Based on class lessons about George Washington as well as a short reading provided, this activity prompts students to write a few sentences explaining why Washington declined a third term as President, as well as the implications on...

Students are introduced to a variety of symbols representing the United States. As a class, they identify places in which they have seen the various symbols and discuss what they mean. To end the lesson, they state the words from the...

Students consider the plight of those who walked the Trial of Tears. In this Indian Removal lesson, students compare statistics regarding Indian survival rates.

Students explain the presidential duties and who is eligible to run for president. In this The White House or Bust article, students complete a map of the electoral college. In addition students analyze historical campaign posters....

Middle schoolers review and analyze major topics presented by President Bush during his 2007 State of the Union Address. They generate research questions surrounding the president's claims and calls to action. They then research...

Students examine how portraits can tell us more about people of the past than just what they looked like. They compare three portraits of U.S. Presidents, analyze portraits of Americans from the Revolutionary War, and write a report on...

Did you know that without the Mexican War, the United States would not include the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, and even parts of Colorado? Scholars learn a variety of interesting facts about the...

What are the essential differences between primaries and caucuses? As part of a study of the process by which Americans select their candidates for US president, class members examine the nominating process, the changes that have...

Though Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle shocked the American public into a thorough examination of the meat-packing industry, the author was disappointed that his book's main argument—the exploitation of American immigrants—was not...

Learners explore how the Constitution provides for separation of power and limited government, as evidenced by the three branches of government. They participate in role-playing situations, group discussions, and complete worksheets to...

Here is a fascintating lesson which relates how the motto "In God We Trust" came to appear on all US currency. It turns out that a man from Arkansas came up with the idea and petioned his congressman and President Eisenhower himself to...

What was the Children's Crusade and how did it impact the civil rights movement in the United States? Your young learners will learn about this incredible event through a variety of instructional activities, from reading a poem and...

Eleventh graders participate in a political roundtable discussion. In this Jeffersonianism instructional activity, 11th graders role play individuals from the 19th century and discuss issues of the Federalist period.

The system of checks and balances is integral to the functionality of the United States government. Learn more about the ways the three branches of the government work together—and about the limitations of their power—with an informative...

Do pupils know that the Vietnam War spanned a period of 30 years? A war that long is bound to leave devastating effects. Help young historians develop a comprehensive understanding of the war through multiple units on the subject that...

Celebrate the geography of the Americas and develop map skills through a series of activities focused on the Western Hemisphere. Learners study everything from earthquakes and volcanoes of the Americas and the relationship...

Thomas Jefferson is one of the most recognized names and faces in America—but is there more to the third president of the United States? Upper elementary and middle schoolers conduct research on Jefferson, his famous home at Monticello,...

Students explore government by participating in a role playing activity. In this legal system lesson, students discuss the tasks which needed to be competed in order to write a bill and have it turned into law by the President. Students...

Young scholars make connections between changes in voting participation and the election of 1828, and describe regional factors evidenced by the voting results of the election of 1828.

Young scholars explore U.S. politics by researching the Presidential requirements. In this electoral process lesson, students identify the main requirements to become a Presidential candidate and the two main political parties. Young...

Students read the book "Baseball Saved Us" and respond to the story through writing activities. In this reading lesson, students create a chart of events  which they predict will take place in the story. Students then use their...

First graders listen to two books about Rosa Parks. They contribute factual information for a web. They listen to an interview with Rosa Parks on the internet, adding more information to the web. They write and illustrate a book using...

High schoolers study and research the life of Albert Einstein. They focus on the extent Albert Einstein catalyzed and criticized President Harry S. Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan during WWII. Students answer a...

Students study letters and images of the Japanese American Interment during World War II. They discuss the issues presented.