The post-Civil War convict leasing program, rarely covered in textbooks, is the focus of a lesson that asks class members to use information drawn from primary source documents to assess the program. While the focus is on Alabama's...

The Election of 1912: an election with four competitive opponents. Pupils get to know the candidates with informative reading passages that provide context to the election. Then, the class engages in a debate and answers questions as one...

What was France like before the Revolution? Set the scene for the French Revolution with an informative PowerPoint presentation that covers the political, economic, and social divisions that led the people to revolt.

Young scholars study, discuss, and analyze why people have emigrated to America. They watch The New Americans and research immigration in the U.S.

Seventh graders gain a better understanding of the canal period in U.S. History, and more specifically, discern the importance of the Illinois and Michigan Canal on the development of Illinois as a state and Chicago as a prominent city.

Middle schoolers read about the history of Labor Day in a newspaper article. They discuss difficulties American employees of the past had to face, learn about labor rallies, and conduct Internet research. Part of the intention of this...

Learners examine the history of the United States' immigration policy. They identify events in history that changed policies regarding immigrants. They discuss new possible legislation as well.

Students examine the Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880. In this History lesson, students explore the issues of immigration and exclusion surrounding the Chinese Expulsion Act. Students will use a variety of primary sources to write an essay...

Eleventh graders examine the industrialization of post-Reconstruction America. In this 20th century American history instructional activity, 11th graders listen to a lecture about the industrial age and then conduct their own research to...

Students observe coal mine pictures. For this US history lesson, students analyze the pictures realizing that history is shown in pictures and then write a newspaper article about life in a coal town using the pictures as...

Learners examine the history of farming. In this environmental farming lesson plan, students explore the web and complete a variety of activities in order to understand the necessity of local, sustainable, and small farms for the future....

Students study the Gilded Age in American History. They present a speech demonstrating knowledge of the platforms of the Progressives and Populists.

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....

In this 1930s American history worksheet, students study the New Deal as they write 10 vocabulary terms that match 10 definitions, rewrite 4 false statements as true statements, and explain 2 historical themes regarding this time period...

Eighth graders examine the time period of the Industrial revolution in American history.  In this American History lesson, 8th graders read the chapter on this time period.  Students create a presentation on this time period to...

Ninth graders identify and recognize characteristics of nonfiction in literary works, explore language and culture of Gullah people, compare and contrast purposes of spirituals and quilts in terms of their relationships to escape from...

An engaging lesson delves into the effects of slavery on society. Young historians read text excerpts, complete handouts, and participate in group discussion to understand how slavery was a means to control society and establish a racial...

Before the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, FDR's executive order helped promote fair employment. The activity uses primary documents to explore FDR's executive order to help minorities gain equal employment and pay during the...

The tenant farming and sharecropping systems that developed in the South after the Civil War, the reasons for their development, and the eventual decline of these systems are the focus of this two-day plan.

Not all food is created equal. The lesson dives into the world of migrant farm workers to show their struggles to earn livable wages and better working conditions. Academics learn why the Coalition of Immokalee Workers was created and...

Unemployment: The job of the future. The resource, designed for high school scholars, explains unemployment rates, recessions, and job trends that are impacting employment in the United States. Academics explore potential careers of the...

Students explore the economic repercussions of a potential Major League Baseball strike. Then, through researching other labor strikes in American history, students consider the importance and impact of labor unions in United States...

Eleventh graders examine the major events and inventions that changed American families and communities.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze various documents dealing with the changes.  Students create a project on...

Students analyze correspondence and a news release regarding the Harlan, Kentucky, mine strike of 1931-1932. They use these documents to discuss the problems of organizing industrial trade unions before the New Deal.