Huntington Library
Further Exploration - Exploring the California Missions
How did Native Californians and Franciscans influence one another in early California? Learners analyze a few cultural pieces to examine the impact that integration had on Franciscan and Native Californian culture.
American Museum of Natural History
Tools of the Trade
Archaeologist David Hurst Thomas details his search for a lost Spanish Mission on St. Catherines Island, Georgia. A great way to introduce youngsters to the life of and the tools used by archaeologists.
Curated OER
Conflict in the Frontier town of Deerfield
Students use primary sources to investigate, explore and represent varying perspectives on the 1704 Deerfield Raid. They consider the reasons Deerfield was at the center of English, French and Native American conflicts in the early 18th...
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New England Colonials: John Stebbins and Ebenezer Wells (1691-1758)
Tenth graders learniabout life in Deerfield during growth period through the examination of artifacts and documents of Stebbins and Wells.
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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.
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Everything was Up to Date in 1628
Students examine the life and lifestyles of New England colonists in the year 1628, and then investigate what life was like in their own area during the same time period. They watch segments from the PBS hands-on history series COLONIAL...
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Jamestown Fort: Finding History
Students identify artifacts discovered from the exploration of the Jamestown fort in order to help them create a short fictional account about the lives of Jamestown's first inhabitants. In this history lesson, students research the...
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Virginia: Jamestown and Its People
Students familiarize themselves with the settlement of Jamestown and practice describing objects and their use. In this Jamestown lesson, students listen to stories about Jamestown, complete an artifact activity, and explore the story...
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The Old Folks Will Bless You and the Girls Kiss You
Fourth graders reflect on the Revolutionary War. For this Colonial America history lesson, 4th graders discuss various battles of the war, specifically the Battle of Cowpens. Students begin by watching a video...
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Art or Artifact?
Young scholars analyze and discuss illustrations of the New World by John White. They examine the images, answer questions about each one, and write an essay.
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Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Landscape Long Ago and Today
Combine a fantastic review of primary source analysis with a study of Captain John Smith's influence on the Chesapeake Bay region in the seventeenth century. Your young historians will use images, a primary source excerpt, and maps...
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Serach for the Lost Cave People
Students examine primary source documents to draw inferences about 17th century American colonists.
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My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
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Gather the Stones!
Review how gristmills affected the lives of the Pennsylvania community. The class uses documents and pictures to explore the purpose of the gristmill. They simulate members of the community and write a paper about colonial forces...
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How To Think Like An Archaeologist
Students take a field trip to historical Jamestown. Using artifacts given to them, they must identify them and discover who would have used them and for what purpose. They create a database to organize the information and share it with...
Channel Islands Film
Once Upon a Time (Sa Hi Pa Ca): Lesson Plan 3
What was the most significant tool used by the Chumash? How did the environment make the tool possible? What group behaviors allowed the Chumash be be successful for thousands of years? After watching West of the West's documentary Once...
Curated OER
A Second Visit to Deerfield
Students take a virtual tour of the Deerfield Meeting House, circa 1700's, and other turn of the century homes and locations and compare them to modern homes and locations of today.
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U.S. History: The Progressive Era
Students examine the Colonial Revival Movement as a response to industrialization and immigration. focusing on Deerfield, Connecticut, they create a documentary artifact reflecting the period.
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Independence Masks
Students explore how art reflects the economic, political, social, religious and historical concerns of a culture. They research a former colony to determine if there is any history of a mask. Students create a mask representing the...
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Understanding Freedom: Catching "The Spirit of '76"
Sixth graders complete activities about colonial history through an examination of art from the American Revolution period. In this history and art lesson, 6th graders define an iconic image, sing the song 'Yankee Doodle,' and analyze...
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Deerfield Debates Its Future: What Constitutes Progress?
Learners explore the many resources that one can use to explore a community, the Colonial Revival movement, and how the industry and technology reshaped life in Deerfield the Connecticut River Valley.
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Trade Trials Treaties
Fourth graders explore the trade relationships that existed in the late 1700's Colonial America. In this American history lesson, 4th graders examine English and Cherokee trade treaties by reviewing primary and secondary sources....
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Patriots v. Loyalists
Students consider how colonial citizens chose sides in the American Revolution. In this Revolutionary War lesson, students role play Loyalists, Patriots, and undecideds in a classroom simulation. Students research their positions so that...
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Jamestown Scavenger Hunt
Students identify and share Primary Sources in Early American History by Janey Levy. Then they discuss the usefulness of using primary sources in uncovering the past. Students also research original documents from Jamestown to complete...