Curated OER
Current Contexts
Young scholars examine how they are affected by world affairs. After reading an article, they examine Otto Frank's attempts to immigrate to America. Using the New York Times, they identify examples of news, advertisements and...
Curated OER
Child Labor
Learners examine how how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good, and identify examples of where they fail to do so. They describe how workers with specialized jobs and the ways in which they...
Curated OER
How To Write In Biographical Format
Learners are introduced to the proper way to write a biography. As a class, they view examples of the format and what information to include. To end the lesson, they begin to write their biography and develop their voice when writing.
Curated OER
"Julie of the Wolves"
Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this lesson. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. They...
Curated OER
These Honored Dead: The Battle of Rivers Bridge and Civil War Combat Casualties (94)
Students write creative accounts of the Battle at Rivers Bridge after studying historic accounts and looking at images in this series of activities.
Curated OER
The Samovar
In this reading comprehension learning exercise, learners read a short passage about using a samovar and write a diary entry about a samovar based upon the reading. Students include how to use a samovar and what it is used for.
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 4 - What Went Wrong?
Fifth graders compare and contrast two early colonies and make a T chart. They list examples of worked well and what did not, and significant historical events. They use higher order thinking skills by deducing how different scenarios...
PBS
Document This
Being a historian requires serious sleuthing. They examine primary source documents and look for evidence, for clues that reveal who wrote the document, when, and why. After watching two historians model the process, young history...
Curated OER
Biography: Telling Someone's Life Story
There are many different ways to help your students get excited about writing biographies.
Curated OER
Sentence Starters - The Passive Voice
Discuss the active and passive voices with this packet. There are several exercises to complete! First, identify which sentences are active and which are passive. Then, create sentences in the passive voice with the given topic. Finally,...
Curated OER
A Colony is Born : Lesson 5 - Dear Mem
Discover colonies! Young historians will listen to a primary source journal entry read aloud with a backdrop of wave sounds. They discuss the entry, add historical facts to a chart and personal insights to another. Then they listen to...
Curated OER
Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students
Learners of all ages solve historical mysteries. Elementary learners research historical topics by organizing information presented by their instructor, formulating hypotheses, and considering solutions to mysteries presented about...
Curated OER
The Sound of History: Conducting an Oral Interview
Students conduct an oral interview with a person from their local community. They conduct research, write interview questions, conduct the interview, and identify the subject matter using headings and subheadings.
Curated OER
My Secret War: Lesson 1
Fifth graders explore historical fiction. In this genre study lesson, 5th graders go on a text feature scavenger hunt to identify the parts of a historical fiction text. Additionally, students read the book, My Secret War and discuss...
Curated OER
Energeia -- Energy Diary Activity
Middle schoolers identify the six types of energy. They write journal entries about each type and give examples. They participate in a lab activity in which the different types are examined as well.
Curated OER
Hardships of the Maine-land
Fifth graders examine the design of the Maine quarter reverse and identify the objects depicted. They compare the settlement at Popham, Maine with that at Jamestown, Virginia.They write journal entries and draw pictures about the Maine...
Curated OER
Chairs, Corduroys, Cottages, and Cars: Exploring the Diversity of Design
Students create and present a theme-based exhibition. In this design instructional activity, students categorize objects to reflect a specific design theme and create their own theme-based collections. Students research a museum...
BBC
Rights and Responsibilities
Middle and high schoolers engage in a lesson about rights and responsibilities, and the differences between them. After a class discussion, pupils break off into pairs and come up with mimes that respect or abuse a specific right such...
Curated OER
From Smithson To Smithsonian, The Birth Of An Institution
Learners evaluate historical sources. In groups, students explore the differences between a primary and secondary source. They examine the importance of evaluating sources and using credible ones when writing reports. Learners...
Curated OER
The Guise of a Graph Gumshoe
Eighth graders practice constructing bar, circle, and box-and-whisker graphs. They practice reading and interpreting data displays and explore how different displays of data can lead to different interpretations.
Curated OER
Garden In a Glove
Learners investigate the concept of seeds and how they can germinate. They obtain seeds and isolate them in a rubber glove before transplanting them into the ground. The lesson includes a graphic organizer for observations or information.
Curated OER
Immigration Unit
Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...
Curated OER
Job Journals
Students compare the differences between job varieties. For this career exploration lesson, students evaluate different aspects of jobs and then write a diary entry as if they were the real employee.
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit
Young scholars organize facts about Harriet Tubman. For this writing lesson, students research Harriet Tubman, sort facts about her into two categories, and use the information they have found to write about her life in complete paragraphs.