Young scholars perform a reader's theater based on the Civil War. In this dramatic arts history lesson, students review the purpose of reader's theater and are given a script to read. The script can be based on an important Civil War...

Young scholars interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. For this World War II lesson, students examine racial relations during the war and then examine propaganda techniques employed by the United...

What is freedom? The United States grappled with the question at the end of the Civil War after four million enslaved people were freed. Using circulars and images from the Reconstruction period, individuals examine how successful the...

Pupils research African-American participation in the Civil War. For this Civil War lesson, students read the article "Fighting Rebels with Only One Hand" and write a persuasive paragraph on whether the participation of the...

Eighth graders study the life style of Virginians during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War. They examine how the infrastructure, the economy, and the agricultural status of Virginia and the other Confederate states changed...

Students explore the views of both sides of the Civil War. Through class discussion and debate, they look at how each side justified their position during the Civil War. Students write a letter explaining one of the viewpoints from the...

Eleventh graders explore the relationship between the United States and the Native Americans from after the Civil War to the early 1900's. They evaluate the actions of the United States towards Native Americans and compare the actions to...

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...

How did free and enslaved blacks work to craft freedom for themselves and their families before the Civil War? Young historians read about the life of Thomas Day, a free black man who also owned slaves and had abolitionist ties in...

Students explore U.S. history by participating in a scavenger hunt. For this Civil War lesson, students read assigned text discussing the many battles of the Civil War and the importance of a fort to the fighting parties. Students...

Students examine the time after the Civil War known as Reconstruction. In groups, they role play a Senate Subcommittee Hearing on Reconstruction in which some members are senators and others are witnesses. They share their ideas on how...

Eleventh graders create a timeline of events. In this vocabulary lesson, 11th graders work in groups to create a timeline of major events that occurred during the Civil Rights era. Students present to class then create a larger class...

Fifth graders identify events leading to the Civil War and explain the impact the events had on northern and southern societies.

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...

Students explore and analyze the position of freedmen in the post Civil War period as well as the impact of Andrew Johnson's presidency on Reconstruction. In addition, they evaluate the laws and amendments that were put in place during...

Students examine pieces of sheet music and identify context, purpose, and perspective with regard to the political, social, and economic conditions existing at that time. They create a cover illustrating a topic of the Progressive Era.

Students research protest songs of the Vietnam War era. They search for information on the artists and motivation for the lyrics. They interview people who remember the music from that era and bring back information they found.

Sixth graders investigate the Civil War by identifying famous figures of the era. In this slavery abolitionist lesson, 6th graders read a text on the history of the Civil War and discuss heroes of the era such as Harriet Tubman and John...

Eleventh graders study the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln.  For this American History lesson, 11th graders analyze documents related to Reconstruction.  Students participate in a debate on Reconstruction.  

High schoolers examine slavery in the revolutionary and colonial eras of the United States. In this slavery lesson, young scholars investigate the presence of slavery in early America, the language of the Constitution, and the intent of...

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...

Imagine having no control over your life and then suddenly having to provide for yourself. Such was the challenge faced by many American slaves after emancipation. Class members are asked to consider these challenges are they examine...

Class groups examine primary source documents to determine how the voting rights of African Americans were restricted after the failure of Reconstruction, and how African American participation in World War II lead to change.

The reading of a contextual essay launches a study of Black Americans who served in Congress from 1870 through 1887. Young historians identify the African Americans who served during this period, investigate the ways they won national...