Smithsonian Institution
For Land's Sake: George Washington as Land Surveyor
Students discuss the importance of land ownership and the purpose of land surveying in the eighteenth century. They interpret a transcript of an eighteenth-century land survey. They survey and area of land. They create a written or...
Curated OER
Louisiana Regional Foodways
Students strengthen their research techniques in locating, selecting, and synthesizing information from a variety of texts, media, references and internet resources to study regional food way traditions in Louisiana. They assess the...
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark
Students investigate the historic journey of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. They identify six discoveries made on the journey, participate in an online activity that traces their trail, write a journal in the first person...
Curated OER
With Liberty and Justice for All
High schoolers examine the role of Supreme Court justices. In this judicial branch instructional activity, students consider the civil rights and civil liberties as they investigate Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West...
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The Freedom to Fight
Learners study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers who served...
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What is Child Labor?
Students examine the topic of child labor in history. They discuss jobs that children their age would have done before child labor laws. They decide on an action to take on Labor Day to share what they have learned with others.
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How Does Ancestry Affect Folklore?
Young scholars break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...
Curated OER
How does it feel? Why is the Civil Rights Movement so Important?
Fifth graders study the Civil War. In this US history lesson, 5th graders simulate what life was like during the Civil War by having two groups with one group given more materials than the other group. Students then draw a portrait of...
Curated OER
Afghanistan and The Breadwinner
Students examine the use of the Hindu Kush mountains by explorers and traders. Using Afghanistan as an example, they research how different events can effect human settlerment patterns. They discuss how the physical characteristics of...
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The Supreme Court
Students examine the Fourteenth Amendment. In this Supreme Court lesson, students define due process and equal protection as they analyze the impact of the amendment and the Supreme Court on workers' rights in the early 20th century....
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Jints and Hannah
Students examine photographs of slaves, and listen to various first person accounts of life as a slave. Students write essays describing the relationship between the woman and the child in the photograph.
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On Top of the World
Students listen to excerpts from an autobiography about the first blind man to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. They discuss Erik Weihenmayer's life, and write a bio-poem using a bio-poem formula.
Curated OER
AIDS
Students in an ESL classroom examine the effect of HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa. As a class, they identify the concerns of the Treatment Action Campaign to determine if they are justifiable or not. They must identify the main...
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Reporting Live From...
Students examine the many disasters in West Virginia. In this US history instructional activity, students write about and give an oral presentation of one of the disasters as if they were reporters.
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What Was It Like To Live in Tudor Times?
Students compare and contrast the lives of the rich and poor people in Tudor times. Students observe photographs of Tudor life. They investigate word clues describing the lives of the people. Students create a presentation on their...
Curated OER
Turning on Your Light
Young scholars identify philanthropy in a character in "To Kill A Mockingbird". They describe the philanthropic acts in the novel and chart their findings. They write about the character and have their classmates peer edit the paper.
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Cultural Lit. 26: Anasazi Pueblo: 1050 to 1300 A.D.
Sixth graders study Anasazi Culture through direct instruction and cooperative groups.
Curated OER
Anasazi Pueblo Period: 700-1050 A.D.
Sixth graders investigate the main ideas and information about the Developmental Pueblo period, from 700-1050 A.D., of the Anasazi.
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Anasazi Basket Weaving: 500-700 A.D.
Sixth graders examine the main ideas and information about the Modified Basket Maker Period 500-700 A.D. of the Anasazi.
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Evaluating Informaton Quality
Sixth graders investigate the concept of the quality of information that is used to conduct research. They begin to conceive the differences between information that is fact or fiction. Students write a critique of an information source...
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Anasazi Basket Weaving: 0-500 A.D.
Sixth graders study Period 1- Basket Maker 0-500 A.D. of Anasazi Culture. They identify the sequence of history in Anasazi Culture and Indians of the Mesa Verde. They discover American Indian contributions to the world and develop...
Curated OER
Anasazi Pueblo Period: 700-1050 A.D.
Sixth graders study Period 3-Developmental Pueblo 700-1050 A.D., of Anasazi culture. They identify the sequence of history in Colorado and recognize American Indian Contributions to the world. They study Indians of the Mesa Verde and...