Students define freedom of the press in peace and war time. As a class, they identify the need for the public to be informed, but discuss where the line should be drawn to protect national security. They develop their arguments and...

Students reconstruct and make drawings of vessels in the same manner as an archaeologist. In this archaeologist lesson plan, students each get a piece of a broken pot and they have to work together to put it back together. Once it is...

Students examine the reasons behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Exploring multiple perspectives, they discuss the concepts of peoples' rights and justice in the area. They practice applying conflict resolution principles as well.

The most famous American disasters - natural and otherwise - of the late 19th and early 20th century are the focus of this presentation. Detailing the 1865 sinking of the USS Saldana, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and the Influenza...

Students explore how foods and their preparation differ over time and from culture to culture. An ancient recipe for the preparation of goat, found by archaeologists, is examined and discussed by the students.

Young scholars research the factors which contributed to the great migration and write a well organized research paper using multiple sources. They incorporate quotations into their paper, both direct and paraphrased, in accordance with...

Tenth graders compare and contrast the revolts that took place around the world in 1968. In this global studies lesson, 10th graders research the youth revolts that took place in Paris, Prague, and Chicago in 1968 and create posters and...

Read this interesting background information regarding the presidential election of 2008. Your class will read the provided passages and then answer four critical thinking questions that require them to consider the reading and what they...

Jazz, Blue Grass, Hip Hop, Swing. Gospel, R&B, Ragtime, Disco. So many music genres born in the USA. After reading an article about the fate of New Orlean's Jazz after Hurricane Katrina, class members investigate the life cycles of...

What archaeological evidence remains of ancient Egyptian burial and mortuary practices, and what can this information tell us about ancient Egyptian society?

Fifth graders study maps of the Chicago area looking at defining characteristics and place names. They investigate settlement patterns by looking at the maps.

High schoolers examine violence in video games. In this American history instructional activity, high schoolers read an article on the link between video games and violence. High schoolers respond to discussion questions and debate the...

High schoolers engage in a study of history and how the figure of Abraham Lincoln has evolved into a national cultural icon. They discuss the importance of his life and how he influenced the political landscape of America in the past and...

High school students can hone their research skills by utilizing the Internet to find the answers to the trivia questions presented in this on-line worksheet. All sorts of questions are posed: everything from questions about famous...

Students investigate how constant irrigation, with repeated evaporation of water eventually ruined farm land in southern Mesopotamia. They discuss the development of irrigation.

Students analyze the social conditions of Victorian England and focus on the woman's place in Victorian society. In this Victorian England lesson plan, students read excerpts of Victorian writers and their take on the Industrial...

In this global studies activity, students read the noted pages in their textbooks and then respond to 9 short answer questions about Communist China.

In this global studies instructional activity, students read the noted pages in their textbooks and then respond to 8 short answer questions about Japanese involvement in World War II.

Students explore relationships between man and nature. They examine the culture of the Anasazi and the importance of the natural resources around them. Students examine reasons for Anasazi people to leave this area.

Ninth graders explore the concept of ratios. In this ratio lesson, 9th graders construct a to scale time line that starts at the beginning of time. Students determine the correct placement of big events in time such as when the dinosaurs...

Was justice served for Bobby Franks? An informative article about the 1924 trial of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold includes an overview of the murder of Bobby Franks, the defense’s legal strategy, and excerpts of closing arguments from...

Jackie Robinson's attempt to earn a spot on the 1946 Brooklyn Dodgers provides learners with an opportunity to examine the Jim Crow laws and revisit issues of segregation and integration. "The Unconquerable Doing the Impossible: Jackie...

Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...

It's important to keep high schoolers updated on current events. They will answer a series of 40 true/false questions highlighting major events occurring between September 4, 2001 and September 24, 2001.