Offering a comprehensive overview of the beginning of World War II, this resource could be a useful addition to a unit on this topic. It could be used as a way to lead a discussion on the war, or as a review tool before a test. Either...

Students use primary and secondary sources to observe a child's view of the Civil war.  In this Civil War lesson plan, students understand that different people had different perspectives on the war.  Students recognize the...

For this online interactive history quiz worksheet, students respond to 50 multiple choice questions about the United States from 1815-1850. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

Students explore the concept of slavery and manumission through a variety of activities. In this civil rights lesson, students gather information from primary sources, then analyze the politics and historical context of the time....

Slavery is a serious topic that can be challenging for middle schoolers to study. Young scholars can see firsthand through primary sources what occurred during that time period in the United States. The third of five lessons provides...

Through reading a variety of news articles and other informational texts, learners discover the political turmoil and intense ethnic and religious tensions that envelop the Ivory Coast today. Class members research the historical...

Why is a letter a better way to learn about a person than a different primary source? Explore Thomas Day's ideas and advice to his daughter in a letter from 1851, which details the struggles of the American South before the Civil War....

Eleventh graders examine the presidency of Lincoln.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders watch various videos on Lincoln and the Civil War.  Students read and answer questions. 

Students examine the Reconstruction Era. In this American history activity, students explore the condition of the United States following the Civil War as they read statistical data. Students analyze the Reconstruction policies to...

Students use art and images analyze the Civil War. In this instructional activity on the Shaw Memorial, students engage in 3 activities, discussion, and art analysis to better comprehend the events of the Civil War. This instructional...

It was the single bloodiest day in Civil War history. Now, class members have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Antietam using an interactive website. Supplemental resources include...

An interesting lesson plan uses a hands-on-activity and group discussion to explore the 1864 presidential election and Lincoln's plans for ending the Civil War. Designed for high school, the resource also requires historians to...

Scholars watch videos, study an animated map, and read a firsthand written account to explore the impact of the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. Academics analyze images, complete worksheets, and create journal entries to...

Why is Birmingham known as the magic city? A comprehensive lesson plan provides hands-on activities, group discussion, and writing exercises to teach young historians about the importance of the city of Birmingham. Scholars learn the...

Though Abraham Lincoln's life was tragically cut short, it was filled with accomplishments and inspiring moments that continue to influence American democracy. Explore the ways the 16th president of the United States made his way from a...

Students explore public sentiment regarding Reconstruction. In this Reconstruction lesson, students analyze primary sources for evidence of the political, social and economic stability of the U.S. following the Civil War. Students...

Students view video clips of the film "The War". Several classroom activities are included and address major themes found in the film. The lessons incorporate video clips from the film as well as additional resources provided.

What were the conditions that led to the American Revolution? What are the conditions that lead to revolution in other times and places? Class members examine primary source materials and use evidence drawn from these documents to craft...

The post-Revolutionary Period of 1781-1787, also known as the Critical Period, is the focus of a series of lessons that prompt class members to examine primary source documents that reveal the instability of the period of the...

Eighth graders examine the importance of battlefield preservation.  In this US History lesson, 8th graders participate in a virtual tour of battle sites.  Students create a map of Gettysburg to see the topography of the battle...

Eighth graders examine aspects of the American Civil War related to West Virginia. For this research skills lesson, 8th graders collaborate to research Civil War topics and create electronic portfolios that feature their findings.

Students differentiate between fact and legend. In this Barbara Freitchie instructional activity, students read poetry and non-fiction accounts regarding the story of Freitchie. Students analyze the story of the American patriot to...

Students use census records to research and compare the population and economies in two counties within the same valley (Franklin Country Pennsylvania (North) and Augusta County, Virginia (South) in the pre Civil War era.

Students utilize knowledge and understandings of the Civil War to look at the reconstructive era that followed. In this reconstructive era lesson, Students gain understanding of the definition of reconstruction by building, taking apart...