Curated OER
Discovering National Parks
Students work to preserve American National Parks. In this environmental activism lesson, students research the history of the national parks and determine why they were created. Students then focus on protecting the land, using it for...
Curated OER
"You Decide" Companion Lesson
Students research capital punishment and discuss different views on the death penalty. They complete a web based activity and express how certain acts of terrorism can challenge people's views on the death penalty.
Curated OER
The Election Is in the House: The Presidential Election of 1824
Students read an account of the election from the Journal of the House of Representatives, analyze archival campaign materials, and use an interactive online activity to develop a better understanding of the election of 1824 and its...
Curated OER
Examine the History of U.S. Immigration
Students investigate the history of immigration in the U.S. and the current debate over illegal immigration. In small groups, they conduct Internet research on an assigned time period, analyze political cartoons, and discuss themes in...
Curated OER
American Industry Growth
Eleventh graders explore the economic growth from 1878 to 1893. In this social studies lesson, 11th graders discuss how the improvements lead to an inequality in wealth and the problems that it caused.
Curated OER
American Focus on World Constitutions
Ninth graders describe essential components of a constitution and cite cultural factors affecting international law-making.
Curated OER
American Influences on Eugenics in Nazi Germany
High schoolers examine the Eugenics movement in America. They discover the Nazi's belief in racial purity and how it relates to Eugenics. They also analyze how science has been influential in creating public policy.
Curated OER
The Sugar Cane Curtain/ Defining Political and Social Struggles Between Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Twelfth graders explore historical events that created conflict between Dominican Republic and Haiti, examine how need for cheap source of labor has led to exploitation of Haitian workers, and discuss how topography of island of...
Curated OER
Should Voting in the United States be Mandatory? Research Activity
Eighth graders research how many voters actually vote in the U.S. and nine other nations. They create a spreadsheet using this information and write a persuasive essay.
Curated OER
Focused Learning Lesson: American History
Eleventh graders review the Progressive Movement and the Women's suffrage movement. They also review the changes from the end of World War I to the Great Depression.
Curated OER
The Volstead Act and Related Prohibition Documents
Students listen to the 18th Amendment. After a discussion on Prohibition, the groups determine if it was a success or a failure and present their findings to the class. They view political cartoons of the day and analyze their meaning.
Curated OER
Power to the People: Social Movements of the 1960s
Students engage in a professional development workshop for teachers in the delivery of curriculum about the era of the 1960's. The emphasis of the workshop is using popular culture of the time in order to launch investigations that are...
Curated OER
1862 MARYLAND CAMPAIGN, AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
Students explain why General Robert E. Lee decided to invade Maryland in September 1862; review the major events of the Maryland Campaign of 1862; describe the major events of the three phases of the Battle of Antietam; and assess the...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Fred Seibel, the Times-Dispatch, and Massive Resistance
A lesson challenges scholars to analyze editorial cartoons created by Fred Seibel, illustrator for the Times-Dispatch, during the Massive Resistance. A class discussion looking at today's editorial pages and Jim Crow Laws leads the...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Naturalized Citizens and the Presidency
Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution takes center stage in a lesson that asks class members to assume the role of state senators, debate a resolution to amend the U. S. Constitution to permit naturalized citizens to run for...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Investigating the Declaration of Independence
Teach your class about the Declaration of Independence while giving them practice working as a team. The resource breaks participants into groups and has them answer questions about specific grievances from the Declaration of...
Curated OER
Immigrating to America
Coming to America as an immigrant can be an emotional and difficult process. This lesson plan has learners explore what it means to be an immigrant, listen to real life accounts, and visit an online museum. This is a wonderful discussion...
Curated OER
Race, Education, and Income: Comparing Carter & Reagan
High school learners compare economic outcomes for 3 racial groups under the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan by analyzing a series of graphs, answering questions from a worksheet, and participating in a discussion.
Smithsonian Institution
POWs
Why did Vietnam POWs and their families receive more media attention than POWs in previous wars? To answer this question, class members view artifacts, read articles, and engage in class discussion. Individuals then assume the...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Issues of Asylum in the U.S.
Who gets to come to the United States? Examine cases of individuals seeking asylum with an informative reading passage that includes examples, statistics, and representations of public opinion regarding asylum. Groups then go on to...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Refugees from the Caribbean: Cuban and Haitian “Boat People”
Should refugees fleeing poverty be allowed the same entrance into the United States as those fleeing persecution? High schoolers read about US foreign policy in the late 20th century regarding refugees from Cuba and Haiti, and engage in...
National Endowment for the Humanities
History in Quilts
Learners investigate the use of cloth-based art forms intended to pass down traditions and history. They research types of quilts, quilt characteristics and then identify how Freedom Quilts were historically used in the US.
Curated OER
Puppet Show
Students explore politics by defining several jobs in the government. In this House of Representatives lesson, students identify several important roles men and women have in the House as well as the Senate. Students identify what it is...
Curated OER
Diseases Are Real
Eleventh graders research industries that contribute to sanitation and pollution problems. They investigate the direct result of unhygienic practices including disease outbreaks or specific illnesses. They create a Power Point...