Constitutional Rights Foundation
Unauthorized Immigration and the US Economy
As part of a study of immigration and the U.S. economy, class members assume the role of newspaper editors to determine which submitted letters to print on their paper's editorial page to present a balanced view of the debate.
Curated OER
International Custody Battle
Students research the relationship between the United States and Cuba by identifying key players and events in Cuban/U.S. history. They also focus on a battle waged between Cuban-Americans in Miami and a father in Cuba over the custody...
Curated OER
Constitutional Amendments And Gay Marriage
Upper graders critically examine the history and process of amending the U.S. Constitution in light of the current issue facing the courts on legalizing gay marriage. They read a variety of articles, watch news clips, and develop a...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
History of Immigration From the 1850s to the Present
The Statue of Liberty may embrace the huddled masses of the world, but has American society always joined in? After young historians read a passage about the history of American immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on...
Speak Truth to Power
John Lewis: Non-Violent Activism
After comparing and contrasting non-violent and violent social movements, your young historians will take a closer look at the work and influence of John Lewis on the civil rights movement. They will then choose a current social...
NPR
Civil Rights of Japanese-American Internees
Prompted by a viewing of Emiko and Chizu Omori’s Rabbit in the Moon, a documentary about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, high schoolers examine a series of documents, including the Bill of Rights and the UN’s...
Curated OER
The Presidential Nominating System
Students examine the process by which candidates for U.S. president are nominated by the Democratic and Republican parties. They identify the differences between primaries and caucuses and key terms and issues related to the primary...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Right of Indigneous Peoples in the United States
The sovereignty of U.S. Native American nations is the focus of a resource that asks class members to compare the Right to Self-Determination in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples with a fact sheet that...
Curated OER
Who Are Our Greatest Presidents?
Students create criteria to evaluate U.S. Presidents. In this presidential legacy lesson, students determine criteria to rank presidents. Students research the presidents, then evaluate the current president and assess how they will be...
Smithsonian Institution
Battle of the Bulge: America Responds to a German Surprise
World War II and the Battle of the Bulge are the focus of a history resource. Exercises include analyzing images, writing letters in the mindset of a soldier, and even immersing oneself in a cold experience to better empathize with the...
Curated OER
The 8th Amendment: The Death Penalty
Students take a closer look at the death penalty. In this U.S. government instructional activity, students watch a Discovery video about capital punishment in the United States and then compose letters to the editors of newspapers about...
Curated OER
Message in a Bottle - A Satellite Journey through the Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream has historically provided humans with a faster trade route because of its swift-moving waters. It continues to be a source of information and fascination for oceanographers today. As your class views this collection of...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Guest-Worker Program
The U.S. Guest-Worker Program and the H-2A visa are the focus of a social studies activity. First, class members assume the role of advisors who must present the president with four proposals that would amend the visas given to...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights in Current Events
Divided the class into pairs, each group is assigned one of the amendments. They use the internet to research current cases and issues involving their amendment. They are then lead into the introduction to some of the basic concepts of...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Multinational Corporations
The octopus is a commonly used symbol in political cartoons. Help your scholars examine why it has been used in this way throughout history. Three cartoons depict different uses of the octopus. Background information helps gives context...
Curated OER
King Tut On The Move
Young scholars read a story called King Tut On the Move and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. For this current events King Tut lesson plan, students respond to literature by answering questions, recalling details,...
Curated OER
Breaking News: Bin Laden Photo To Be Released
Students explore current events by completing worksheet activities in class. In this Osama Bin Laden lesson, students read the news article of Bin Laden's death and subsequent photo while discussing the event with classmates. Students...
San Francisco Symphony
Music Reflects History
Exploring the baroque era can be exciting and fun when it's done thorugh the arts. Middle schoolers examine the music and art history of the baroque era through research. They use their findings and class notes to create an expository...
Center for History Education
To What Extent Were Women's Contributions to World War II Industries Valued?
Women rose to the challenge when the nation's war effort called them—but were sent home when the GIs came back from World War II. Young historians consider whether the United States valued women's contributions during the war using a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lost Hero: Was John Hanson Actually the First President?
The first president of the United States was ... John Hanson? Scholars investigate the notion that the initial leader of the nation was not George Washington. Using research, articles, and open discussion, individuals create a quest for...
Curated OER
Border History
Learners research primary sources to construct an outline of a border city's history.
Curated OER
The Foreign Policies of Harry S. Truman
Students read an article about the new interest in Harry S. Truman. In groups, they review his foreign policy decisions and how situations might have been different if he had made a different decision. They also examine the problems he...
National Energy Education Development Project
Introduction to Wind Energy
The U.S. produced enough wind energy in 2015 to power all of the homes in Alaska, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and...
Curated OER
Participating in Democracy
Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy lesson, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well as...