Lesson Plan
Curated OER

California Indians

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders discuss the major nations of California Indians, their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends and religious beliefs. They describe the function of Spanish missions and the influence of Catholicism. In...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration to the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the reasons why people immigrated to the United States. Using maps and charts, they analyze population movements and religious affiliations. They discover how the United States became a lesser Protestant country.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Heartland

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars note how personal perceptions influence the understanding of what a region. They look at an agricultural map of what is considered to be the Heartland of the US. They read the words to George Strait's, America's Heartland...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indigenous People

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine what foods are indigenous to America and how Western European expansion impacted indigenous communities. They identify indigenous foods that they themselves eat, and label maps and identify ethnic groups in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sailing Through History

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research examples of different types of sailing ships, investigating the vessels as well as the politics, economy, and people at the historical time and place the boat was launched. They create displays for a museum exhibit...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Negro Leagues Scrapbook

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compile a scrapbook of photographs, quotations and notes, representing the perspective of a Negro Leagues baseball player. The scrapbook should include photographs with captions, letters, news headlines, and any other materials...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mummies Made in Egypt

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students use maps to locate information on Egypt, then create their own maps to display knowledge gained from the lesson plan and Web sites. They recognize, create, and describe the pyramid's geometric shape in three-dimensional forms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Focused Learning Lesson: American History

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders compare and contrast the type of immigrant that came to America during the 19th and 20th centuries. They write letters as if they were immigrants coming to America and what they faced and their hopes for the future.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Dream

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students expand their knowledge by researching on the Internet the African American civil rights movement and compiling a timeline of events and heroes. In addition to the civil rights timeline, students identify the key historical sites...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

U.S. Possessions

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders research the United States acquisition of the Philippines and their fight for independence. They locate the Philippines on a map and brainstorm how its geography has benefits. They access the Internet and complete a student...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From Forest to Farm and Back Again

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review and discuss a given set of questions regarding ecosystems. They analyze essays, maps and historical documents on timber harvesting and regeneration and then complete worksheets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

BIRTH OF AN EXCEPTIONAL NATION

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compare the 2 paintings "Washington Crossing the Delaware" and "Prayer at Valley Forge". Look for similarities, differences and information on the painters. Create a political game board using the events from 1776.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Networking at Early James Fort

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the impact of global trade on regional civilizations of the world after 1500. They research and analyze images of pottery excavated at Jamestown, and create a poster that presents information about world trade...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Lies Beneath

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students conduct Internet research on the history and archaeological excavations at historical Jamestown. They explore various websites, and develop a Powerpoint presentation to present to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 3: Japan's "Southern Advance" and the March toward War, 1940-1941

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High school historians interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources to decide if the southern advance was a reckless step toward war, or if it was reasonable. They research the Japanese southern advance tactics during the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conflicting Views

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students complete a Venn diagram comparing the United States and Afghanistan. They research the history of the Taliban and how they relate to the United States and its foreign policy. They write a paper on possible solutions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The failure of Diplomacy, September-December 1941

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate four main issues of concern between US and Japan prior to US involvement in World War II. In this role play activity, students will take the role of US and Japanese negotiators trying to find a diplomatic solution to...
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Differences Among Colonial Regions

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Classes look at and analyze primary source images to explore the differences between the colonial regions during the Revolutionary era. They break into groups to tackle each region and then present their findings to the class. A final...
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Reconstructing a Nation

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Think back to the aftermath of an family dispute. The awkwardness of having to make up, get along, and move forward can be very difficult. The tenth lesson of a 22-part series on American history examines the Reconstruction Era following...
Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims

For Teachers K
Teach kindergartners about the First Thanksgiving with a series of lessons about the Pilgrims' journey to the New World. As they practice handwriting, CVC words, reading comprehension, and fun Thanksgiving songs, they learn about what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the Lewis and Clark expedition. They develop skills for historical analysis. They locate a variety of geographic features encountered by the expedition, and create a timeline that documents Lewis and Clark on their journey.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Go West, Young Man!"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine reasons why people migrated west. They describe how the geography of the U.S. changed in the 19 th century and design a PowerPoint presentation to convey factors for westward expansion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Legislating neutrality

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the Merchants of death thesis.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders explain the Neutrality Laws.  Students assess the overall effectiveness of US neutrality policy. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Declaration of Power

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students examine the Korean nuclear escalation. In this current events lesson, students explore the nuclear arms race in Korea and the science that explains nuclear weapons.