Curated OER
Bio-Poems and U.S. History
Learners explore U.S. History by writing poems. In this United States leader biography lesson, students identify elements needed to create a good poem, and write a Bio-Poem about themselves. Learners utilize the same form to write a...
Curated OER
Vermont History True / False
In this Vermont history instructional activity, students read two and a half pages of information about Vermont history. After reading, students complete 10 true or false questions about what they read.
Scholastic
Dear Miss Breed
This compelling plan based on the letters in the book Dear Miss Breed engages readers in learning what it was like for Japanese Americans following the attacks at Pearl Harbor. After reading the letters, young scholars will...
DocsTeach
Analyzing US Involvement in the Vietnam War
War: unavoidable or a necessary evil? A thought-provoking activity explores the United States' long involvement in the Vietnam War as well as the aftermath. Scholars research and summarize primary documents and complete online worksheets...
Center for History Education
Who Fired the Shot Heard Round the World?
Take a closer look. Young academics become detectives in an engaging lesson on the American Revolution. Scholars work in groups to analyze documents to uncover whether the American colonists or British soldiers fired the first shot at...
DocsTeach
New Technology in World War I
A fast-paced activity focuses on the development of technology during World War I. Young historians match images of new technologies and complete a worksheet. Scholars also read an account of the war from the perspective of an American...
DocsTeach
Analyzing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Original Draft Resolution)
Breaking news, President Johnson addresses the nation! Scholars watch a video of President Johnson's address to Congress regarding the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. The activity focuses on the motivation behind the resolution and the...
National Park Service
Making Choices
What factors go into a decision to enter a war? Use a collection of primary source documents and images to prompt a discussion about the American Revolution and the reasons for entering a war against Britain.
Annenberg Foundation
A Growing Global Power
How does a nation turn into a global superpower? The 16th installment of the 22-part series on American history investigates the rise of the United States to global importance in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Groups...
DocsTeach
Pearl Harbor Dispatch Analysis
Scholars play a historical version of the telephone game when they analyze the dispatch from the Pearl Harbor attack. The quick activity uses primary sources to help academics analyze an historical event. Young historians also complete a...
DocsTeach
The War in Vietnam - A Story in Photographs
The Vietnam War was the first war to come into American living rooms with its images of American soldiers fighting in jungles far, far away. Young historians analyze and curate photos from the conflict, deciding how they would create a...
American Battle Monuments Commission
The Strategic Bombing Campaign
An extensive look at World War II details the strategic bombing campaign of the Allied forces. Beginning in September 1939 and ending in May 1945, the interactive map follows British and American forces throughout the bombing campaigns...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and Escalation of the Vietnam War
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution propelled America's involvement into a bloody conflict—and it was based on a fallacy. Using the resolution and other documents from the Vietnam War, including declassified documents, young historians...
Curated OER
African Americans and the Military of World War II
Fifth graders view a news reel of African Americans in World War II. In this World War II lesson plan, 5th graders discuss the newspaper clippings they get to view and hypothesize about why the African Americans use military news clips....
Curated OER
Japanese-Americans of World War II
Students research the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and Roosevelt's Executive Order. They listen to an audio file of the Fifth Amendment before holding a mock trial about the policy of internment of...
Curated OER
Connecting Past and Present...Virtues of Military Veterans
Students explore personalities of those who served as medical personnel in American Civil War, compare qualities those troops possessed to qualities shown by troops currently serving in Armed Forces, and express appreciation to...
Curated OER
Views Concerning U.S. Imperialism after the Spanish-American War
Students research the impact of American Imperialism. In this Spanish-American War lesson, students visit the listed Web sites to discover details about the war and its effects. Students use the information they locate to participate in...
Curated OER
American Revolution: Who Am I
In this American Revolution worksheet, students read 5 paragraphs, each giving clues about a famous person in the Revolutionary War. Students use a word bank to find the answer.
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a Veteran: Oral History
Seventh graders conduct an interview with a veteran of a recent war to provide an account of military conflicts. In this oral history instructional activity, 7th graders research a recent war and write interview questions for their...
Curated OER
What Made George Washington a Good Military Leader? Powers and Problems
Students list qualities they believe made George Washington an effective military leader. They discuss difficulties Washington faced as Commander-in-Chief and how he responded to the difficulties he faced as the leader of the Continental...
Curated OER
Who Was Contraband?
Students examine the role of African-Americans in the Civil War. Using primary sources, they analyze the material and formulate their own opinions about the past. They write journal entries to share their opinions on photographs from the...
Curated OER
Southern Perspective on Reconstruction
Students analyze historical perspectives. In this Reconstruction lesson, students compare and contrast the Northern and Southern views on Reconstruction as they analyze letters from Robert E. Lee and read Confederate Military History.
PBS
Women's History: Clara Barton
Students investigate Clara Barton's contributions to society. In this Clara Barton lesson plan, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and conduct research regarding Clara Barton's life and her possible authorship of a Civil War...
Rutgers University
African-Americans in WWII
Using transcripts of interviews of African-Americans who served in WWII, class members work in pairs to understand their experience. Prior to the group work, the teacher provides background on WWII and the African-American experience....