Students analyze primary source material from the Civil War. They describe the war as it was perceived by those on the homefront in Johnson County, Indiana. Students describe how Hoosiers responded to the draft. They write a document...

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...

Pupils examine the battle of Prairie Grove and Arkansas's role in the Civil War. They discover the realities of war on the soldiers and civilians. They analyze historical documents for content.

Eighth graders research a specific Civil War battle including important date, major events and outcomes of the battle. They use their notes and information to create a timeline of the battle using Timeliner software. Finally, they decide...

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...

The presidencies of John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan were defined by the Cold War. Using primary source documents and scaffolded analysis questions, pupils explore the effect the Cold War had on these presidencies. A...

Your young historians will compare and contrast the details of the American flag today with an an image of the nation's flag from the post-Civil War era, and identify the flag's importance as a national symbol through analysis...

Fifth graders write a response in their journals about the fictional thoughts of a Civil War soldier. They use specific web sites in order to research the life of a soldier during the Civil War.

Pupils 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.

Tenth graders, after reading two excerpts about contemporary child labor situations, discuss two broad questions in detail along with the industrial boom following the Civil War conditions in the United States. They investigate how the...

John Brown is considered by many to be a martyr for abolition and civil rights. The resource covers an important event in West Virginian history, the raid by John Brown, as a standalone that discusses Brown's last words and his reaction...

US Commanding General William S. Rosecrans led the Union soldiers and Confederate Commanding General Braxton Bragg led the rebel army at the Battle of Stones River. Young historians compare how the leadership styles of these two...

Students examine the battle of Gettysburg as they write news articles. In this Battle of Gettysburg lesson, students become familiar with the job of the news reporter as they report on the events of the Battle of Gettysburg as they...

Students examine the status of free blacks in Illinois and slavery in the U.S. They read and analyze primary source documents, answer and discuss questions, participate in a group discussion, and present the group's findings to the class.

Students examine the Emancipation Proclamation. In this Emancipation Proclamation lesson, students examine the document and respond to 6 questions regarding it.

Eleventh graders, in groups, analyze newspaper articles and then debate and discuss if Virginia should succeed from the Union or not.

Students explore the life and the contributions of five people from U.S. history in the five lessons of this unit. james Madison, Dolly Madison, Sequoyah, Harriet Tubman, and Clara Barton are presented to students for exploration and...

Students learn what it is like to be a child solider.

Students 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...

Students conduct Internet research to investigate the use of children in combat throughout the world. Students read personal testimonies and analyze media coverage of children in combat.

Young scholars compare and contrast the Lincoln portraits using a Venn diagram and included analysis tool. In this presidential photography lesson, students write a journal entry and a letter as if they were Abraham Lincoln. Lastly young...

"Love it or leave it." "You're either for us or against us." Rhetoric and it's polarizing effects are the focus of a lesson that uses John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry as an exemplar. Groups examine primary source documents,...

The contributions of Ida B. Wells to the Civil Rights Movement are the focus of this social studies lesson plan. Middle schoolers read a handout regarding Wells, discuss the handout, and write about non-conformist behavior.

Students research and examine the social changes that occured in the United States during World War II. In pairs they conduct research using a variety of resources, and organize and compose a "Guide to Life" for veterans returning home...