Students make inferences about a shipwreck based on the location of artifacts. They role play as marine archaeologists and list three processes that contribute to the deterioration of the Titanic.

First graders create two personal artifacts to add to a primary source shoebox that represents information about themselves. The first draw a self-portrait then build an artifact from Play-Doh and pipe cleaners to represent something...

Students examine primary sources and perform historical analysis. In this Huexotzinco Codex instructional activity, students investigate the codex as they make inferences and draw conclusions

High schoolers investigate the models for the origin of modern humans and the conditions that facilitate speciation and evolution. The classification and nomenclature of hominid species is also examined.

Pupils research on the Web and in books the "age of majority" in general and how it applies in their particular states. Explore, too, "emancipation" and whether this is another way for teens to earn additional rights. Students write a...

Eleventh graders investigate propaganda used during World War I. In this World War I instructional activity, 10th graders examine propaganda from the war and analyze war posters. Students then create their own propaganda posters on...

Who is buried in this tomb? Trek to a local cemetery, take pictures of markers, explore records, and conduct interviews to bring to life the stories behind the stones. Use Olympus and Tool Factory to coordinate and gather information...

The ultimate legacy of Emmett Till's violent death is its role in the non-violent roots of the Civil Rights Movement. A lesson compares contemporaneous articles with the lyrics of Bob Dylan's "The Death of Emmett Till" and prompts...

Students compile information to include in their career portfolio. In this portfolio lesson plan, students view example portfolios using the given website and identify the portfolio components. Students gather and compile artifacts for...

The transition between rebellion to reunification was not smooth after the Civil War. Young historians compare primary and secondary source documents in a study of the Reconstruction era in Virginia, noting the rights that were not...

Discover stories about women's history in beautiful stained glass windows. The second in a three-part series teaches scholars about a famous artistic style of stained glass windows and the influential women that used art to impact...

Learners explore Chicago in the fur-trading era. In this Chicago lesson, students discover what life what like during this time. Learners read an historical fiction story about life in the fur-trade era. Students view replicas of...

Students examine pictures of pottery and classify them. They work together to create a list of characteristics for each piece. They share their findings with the class.

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...

Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary sources. In this Great Depression lesson, students read John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and use ethnographic research processes...

Students analyze information from a variety of sources in order to create a hypothesis about the origin of an interesting family artifact. They create alternative hypotheses based upon available information in order to understand that...

Teach pupils the characteristics that make George Washington such an effective leader, especially in context of his time period. Scholars view artifacts, participate in group work, create lists, compare and contrast, and discuss as a...

Groups select a photograph from one of the four eras of African Americans in Congress and develop a five-minute presentation that provides background information about the image as well as its historical significance. The class compares...

Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the focus of a teaching guide that introduces readers to some of the many controversies surrounding the use of the novel in classrooms. The packet includes 15 primary source excerpts and...

An interesting resource focuses on the cultures of different peoples that have lived in Baghdad and their interactions. Academics view 11 sources to understand how Baghdad has been home to people of many faiths and cultures throughout...

Young historians gather information about Abraham Lincoln through a variety of activities. They match vocabulary words with pictures to create a timeline. Additionally, learners read books and articles that teach them...

In this folk culture research worksheet, students use the form to record data about a graveyard that they visit to show that graveyards reflect how cultures change and differ from each other.

Students explore history through a tour of a local cemetery. Students investigate tombstones for historical information, make stone rubbings, and use this secondary source reference to obtain primary sources.

Middle schoolers identify what and how to complete an Archaeological excavation is conducted. They identify the transition from one layer to the next more easily if the colors of the layers are different. When creating a dig, the...