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
The Three Branches of Government
Sixth graders discover details about the 3 branches of government. In this primary source analysis lesson, 6th graders examine documents and images from the Library of Congress to investigate the structure of the U.S. government.
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
King Tut On The Move
Students read a story called King Tut On the Move and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. In this current events King Tut lesson plan, students respond to literature by answering questions, recalling details, sharing...
Curated OER
Arab Americans: In the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attacks on the U.S.
Students examine the effects of the terrorist attacks in 2001. In this instructional activity on discrimination and the dangers of stereotyping, students will expand their understanding of stereotyping in contemporary society and compare...
Curated OER
History of Supreme Court
Students study the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. history. They explore current events about the U.S. Constitution and discuss the Marbury v. Madison case from 1803. They identify the term "judicial review" and judicial...
Curated OER
Enduring Legacies of the New Deal
Students investigate U.S. history by listening to an economics lecture. In this U.S. government activity, students research the "New Deal" which happened after the Great Depression. Students identify movies, books and music from the...
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 instructional activity, students read the news article of Bin Laden's death and subsequent photo while discussing the event with...
Curated OER
The Women’s Suffrage Movement
A set of lessons about the women's suffrage movement will bring history to life for your middle schoolers. Learners study primary documents, learn about famous suffragettes, and compare the suffrage movement to current events...
Curated OER
Tibet and the U.S.
Students examine the relationship between Tibet and the United States. They explore the political relationship between the two countries. Students identify geographical features and political boundaries of the Tibetan and Chinese regions.
Curated OER
The Revolving Door: U.S. Immigration
Students compare current cultural perceptions of the immigrant experience with ones of the past. They will relate current immigration stories as seen in the PBS documentary "The New Americans" to those of the historical past.
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
Culture Regions of the U.S.
Students identify the location of different cultural groups within the United States (agricultural, retirement, urban, etc.) They map these areas and analyze the correlation between the landscape of a given region and the type of...
Curated OER
Border History
Students research primary sources to construct an outline of a border city's history.
Curated OER
The Foreign Policies of Harry S. Truman
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Participating in Democracy
Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy activity, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well as...
Curated OER
Putting a Spin on Current Events
Students explore the artistic value of propaganda. In this visual arts lesson, students analyze antique artistic pieces for their political agenda perpetuation. Students discuss propaganda techniques of the past to today prior to...
Curated OER
Fighting for Democracy, Fighting for Me
Young scholars explore what it means to be American. In this American identity lesson, students consider the contributions of Americans throughout history that have protected the promises of the U.S. Constitution.
Curated OER
From the School House to the White House
Students recall visits to museums, then read a news article about a museum exhibit that shows what U.S. presidents were like during their childhood. In this U.S. history and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with...
Curated OER
Graph the Presidents At Inauguration- How Old Were They?
Students construct a graph of the presidents' ages at inauguration. In this U.S. history lesson, students use online resources to gather data about the presidents and accurately present their results on a graph.
Curated OER
Every Day Is Presidents' Day at the White House
Students explore the history of the White House and the role of the president. They explore the White House Historical Association website, answer questions, create a drawing of the Oval Office, and take an online quiz.