Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Differences Among Colonial Regions
Classes look at and analyze primary source images to explore the differences between the colonial regions during the Revolutionary era. They break into groups to tackle each region and then present their findings to the class. A final...
Curated OER
Mormon Era
Students learn the history of the Mormons and are able to explore items made during the Mormon era by creating their own by hand. In this Mormon Era lesson, students create covered wagons, can lanterns, candles and sourdough bread as...
Curated OER
How Did the Progressive Party affect American Society
Ninth graders explore the political views of the Progressive Party. In this U.S. History lesson, 9th graders read the "LaFollette Platform," then share their thoughts of the reading in a class discussion. To conclude the lesson, students...
Curated OER
Life in THE JUNGLE
Young scholars discuss problems immigrants may have when coming to a new country. They take on the role of a law maker from the era and create an action plan and policy based on samples they read (links provided). Students discuss ways...
Curated OER
The Battle Over Reconstruction: The Politics of Reconstruction
High schoolers participate in a simulation as a Congress member to decide which policies to support in Reconstruction. In this Reconstruction era lesson, students read primary source documents to use as the basis for a mock debate. High...
Curated OER
Drake’s West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
Students examine the exploration routes of Sir Francis Drake. For this American exploration lesson, students investigate primary sources to trace the routes and contact with the natives that Sir Francis Drake experienced on his voyages...
Curated OER
Women and the Civil War Era
Students explore feminism and explore the different roles of women and how they have changed over time. They read books about women in this period and evaluate the past, observe the present, and make assumptions about the future.
Library of Virginia
Life as a Liberated People
Imagine having no control over your life and then suddenly having to provide for yourself. Such was the challenge faced by many American slaves after emancipation. Class members are asked to consider these challenges are they examine...
Annenberg Foundation
The Progressives
The Progressive Era brought about a word that often leads to turmoil—change! Learners research the late 1800s in American history to uncover societal issues gripping the nation back in the day. The 15th lesson of a 22-part series...
Annenberg Foundation
Reconstructing a Nation
Think back to the aftermath of an family dispute. The awkwardness of having to make up, get along, and move forward can be very difficult. The tenth lesson of a 22-part series on American history examines the Reconstruction Era following...
Curated OER
A House Dividing: The Growing Crisis of Sectionalism in Antebellum America
Students explore the debates over American slavery and the power of the American federal government for the first half of the 19th century and how the regional economies and political events produced a widening split between the states.
Curated OER
The Civil War Era
Fifth graders explore both the causes of and the actual events of the Civil War. They write essays and descriptive paragraphs and explore a variety of websites. They create a series of skits highlighting the key points of the Civil War era.
Curated OER
Kazan, Miller, and the McCarthy Era
Students read The Crucible in order to investigate the McCarthy era and the Hollywood Blacklist. Students watch video clips of the McCarthy witch hunts and investigate the time period through online research. Students recreate sections...
Curated OER
The Rise and Fall of the Jim Crow Era
Students explore African American history by researching the Jim Crow laws. In this Civil Rights lesson, students define the Jim Crow laws, the reasons they were put into place, and how they were ultimately defeated. Students write a...
Curated OER
Etiquette Lessons for Students
Young scholars explore the meaning of good manners and proper etiquette. In this behavior lesson, students read an article that explains manners in the social setting and workplace, then complete several activities that reinforce the...
Curated OER
From Rags to (Paper) Riches: Explore Colonial Papermaking
Students explore Colonial papermaking. In this Colonial America U.S. history lesson, students analyze two poems written in the 1690s about the Rittenhouse paper mill to learn about papermaking. Students produce their own paper and...
Curated OER
The Columbian Exchange
Seventh graders investigate the impact of the Columbian Exchange. In this Exploration Age lesson, 7th graders view video clips and read materials related to the trade that took place in the era. Students use SMARTNotebook slides to...
University of California
Equal Rights? The Women's Movement from Suffrage to Schlafly
If you've never heard of the Equal Rights Amendment, it's probably because there isn't one in the United States Constitution. Delve into the contentious history behind the ERA, its founders and supporters, and reasons for its political...
Curated OER
Why Explore?
Pupils participate in a class discussion on why people explore. In groups, they create a list of the goods they can acquire and how they can survive if they find food while exploring. Using the Internet, they research famous explorers...
Core Knowledge Foundation
The Victorian Age
The length of Queen Victoria's reign, surpassed only by Queen Elizabeth II in the modern era, stretched through much of the 19th century and into the 20th century. Explore the many social, industrial, and political shifts that occurred...
College Board
2017 AP® United States History Free-Response Questions
Were unfair taxes really the cause of the American Revolution? Learners explore the complicated historiography behind the revolutionary period using authentic College Board prompts. The free-response questions from the exam feature...
West Jefferson High School
The Novel — Honor
For classes tackling To Kill a Mockingbird, this lesson plan sets readers up for discussions or essay writing with questions and prompts. The prompts encourage individuals to explore beyond the novel itself, looking at photographs from...
Curated OER
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Literature Study Guide
Yo-ho-ho, Treasure Island can be lots of fun with the aid of a resource that guides readers' exploration of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold. It's the glory of the read that will turn your pupils' heads.
Annenberg Foundation
America's History in the Making: Classroom Applications Three
How can primary sources bring history to life? Scholars create detailed lesson plans on the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in American history. The 17th installment of a 22-part program exploring American history examines...