National Endowment for the Humanities
Walt Whitman to Langston Hughes: Poems for a Democracy
Explore the idea of democratic poetry. Upper graders read Walt Whitman, examining daguerreotypes, and compare Whitman to Langston Hughes. They describe aspects of Whitman's I Hear America Singing to Langston Hughes' Let America Be...
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story
The tradition of the First Thanksgiving is really a story of immigration. Connect the feelings and customs of the early Pilgrims to the experiences of the immigrants in your class with an introduction to the 13 colonies, the Mayflower,...
1 plus 1 plus 1 equals 1
I Can Read! Sight Words Set #2
Practice reading common sight words with a series of enriching activities. From bingo to connecting the dots to matching words, the packet has something for everyone!
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I Can Read! Sight Words Set #18
Identify four sight words with an extensive reading packet. After kids learn the words under, new, was, and be, they work on tracing and finding the words in fun new ways.
Curated OER
Mutations and Cancer
Young scholars study how cancer cells mutate and affect cell division. In this investigative lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation learn the seven warning signs of cancer.
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I Can Read! Sight Words Set #8
Provide the building blocks to a strong education with a packet about sight words. Kids work on the words little, we, do, and all with tracing and matching activities, as well as games and flash cards.
1 plus 1 plus 1 equals 1
I Can Read! Sight Words Set #10
Focus on sight words with a series of worksheets for beginning readers. Kids can work on where, are, did, and no with matching games and tracing activities, and many more.
Curated OER
Inventions 2: The Impact
Tomorrow's engineers visit an intriguing website about inventions that have changed the way we live. Biographies of child inventors on the suggested website aren't easy to find, so make sure to find some stories to share in place of...
Curated OER
Great Explorers
Pupils research an explorer and present a multimedia presentation on the explorer. In this United States explorers lesson, students watch a video about Lewis and Clark. Pupils use Google Earth to study their journey and keep a KWL chart...
Curated OER
End of the Line: What Happened to the Blue Ridge Railroad?
Sixth graders study the westward expansion and the role of railroad construction to the expansion. In this railroad history lesson, 6th graders complete KWL activity for the topic. Students view a PowerPoint about the growth of railroads...
Curated OER
Keep Your Eye On the Prize
High schoolers learn about citizens who were actively involved in the civil rights movement, and the strategies they used to overcome the Jim Crow laws that were so prevalent in the 1960s. They investigate the voting amendments of the US...
Academy of American Poets
We Sing America
Pair the famous poems "I Hear America Singing," by Walt Whitman, and "I, Too, Sing America," by Langston Hughes, with a more recent poem by Elizabeth Alexander called "Praise Song for the Day" to demonstrate a theme and introduce your...
Curated OER
From Sheep to Rug
Ever wonder where wool comes from? How it is used to make a woven rug? Introduce the Native American craft of rug making to your preschool or kindergarten class with a discussion. Learners examine and discuss images of a Native American...
Curated OER
Complete the Picture: Snowmen!
Finish the winter wonderland with your preschoolers. They trace pine trees and the tops of mountains to complete the snowy drawing. Have them color their paper and display the drawings during a winter unit!
Curated OER
A Visit to China
Sixth graders study the history of China. They explore the Chinese people, the Great Wall of China, religions, government and Dynasties. In groups, 6th graders collect information on China. They write a report on their findings and...
Curated OER
The First American Colonies
Fourth graders are introduced to the early colonial settlements of America by observing a map, filling in a map themselves and then researching information on their own.
Curated OER
Jane Goodall, Renowned Naturalist and Champion of Chimpanzees
Learners study the life of Jane Goodall and how she made an impact studying chimpanzees. In this endangered species lesson students write in their journals.
Curated OER
Birth and Early Childhood
Eighth graders read and compare creation stories of different cultures around the world. They identify and define the concept of the cycle of life and collect and analyze birth and childhood folk beliefs and stories in their families...
Curated OER
Shoot for the Moon
Second graders distinguish the different phases of the moon. In this astronomy lesson, 2nd graders study the history of its discovery and myths about its origin. They simulate how the moon's surface is illuminated by the sun.
Curated OER
Myth-Conceptions
Students examine the myths and misconceptions surrounding early European colonists in the New World. They analyze images, artwork, and media relating to the early colonists and discuss their accuracy.
Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Connecting the History of Lynching to The Murder
Though the murder of Emmett Till shocked 1950's America into turning attention to the racial crimes of the South, it was far from the first time racism had erupted into violence. High schoolers examine the killing in context with the...
Curated OER
Sea Changes: A New England Industry
Students conduct research in order to use primary and secondary sources. They interpret and analyze information from textbooks and nonfiction books for young adults, as well as reference materials, audio and media presentations, oral...
Curated OER
How Historians Know: Investigating a Midwife's Life
Young scholars view "A Midwife's Tale" to explain the methods historians use to study the past. They complete worksheets to identify what historians look for.
Curated OER
Buying, Selling, and Trading in Antebellum South Carolina
Students research the role of general stores in the development of communities. In this South Carolina history lesson, students study the economic development of early U.S. communities. Students write essays and create advertisements...