Lesson Plan
Curated OER

John Brown Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create timelines of the Harper's Ferry Raid. For this Civil War lesson, students analyze information and music related to John Brown and his abolitionist work. Students design timelines that document the events that led to and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Solid South Switcharoo

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine primary sources. In this lesson on political parties, students view historic documents, speeches, and photos to trace the rise and fall of particular political parties. Students will be looking at the success of each...
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Underground Railroad: On to Freedom

For Students K - 3rd
The Underground Railroad is the focus of a coloring worksheet, which provides background information about the volunteers who aided escaping slaves.
Interactive
Curated OER

Reconstruction (1865–1877)

For Students 8th - 12th
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 7 short answer and essay questions about the causes and effects of Reconstruction following the American Civil War.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Cherokee: Trail Where They Cried

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students read the Trail of Tears about the Cherokee Nation removal and write a letter pretending they are the grandparent of a Cherokee child. In this Trail of Tears lesson plan, students understand the changing of boundaries.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Black Slave Owners in Charleston

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the causes and effects of the Civil War.  In this U.S. History lesson, students research the Civil War and the events that happened around it, then share their findings in a paper.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

North or South? Which has a better way of life?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders brainstorm what they believe are the causes of the Civil War. They copy the blank circle graph into their Social Studies journals twice once for their prediction and once for the actual. Students list the following...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Samuel's Choice - Social Studies Using Children's Literature

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read a book about independence, freedom, and slavery. Students create a story map of the book. They research the causes of the Civil War. Students write a newspaper article from the point of view of an American colonist.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Billie Holiday's Song "Strange Fruit"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils analyze a variety of primary source materials related to lynching (news articles, letters written to or written by prominent Americans, pamphlets, broadsides, etc.) in order to assess the effectiveness of the anti-lynching...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inter / Intra Personal Lesson Plan

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the causes of the American Civil War. Using the internet and print sources, they read about the causes and personal backgrounds of those who participated in the war. They choose a character from the time period that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

John Brown, Then and Now

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders identify some of the ways that the raid at Harper's Ferry influenced the Civil War. They articulate the different ways that people though about John Brown in the 1800's and how his persona may or may not have changed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is the Meaning of This?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners explore cause and effect and relate it to a historical event. They research the meaning behind the symbols and images used on the Indian Head Cent and the events that were occurring during the time the Indian Head cent was...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

North V. South And The Bank Creation

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the economic status of America during the 1800's and the role of the bank in the early times of our country. They concentrate on the different jobs that people had in the North and South while classifying them...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rivers Bridge State Historic Site

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students use maps, readings, illustrations and photos to analyze the Civil War Rivers Bridge battlefield and describe how geography affected the outcome of the battle. They explore and explain the causes for the battle's heavy human...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

City Bound

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify the reasons for people migrating to cities after the Civil War. Using population data, they discover why populations in cities rose while rural populations fell during 1860 to 1900. They discuss the impact a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders study selected prints and/or photos and consider how Americans of the 19th century chose to present themselves to other Americans and the world by means of visual images. They share their observations and opinions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese-American Relocation

For Teachers 11th
Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Brother Against Brother

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders read Across Five Aprils and correlate it to a unit on the Civil War. They culminate the unit by writing a a piece of historical fiction in the first person entitled "Brother Against Brother."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Mill Springs Battlefield"

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students investigate the Civil War caused deep division in the border states and discover the significance of Kentucky to the Union and the Confederacy. They examine how battle casualties were and are honored in the local community.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Growing a Nation

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the major events and inventions that changed American families and communities.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze various documents dealing with the changes.  Students create a project on...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Picturing George: A Pictorial Survey of the Life of George Washington

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create pictorial biographies of George Washington. Working in groups, they research various portions of Washington's life, highlighting significant events. After presenting their projects to the class, they are displayed for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Brother, My Enemy

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pupils visit the West Virginia Museum, with the goal of creating and publishing a newsletter that demonstrates learning. Students complete vocabulary activities, and are given web site resources to this end. Pupils choose from 5...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unionism versus Secessionism in Virginia

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders, in groups, analyze newspaper articles and then debate and discuss if Virginia should succeed from the Union or not.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Was the Inside vs. Outside Paradigm Created?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers, after listening to a lecture, examine Nigeria from slave trading to the Civil War as well as listen to the Arrested Development song about slavery. In addition, they create a circle diagram for essay #1.