs.
Other
Active History: The American Civil War Simulation
Take on the role of President Jefferson Davis or President Abraham Lincoln and proceed through the Civil War. This simulation can be played between two players or one. Users are challenged to choose the courses that each president likely...
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Resources for Learning: Frames of Reference
Use this interactive physics simulation to determine how perception of motion changes with the frame of reference. The simulation introduces the principles of motion with respect to frame of reference.
Digital History
Digital History: Affirmative Action and the Case of Allan Bakke [Pdf]
The history of affirmative action was interwoven with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Read about how the federal government under both President Kennedy and President Nixon attempted to open up jobs to...