Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wounded Knee Massacre

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students examine sources regarding the Battle of Wounded Knee from the perspective of Lakota...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Political Cartoons

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students draw two political cartoons. They compare the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 to the stand-off that took place at Wounded Knee in l973. They examine the role that Manifest Destiny played in the West.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Institution vs. Individuals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine and evaluate how the U.S. government dealt with the Native American populations during westward expansion. They complete a class KWL chart, take notes during a teacher-led lecture. Students read about the Battle at...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Indian Wars Continue

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students focus on three incidents: the Chiapas uprising, the occupation of Alcatraz and the occupation and subsequent battle of the Wounded Knee reservation.
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

The Rise of Railroads: California

For Teachers 4th Standards
Railways are an integral part of the history of California. Using a timeline format, class members connect major historical events to the rise of the railroads and their impact on the state. Activities include a mix of independent and...
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

The Rise of Railroads: Illinois

For Teachers 4th Standards
Railways not only cross the US, but they are also intertwined with the history of America. Using a timeline format, individuals explore the connections between major events in American history—such as the Civil War—and the rise of the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Hunt the "Fact Monster" to Answer Multiple Choice Questions

For Students 4th - 5th
In this Internet fact search learning exercise, students access the "Fact Monster" web site to find the answer to 5 multiple choice questions. They find the answers to questions on a wide variety of topics including Plymouth Colony, Sri...
Graphic
Other

Denver Post P Log: Wounded Knee, 1890 1973 in Photos

For Students 9th - 10th
Fifty-seven photos that document the painful history of Wounded Knee from just before the massacre in 1891 up to its occupation in 1973 by the American Indian Movement. Some of the battle images are quite graphic and should be previewed...
Graphic
Other

Old West: Wounded Knee

For Students 9th - 10th
A good set of images and background on Wounded Knee can be found on this site. Statistics on the battle are provided as well.
Handout
PBS

Pbs the West: Lakota Accounts of the Massacre at Wounded Knee

For Students 9th - 10th
This PBS site offers excerpts from the report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1891 on the events of the Massare at Wounded Knee in 1890.
Primary
Ibis Communications

Eye Witness to History: Massacre at Wounded Knee, 1890

For Students 9th - 10th
This article provides information about the Massacre at Wounded Knee. Gives background information on why and how the battle happened and includes a first-hand account of what occurred at the battle from an interpreter for the Army who...
Article
Other

Cyber Learning World: A Brief Look at the Massacre of Wounded Knee

For Students 6th - 8th
Read an interesting article on the massacre at Wounded Knee written in an engaging way by a high school social studies teacher.
Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: War on the Great Plains: The Last Indian Wars

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn how the 30-year Indian Wars started and about the battles that were fought over those years. Describes the emergence and growth of the Ghost Dance movement that was initially envisioned by a Paiute medicine man named Wovoka. White...
Handout
PBS

Pbs the West: Big Foot (?? 1890)

For Students 9th - 10th
This article focuses on the massacre of Chief Big Foot and his followers at the Massacre of Wounded Knee.
Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: The Indian Memorial Peace Through Unity

For Students 9th - 10th
Memorial for the Battle of Little Bighorn, a clash of Native and white cultures, which changed both forever.
Website
Other

Indigenous Peoples' Literature: Chief Sitting Bull

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is an excellent resource on Sitting Bull. Not only does it include some famous quotes by him and an overview of his life, but it also contains a first-person account of his life which contains many interesting obscure facts and...
Unit Plan
Other

The Weekly South Dakotan: South Dakota History for 4th Grade

For Students 3rd - 8th
From the very beginning and through the twentieth century, this comprehensive collection of lessons will enrich students studying the history in between and the effects on South Dakota.
Website
Ibis Communications

Eye Witness to History: The Old West

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides first-hand accounts and background information on the Old West. Content touches on crossing the plains, cowboys, train robberies, Dalton Gang's Last Raid, Custer's Last Stand, the Death of Billy the Kid, and much...
eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: The Loss of American Indian Life and Culture

For Students 11th - 12th
Read this section from a chapter on "Westward Expansion" to learn about the methods that the U.S. government used to address the "Indian threat" during the settlement of the West and explain the process of "Americanization" as it applied...
Primary
US Army Center

U.s. Army Center of Military History: Winning the West: The Army in the Indian Wars

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a chapter excerpt from a book on military history which details the role of the United States Army in the Indian Wars for the years 1865 to 1890.
Study Guide
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Ap Us History: Period 6: 1865 1898

For Students 11th - 12th
This Khan Academy resource provides a table of contents with notes for several sections of AP US History: Period 6: 1865-1898.
Handout
Country Studies US

Country Studies: The Plight of the Indians

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explains how as westward expansion grew, more and more Indians encountered settlers, ranchers and miners who sought life, land, and riches out West. Conflicts between settlers and Indians soon involved the federal government...
Article
Other

American Indian Civics Project: 19th Century Indian Relations

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This article provides an overview of Indian relations within the United States during the 19th century.
Website
A&E Television

History.com: French and Indian War

For Students 9th - 10th
The French and Indian War saw two European imperialists go head-to-head over territory and marked the debut of the soldier who would become America's first president.