Students research Native American tribes. In this human migration lesson, students determine how tribes lived and established cultures. Students create PowerPoint presentations that feature their findings.

Seventh graders research the Native Americans of Texas. They create a PowerPoint presentation or poster showing the culture of the Native American tribe they were assigned.

Students examine the Westward expansion. In this North American settlers activity, students will view a PowerPoint presentation and answer critical thinking questions. Students will write an essay that analyzes the impact of westward...

Discover the seven principles of Kwanzaa and the ways they apply to everyday life. High schoolers use the Internet to research two examples of the principles of Kwanzaa, and share their findings with their peers.

Students explore the influences that geography has on a Native American tribe's culture and lifestyle. They examine how the first encounters with Europeans affected that tribe.

Separate is not equal! An eye-opening lesson delves into the past to understand the fight for desegregation and how it impacted African American communities. Academics complete two one-hour lessons using documents, photographs, and...

Despite how it sounds, Boston's busing crisis wasn't a transportation problem. Academics address the problems faced by African Americans following school desegregation and the struggle to receive equal educational opportunities. Scholars...

The Statue of Liberty may embrace the huddled masses of the world, but has American society always joined in? After young historians read a passage about the history of American immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on...

Need a model for character education? Benjamin Franklin presents himself as in a constant state of striving to become the man he hoped to be, making his autobiography is far more accessible to learners than those of people who consider...

High schoolers research the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, as well as other primary source documents, to determine Reconstruction's impact on the North and South. The 34-page inquiry-based lesson includes a staging question and...

The American Museum of Natural History offers a website sure to engage young anthropologists. Learners can dig into a site that offers an explanation of the field of archaeology, the kinds of questions archaeologists ask that launch...

Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing activity. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The activity includes several options to...

What should be the role of the federal government during an economic crisis? That is the question at the center of this introduction to a study of the New Deal. Class members examine letters to the state government asking for help,...

Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting lesson focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political cartoons, and...

Young scholars examine the Hispanic American tradition of making santos, painted woodcarvings of saints in the Catholic Church. In this lesson, student have the opportunity to create their own santos, make an 'x-ray' and create a story...

Are you one of the 100 million Americans whose ancestors passed through the doors of Ellis Island? Learn about the historic entry point for immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with an informative reading passage. After...

A thorough set of activities, articles, and reference material can enlighten your class about the history of whaling in New England. Kids travel back to a time when whale products were valuable and hunting whales was a way to help the...

While humans have always been on the move, the period between 1400 and 1800 saw vast migrations of people between the East and the West. These migrations—whether through slavery or a desire to colonize new lands—shaped the modern world....

Eighth graders investigate the founding and history of Sluice Boxes State Park. They use both primary and secondary resources to collect data. The focus is upon the use of native plants to make medicines. They write reports about several...

First graders make an "ABB" pattern from macaroni they dyed in a previous lesson. They follow the pattern as they string the macaroni to make a necklace. This lesson is a nice math/social studies tie in.

Students analyze their own culture and a Bulgarian culture to identify national, local, or ethnic traits. In this culture analysis lesson, students identify three important characteristics of their culture and compose a list of...

Students become familiar with the sport that became a social ritual in ancient American cultures, examining its importance. They gain an understanding of how contemporary sports have acquired importance within modern American culture.

Students examine the origin of the people that settled in the United States.  In this United States History lesson, students work in small groups to complete several activities that explore early settlement, such as a worksheet, a...

Use maps, readings, and photographs to analyze the historic, cultural, and social conditions surrounding the activities of the Dalton brothers and their gang. Learners identify how the residents of Coffeyville defended themselves against...