Curated OER
Land That We Love
Students perform "Land that We Love" using correct posture, correct rhythms, and accurate pitches. Emphasis is also placed on analyzing the purpose and meaning of patriotic songs. Students correctly identify and perform repeats and...
Elizabeth Murray Project
Colonial Women During the Revolution
Young researchers use the Internet or books to find out about colonial women during the American Revolution. They organize information in a graphic to demonstrate their understanding of the research they gathered before writing a...
The Alamo
A Lesson in Citizenship
What does it mean to be an American citizen? Lieutenant Colonel Commander William Barret Travis believed that it meant honor to country first—even above one's own life. Middle and high schoolers read his final letters from the Alamo that...
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Tea Overboard
While less well known than the event in Boston, the Yorktown Tea Party was equally decisive in turning community sentiment against Great Britain. To gain an understanding of why the colonists objected to the Tea Act, young historians...
Curated OER
Sunny Symbols
After listening to a series of stories about signs and symbols associated with the United States, pupils discuss the importance of the sun in Native American legends and as a representation of New Mexico. As part of this exploration,...
Curated OER
Making Cents of Independence
Students explore the causes and major events of the Texan and American revolutions. Comparisons and contrasts are made between the two revolutionary experiences and applied to the symbolism used on the Texas State quarter.
Curated OER
Faces of the Revolution
Fifth graders investigate the important figures of the American Revolution. In this American Revolution lesson plan, 5th graders outline the important events of the war and complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
The Renewed Glory of Old Glory
Students investigate how increased patriotism as a reaction to national crisis can serve as both a uniting and a dividing force.
Curated OER
Wake Up King George!
Fourth graders research the conflict between the American colonies and England and write about it. For this America verses England lesson plan, 4th graders read books, watch videos, and have class discussions about this time in history...
Curated OER
Historical Lessons on Wartime and Race Relations
Students identify perceptions towards Asians widely held by the American public through the analysis of political cartoons from the 1940's. They recognize the ramifications of such perceptions on Asian American and Arab American.
Curated OER
A Right to Bear Arms - One Patriot's View
High schoolers research Samuel Adams' role in the crafting of the Second Amendment. They consider how Adams' views evolved with time and write a one-page response linking their research to current events.
Curated OER
Stars and Stripes Book
Students create a stars and stripes patriotic book. In this visual arts lesson plan, students create pages with stars and flags. The students identify which item is the largest.
Curated OER
Sending Messages, Then and Now
Students analyze how patriots created ways to communicate during the Revolutionary War. After reading about and discussing ways patriots communicated, students create a chart analyzing the way messages are sent today with the way...
Curated OER
Wartime and the Bill of Rights: The Korematsu Case
Students examine the balance between civil liberties and protection. In this national security lesson, students explore the Korematsu case which references the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Students draw comparisons between...
Curated OER
Rehearsal and Sightreading Techniques
Eighth graders prepare the two pieces "American Celebration" and "Patriotic Bits and Pieces" for an upcoming performance. This lesson is a forty-five minute lesson geared towards a middle school advanced band (8th Grade). National and...
Curated OER
Patriotic Symbols
Students examine the symbols of their state and America. Using the history of the American flag, they identify what each star and stripe symbolizes and why red, white and blue were used. They discuss the use of the bald eagle and...
PBS
Walt Whitman: Journalist and Poet
Can you love something so much you want to change it? Young patriots investigate Walt Whitman's love of America—and his suggestions to improve it—using primary sources as well as video evidence. Scholars research American issues of the...
Smithsonian Institution
Mobilizing Children
Scholars find out how the government used propaganda to mobilize children to help in the war effort. Lesson exercises include analyzing a quote from Franklin Roosevelt, viewing propaganda images and posters, and participating in a lively...
Smithsonian Institution
Lexington and Concord: Historical Interpretation
Learners view and analyze three different images related to the Battle of Lexington and Concord. They also answer a variety of questions in a graphic organizer to help keep the information straight.
Curated OER
Life as a colonial silversmith
Students study the life experiences of people who lived in colonial Boston prior to the American Revolution. They define key terms including Loyalist and Patriot. They write a journal entry as Nathaniel Hurd, a silversmith.
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
A Deliberate, Palpable and Dangerous Exercise of Other Powers: James Madison & Homeland Security
This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...
Curated OER
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel
Jamie Ford’s historical novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, explores the relationship between a young Chinese American boy and a Japanese American girl set against the backdrop of Seattle during World War II. The teaching...
Curated OER
Creating a Memorial Day Poster Poem
Does your class know about the meaning of Memorial Day? Discuss the history of the holiday in this lesson, which prompts elementary and middle schoolers to create word webs of ideas about the holiday. Additionally, they create poems...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The President Under the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation sounds like one big, fancy title to middle schoolers. Here, scaffolded steps help to ease novices into understanding this all-important American document. Discussion questions, lesson activities, and ideas...