Sixth graders debate their reactions to two different historical documents about managing a society.  In this U.S. history lesson, 6th graders read two articles on codes and laws from different time periods and debate their...

Students research the Atlantic slave trade during the 18th century. In this slave trade lesson plan, students read a narrative about colonial expansion in the Americas and the rise of slavery in the United States. Students write down...

Students investigate Jim Crow laws. In this segregation lesson, students analyze images that display American segregation. Students use the provided questions to aid them in their evaluation of the images.

Seventh graders investigate the slave trade. In this Middle Passage instructional activity, 7th graders read excerpts of ship logs from Connecticut Slave Trade ships. Students respond to the provided analysis questions based on the...

Fourth graders analyze the existence of slavery in the North. In this slavery lesson, 4th graders research primary and secondary sources regarding Dutch colonial slavery in New York. Students consider how archeology made it possible to...

Students examine the Constitution for references to the relationship between state and federal governments. They examine Supreme Court cases for examples of the division of government between state and federal powers.

Learners identify human rights and study the values of historical figures who fought for human rights. In this human rights instructional activity, students define the term human rights and research examples of human mistreatment in...

Students investigate how American colonists felt they would be impacted by conflict with the British. In this colonial America lesson plan, students examine the Declaration of Independence, papers from the Committees of Correspondence,...

Students read excepts from various government documents on the issue of slavery in America. Using the internet, they research a topic related to slavery of interest to them and present to the class their findings. They examine the life...

Students examine the St. John slave revolt of 1733. In this slavery and apartheid lesson, students view the DVD "Slavery, Society, and Apartheid." Students respond to discussion questions regarding the content of the DVD which features...

A reading of Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson launches this study of slavery, freedom, and the Underground Railroad. After a discussion of the importance of showing respect for others and of helping each other in...

Students analyze the significance of Jamestown in the broader picture of colonization and analyze a historical document to determine the effects of previous explorations on the expectations of the Jamestown colonizers

Eighth graders examine the lives of the Gullah-Geechee people. In this unique cultures lesson, 8th graders explore music, language, and slavery of the Gullah-Geechee people from the southern low-country in the United States. Students...

Students read an article online "Colonization and Emigration" and break into debating groups. They research points that support their side, namely whether or not the American Colonization Society was for or against segregation. They...

Learners write a personal account of slavery seen from the eyes of a slave trader, a slave plantation owner, a fugitive slave, or a working slave.

Students read "Slavery's Past, Paved Over or Forgotten" from The New York Times and discuss as a class. This activity is the introduction for researching a topic on the history of slavery in the U.S. Student groups present their...

Students understand the importance of books in past and present societies. In this philanthropic instructional activity, students compare Andrew Carnegie and Benjamin Franklin's perspective on the importance of everyone being able to...

Students read The House of Dies Drear and understand how he filled a need and helped people. In this philanthropy lesson students understand how the people who helped on the "Underground Railroad" filled a need and helped others....

Students study former slave ports in the South.

Students, after reading the Transatllantic Slave Trade, create a color coded triple-timeline to help them explain the chronological streams that flow through the essay.

Students create graphs or charts based on the data a narrative imbedded in this plan. They make them either by hand or by using Excel or a similar database program. This lesson utilizes technology in a meaningful way.

In this social studies worksheet, students look for the words in the puzzle that are related to the theme of the word search. Spelling skills are worked on.

High schoolers evaluate the provisions of the Emancipation Proclamation. They trace the stages that led to Lincoln's formulation of this policy. Explore the range of contemporary public opinion on the issue of emancipation.

Students compare racism today to racism that existed during the nineteenth century. As a field research project, students individually keep track of examples of racism, biases, and stereotypes illustrated throughout the US media over a...