Curated OER
Revolutionary Money
Examine paper money from the American revolution! Historians study the paper bills and discuss the history of money. How has money changed over the times? Activities are included.
Curated OER
Arthur: The Once And Future King
Middle and high schoolers work in groups to research tales of King Arthur, using primary sources. They present the major themes and symbols from these stories, and discuss how they still relevant in today's world. Use this lesson to...
Curated OER
Modernism in Poetry, Painting, and Music
Are you teaching Modernism to your class? Connect different areas of artistic expression in the Modernist Era. Learners read T.S. Eliot, view art by Pablo Picasso, and listen to a Modernist musical composition. This final assignment is...
Curated OER
Anne Frank and Louisiana - There is a Connection!
How is Louisiana connected to the Holocaust? After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, eighth graders complete a research report about a survivor of the Holocaust who currently resides in Louisiana. Though the idea is a good way to...
Curated OER
Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find": Who's the Real Misfit?
Students discuss the characteristics of the literary genre known as "Southern Gothic". They write an analysis of the short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor.
Curated OER
Listen Up: Antigone Rising
Upper graders listen to and watch a documentary about an all female group Antigone Rising. They discuss how females are portrayed in the rock world, the type of music they play, their song lyrics, and what they note in the documentary....
Public Media for Northern California
An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Gun Control Issues | The Lowdown
The topic of gun control is vast, controversial, and difficult to introduce to young scholars. This gem of a resource covers both sides of the issue and provides topic background, various multimedia and print resources, analysis...
University of California
Influences from South to Southeast Asia
In ancient times, people along trade routes exchanged ideas in addition to goods. Scholars view eight primary sources, such as artwork, to understand how India influenced southern Asia. Academics participate in a short group discussion...
Museum of Tolerance
The Role of Citizens in a Participatory Democracy
Groups research participatory democracies and compare the role and rights of citizens in ancient history with those in recent U.S. history. Guided by a series of questions, individuals compose a persuasive essay in which they discuss the...
Curated OER
Excerpt from E.D. Morel's The Black Man's Burden (1920)
The included excerpt would be a perfect contrary follow-up to reading, Rudyard Kipling's White Man's Burden. Journalist E.D. Morel composed the statement against imperialism in 1920. Black Man's Burden is a wonderful primary source...
National Park Service
The Power of Remembrance
On every July 4th, we watch fireworks and celebrate our independence, but how is the history of the American Revolution preserved? Four social studies lesson guide learners through different memorials, commemorative objects, and restored...
Northern Nevada Council for the Social Studies
What Are the Origins and Influences of Rap Music?
Considered an American art form, rap has its roots in places from Jamaica to the Bronx. Using a series of readings, comprehension questions, and videos, scholars explore the history of rap and its connections to the African diaspora....
Curated OER
Translating Traditions
Students analyze art reflective of traditions and cultural heritage. For this art analysis lesson, students complete image based discussion.
Curated OER
Christopher Columbus Who?
Students recreate a "60-minutes" interview using cue cards and historical information on the Chinese explorer Zheng He. This lesson is an excellent introduction to World History during the 1400's.
University of California
The Cold War (America)
The Cold War—with its roots in World War II—impacts the world today. Using an extensive curriculum, scholars consider its impact through primary sources, including speeches and propaganda, as well as other skills-enhancing activities. An...
National Gallery of Canada
Taken Out of Perspective
Art does not always have to look perfectly realistic. Play with proportion and shape by stretching images. Pupils study works of art by Picasso, Cézanne, and Monet before selecting a photograph to adapt. They use a distorted grid to...
Curated OER
Royal Proclamation on Education: King Chulalongkorn of Siam
How much did the King of Siam value education? Why did he believe haste was important? How do his views compare with modern views of education? These are the questions your class will answer after reading an excerpt from the "Royal...
Curated OER
Blogging To Create A Community of Writers # 5 of 7
Here is lesson 5 from a 7 lesson unit on using blogging to create a community of writers. The aim of this lesson is to get students writing about what Archaeologists do and how they use material data to study the past. They compose a...
Smithsonian Institution
Jamaican Song, Dance, and Play: Experiences with Jamaican Musical Traditions
Young musicians experience song, dance, and play of the Jamaican culture. Scholars listen for and recreate beats, they play tunes, make up original dances, and play a game that challenges pupils to pass stones to a specific beat.
Curated OER
Stars and Stripes Forever: Researching Veteran's Day and Historical Events
Sixth graders research Veteran's Day and wars that affected the United States. In this research instructional activity, 6th graders work in small groups to create an oral presentation based on Internet and conventional research. They...
Curated OER
Patriotic Arts: Influencing Canadians At War
Students study how war has shaped Canadian life, patriotism, propaganda, and music. They research primary source documents, novels, videos, and songs before celebrating Remembrance Day.
Curated OER
Studies of the Eastern Worlds: Population Graphing
Seventh graders participate in several learning/research stations in which they view artwork from various countries of the Eastern world and collect information on the populations of the Eastern countries. They then use this information...
Curated OER
Stop Action and Assess Alternatives
Students stop action and determine how history may have been altered. For this historical perspectives lesson, students consider how the Cherokee Removal, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Immigration Act of 1924, and the dropping of...
Curated OER
African Americans in Aviation: The 1940s- A Decade of Change
Learners investigate African Americans in aviation. In this primary resources instructional activity, students examine primary resources to research the history of African American in aviation. Learners answer two research questions and...