Curated OER
Creating a Colonial Newspaper
Students identify people, events and issues of importance during the French and Indian War and compare them with issues that only affected New Hampshire. They discover how newspapers gave people a sense of identity.
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Word Search
For this Thanksgiving worksheet, students analyze 12 words in a word bank that pertain to the Thanksgiving holiday. Students find these words in a word search puzzle.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Slavery and the American Founding: The "Inconsistency Not to Be Excused"
High schoolers examine slavery in the revolutionary and colonial eras of the United States. In this slavery lesson, students investigate the presence of slavery in early America, the language of the Constitution, and the intent of the...
National First Ladies' Library
Colonial America: The Original 13
Middle schoolers work in small groups to research the initial history of two colonies and answering a list of questions. They then prepare a PowerPoint presentation or poster that includes all the findings of the questions and share...
Curated OER
Signs of the Times
Students pretend to be 18th century shopkeepers or trades people and create signs representing their shops or trades.
Curated OER
Pilgrims
In this pilgrims instructional activity, students read facts about the history of the Pilgrims beginning during the early 1600's and ending with the first Thanksgiving. Students answer thirteen short answer questions.
Curated OER
No Choice!
Young scholars investigate freedom. In this character development and U.S. history lesson, students participate in role playing in which the teacher assigns recess restrictions including whom they play with and what they play. Young...
Curated OER
History of Huguenot Street
Sixth graders research the history of Huguenot Street and visit the street as a class field trip. They, in groups, present their research and observations in a skit format.
Curated OER
Reasons for Settling the New World
After studying the reasons settlers entered the New World, primary learners try to persuade others to enter this new land. Class members present their arguments in a variety of ways including posters, writings, and charts. Richly...
Curated OER
When Travelers Meet
Students research life in Colonial America then write and stage a play about life in Colonial times. creating a variety of characters who might have lived at that time. They, in groups, generate seperate lists of characters who would...
Curated OER
Make a Dried Bouquet
Students examine how drying flowers was a popular hobby for Colonial women during the Colonial era in America. They read and discuss an instruction sheet, and create dried-flower bouquets that are hung upside down and tied with a string.
Curated OER
Growing Up
Students examine the definitions of philantrophy and common good. They identify non-profit organizations in their community and research organizations that existed in colonial times with the same goal in mind. They create a timeline for...
Curated OER
Performance Standards/Competencies
Learners research how children dressed during Colonial times. Students design and create life-sized likenesses of themselves, dressing the paper dolls in colonial dress.
Curated OER
Dressing in Early American Times
Fifth graders, by doing research and seeing actual and simulated artifacts, gain knowledge of and make comparisons about clothing in the Colonial and early Republican eras with attire of present time.
Curated OER
Thanksgiving and Agriculture
Students listen to the book "The Pilgrim Story" and discuss the Pilgrims and why they came to America. Students role play the Thanksgiving story and write about how Pilgrims and Indians relate to them today.
Curated OER
Canada's Press: Making a Historical Newspaper
Young scholars examine several colonial-era editorial cartoons. They evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques the cartoonists used to display their messages and share one editorial cartoon with the class emphasising what message has...
Curated OER
Caught Between Worlds: Frontier Life as Reflected in Captivity Narratives
Students analyze captivity narratives written between the 1600's and 1800's. In this narrative lesson, students think critically about the interaction between Native peoples and the settlers to understand the cultural beliefs held by...
Curated OER
Legacies of the Middle Passage
Students research the Atlantic slave trade during the 18th century. In this slave trade lesson, students read a narrative about colonial expansion in the Americas and the rise of slavery in the United States. Students write down what...
Curated OER
Literature and Thought of the American Colonies
Eleventh graders analyze works by John Donne and Thomas Heriot. In this Colonial America activity, 11th graders examine pieces of literature, documents, and video clips to identify the issues regarding religion in the colonies. Student...
Curated OER
Foundations
Students investigate the history of literature in America by looking at the types of genres first read in the United States. They look at the foundations of how the original colonists had the intention of transmitting religious and moral...
Curated OER
Longfellow Amongst His Contemporaries: the Ship of State Dbq
Students evaluate the ship of state metaphor in relation to the historical events in America from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. They synthesize ideas presented in ten different primary source documents and compose an essay...
Curated OER
Samuel's Choice - Social Studies Using Children's Literature
Fifth graders read a book about independence, freedom, and slavery. Students create a story map of the book. They research the causes of the Civil War. Students write a newspaper article from the point of view of an American colonist.
Curated OER
Freedom Trail News
Students take a virtual "Freedom Trail" tour to gather information and materials for a "newspaper" on the political situation in Boston in 1775. They describe historical places, people, and events connected to the beginning of the...
Curated OER
Boston Spies' Report on the Redcoats
Students collect information about British actions in Boston and send it by secret message to leaders in Philadelphia.