Curated OER
In The Words of Abraham Lincoln...
Students explore the words of Abraham Lincoln. In this Abraham Lincoln instructional activity, students analyze segments of "The Gettysburg Address," his annual address to Congress in 1862, and his letter to Mrs. Bixby. Students conduct...
Curated OER
Portraits of History
Eighth graders research the Post-Revolution to Pre-Civil War era by investigating the life and contributions of a notable person. They create silhouettes which are framed with timeline. Also, they add the research information to the...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
An African American Represents Alabama during Reconstruction
The era after the Civil War saw a flourishing of African Americans exercising their rights. Using graphic organizers and Internet research, pupils consider the legacy of Benjamin Sterling Turner, who sat in Congress. Afterward, they...
DocsTeach
Debating Monuments, Memorials and Statues
An illustrative activity explores images of monuments, statues, and memorials in the US to decide whether they should be kept or removed. Scholars place images in a keep or remove pile, then complete a worksheet online. The resource...
Curated OER
History Biographies
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...
Scholastic
The Rise of Railroads: Illinois
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...
Smithsonian Institution
Mary Henry: Journal/Diary Writing
A great way to connect social studies with language arts, a resource on Mary Henry's historical diary reinforces the concepts of primary and secondary sources. It comes with an easy-to-understand lesson plan, as well as the reference...
Mississippi Whole School Initiative
Dream Big...With Your Eyes Wide Open
For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...
Curated OER
ACLU
Is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) good for America? The informative website is a one-stop shop for ACLU debate resources. Scholars read about the topics surrounding the issue, including free speech, national security, and...
Curated OER
Constitutional Issues: Civil Liberties During War
Learners discuss democratic ideals and constitutional principles. They decide which side of the issue they are on dealing with the placement of Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II. They examine primary source documents for...
Curated OER
Prairie Grove Battlefield
Students 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.
Curated OER
Whose Land Is It Anyway?
Seventh graders comprehend the interaction and conflict beween Native Americans and white settlers in the years following the Civil War. They listen to T"his Land is Your Land." Students are asked what their interpretation of the...
Curated OER
Inter / Intra Personal Lesson Plan
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...
Curated OER
Comparing Ethnic Groups
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...
Center for History Education
The Freedmen's Bureau: Success or Failure?
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...
Curated OER
A Look at Virginians During Reconstruction
Students study U.S. History. In this Virginia focused lesson, students study how the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War affected various people in that area. They will listen to lectures and work independently to find gather...
Mr. Nussbaum
Abraham Lincoln Reading Comprehension—The Presidential Years (Part 4)
How do you bring a nation back together after there is civil war? Readers learn how the United States Civil War concluded with a passage focused on the latter part of Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Multiple choice questions check pupils'...
Mr. Nussbaum
Abraham Lincoln Reading Comprehension—The Presidential Years (Part 2)
How does a president save a country from itself? Readers learn how the Civil War began and how Lincoln managed it with a reading comprehension passage. They then demonstrate their understanding with multiple choice questions that...
Curated OER
The Great Depression in North Carolina: Experiences of the People
Young scholars explore the Great Depression. In this research skills lesson, students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary sources. Young scholars write their own WPA interviews after they have...
Facing History and Ourselves
Life for German Youth in the 1930s: Education, Propaganda, Conformity, and Obedience
The German youth faced an onslaught of propaganda when they went to school, thanks to the Nazi regime led by Hitler during World War II. Pupils relate their education experiences to German youth by analyzing primary source readings,...
Curated OER
Reading A Historical Photograph
Students examine a historical photograph to gather information and draw conclusions.
National Park Service
The Battle of Stones River: A Contrast in Leadership Styles
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...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Analyzing the Inaugural Address
Get high school historians to step outside their own shoes by responding to JFK's inaugural address from the perspective of a civil rights activist, a soviet diplomat, or a Cuban exile. After a class discussion about the address,...
Curated OER
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students explore the concept of Japanese internment. In this Japanese internment lesson, students examine primary sources that enable them to discover what internment camp life was like and its implications, Students write their own...