How do your pupils want to change the world? Find out with this writing prompt, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s well-known speech. The resource provides the prompt and lines for writing.

Research famous figures from history through the primary sources they created! Explore how these types of documents can enrich our study of the past with your middle and high school learners. They create picture books to illustrate...

Students examine the life, portraits and speeches of Frederick Douglass. They consider what made his speeches effective and why he is regarded as a national hero. They write an original speech.

Students create a wax museum of famous Americans. In this research skills lesson plan, students read biographies of selected Americans and conduct additional research. Students dress as the famous Americans they researched and...

Students write a biographical poem about themselves. They observe a teacher-led demonstration, write an autobiographical poem and a biographical poem about a famous person using a template form, and display the poems side-by-side.

In a single, soundly-designed class period, high schoolers define good character, think-pair-share about thought-provoking quotes on character (More options would enhance the discussion, worth searching online for other quotes to add.),...

Students determine the workings of the Braille alphabet and how people with visual impairments learn how to use it. For this Braille lesson, students study the associated vocabulary, read about Helen Keller, and complete associated...

Students read three short texts which give clues to the identities of three famous Britons. The texts explore the fame of the three personalities and the growing interest in celebrities in modern British life. Students participate in a...

Students conduct Internet research on one famous person to explore his/her important contributions to society.

Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement activity, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period. They prepare and...

Sixth graders explain significance of Elders. In this research lesson plan students tell that being an Elder is not always related to age. They explain why a person is important in history.

Fourth graders make a timeline about a famous person from Indiana. In this famous Hoosiers lesson plan, 4th graders watch a PowerPoint presentation about David Letterman's life. They make a timeline using information from the...

In this social studies worksheet, 4th graders will gain an understanding of nine famous Americans and their accomplishments to society. Students will complete nine fill in the blank statements about each individual.

Young scholars commemorate black history month. Using the Internet, information books and printed web pages, students research the events of Mary Seacole's life. Young scholars role play Mary Seacole being interviewed for a job.

Fourth graders research a famous person from the Gold Rush era. Using the Internet, they take notes from creditable websites and write their rough drafts of their paper. They use peer editing to check for spelling and grammar errors. ...

Biographies can be a fun topic for any history project. Learners choose one famous person that lived between 1865 and 1930 to research. They gather information, work on reading comprehension, and use what they find to create slide shows...

Why is a letter a better way to learn about a person than a different primary source? Explore Thomas Day's ideas and advice to his daughter in a letter from 1851, which details the struggles of the American South before the Civil War....

In a hands-on learning activity, pupils read about and recreate the experience of Harriet Jacobs, author of one of the most famous slave narratives of all time in which she describes her years of hiding from her master in a confined...

The National Women's History Museum provides this interactive resource that permits users to explore women who played key roles during the Progressive Era in the quest for workers' rights, the Settlement House Movement, the Suffrage...

Amelia Earhart's accomplishments and strength of character extend beyond her status as one of the first female aviators in America. Elementary and middle schoolers learn about Earhart's early life and the historical context surrounding...

Celebrate Black History Month getting to know more about Lewis Latimer. Here, scholars read about his life and success, then apply their new-found knowledge by responding to questions about the text with short answers. 

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a famous suffragette that paved the way for equal rights for women. Readers respond to before, during, and after reading questions based on her story. The resource is a great addition to a activity during...

Teach your class about Helen Keller and her accomplishments with a reading comprehension lesson based on A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David A. Adler. As individuals read, they answer discussion questions about Helen Keller...

When Ruby Bridges entered an all-white school in New Orleans in 1960, she also entered history. Scholars consider what the experience must have been like for the young girl using two books that document her experience as well as a double...