National First Ladies' Library
Ragtime: The First "American" Music?
Learners investigate the concept of ragtime music and the times associated with it in American history. They conduct research using a variety of resources and listen to a sample before writing down some of the results of the information...
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Social Studies: St. Patrick - Symbol of Irishness
Students examine the history of St. Patrick's Day by creating characters and dialog reflecting Irish culture. A major part of the lesson is the construction of a float for a St. Patrick's Day parade. Also, students research and answer...
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The Deforestation of the Temperate Forest Focus; Russian Taiga/Boreal
Twelfth graders complete a unit of lessons on the Russian Temperate Forest. They list the environmental problems associated with deforestation, conduct research, compare the Russian Taiga with other forests, create graphs, and develop an...
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The World of Constitutions: Better Understanding the U.S. Constitution
High schoolers examine the purpose of constitutions. In this government systems lesson, students analyze the sections of the U.S. Constitution. High schoolers then compare the U.S. Constitution to the constitutions of other countries....
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History of the Battery
Students study the development of batteries. In this electrochemistry instructional activity, students compare the different types of batteries. They explore its applications especially in the medical field.
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The Importance of Self-Governance in Changing Laws
Students examine the teachings of Gandhi and King. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, students listen to a lecture that reveals how Gandhi and King educated their followers about nonviolent resistance. Students analyze contemporary...
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Learning About America
Each slide has a grid to be filled in by a student or team. In order to have that spot active, the student must answer a question about the general history of America and national holidays correctly. There are 10 pages, and each has...
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Kennedy Assassination: Cutting through Conspiracies
First exploring the facts about the John F. Kennedy assassination, this impressive presentation dismantles many popular conspiracy theories about that fateful day. From Jack Ruby's motives to "the magic bullet" to Fidel Castro, the...
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Pre-Colonial Native American Groups
Students investigate U.S. history by researching the Internet and taking a test. In this American Indian group lesson, students identify the many specific Native American tribes and their geographic locations. Students research the web...
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Ancient Greece: Athens as a City State
Sixth graders find Greece on the map and recognize how the geography of Greece was important in its development. In this ancient Greece lesson, 6th graders research Greece and compare to the civilization of ancient Egypt. Students answer...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Middle schoolers explore the concept of Japanese internment. In this Japanese internment lesson, students examine primary sources that enable them to discover what internment camp life was like and its implications, Middle schoolers...
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George Washington's Foreign Policy
Students compare George Washington's foreign policy to the policies of presidents who followed him. In this primary source analysis lesson plan, students compare Washington's Farewell Address to the Roosevelt Corollary, the Monroe...
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Fun With Pacific Northwest Cities and Towns
Intended for fun only, learners play with the names of cities common to their region or state. This lesson includes a list of cities in Oregon and not much else. What you and your class choose to do with your list of cities is up to you.
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the Not Forgotten - Sharing History & Archaeology
Students create a catalog of gravestones in a cemetery that includes a burial ground from the Revolutionary War. They photograph and document the grave sites, research the Battle of Bunker hill and work with community members to create...
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IB History of the Americas Historiography: Limits of the Historical Record
In this historical record worksheet, high schoolers read about analyzing primary sources and then complete the 3 listed activities to create their own historical accounts.
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First Inauguration Speech of Abraham Lincoln
Students read an annotated excerpt of Lincoln's speech. In this government lesson plan, students discuss questions related to the speech to identify Lincoln's ideas to preserve the Union. Students may write optionally write their...
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First Grade, First Grade, What Do You See?
First graders read the book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?" by Bill Martin, Jr. and work cooperatively to create an online book about their geographic region. Books can be posted on the internet with other books from around...
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Learning to Teach: Dos and Don’ts
Walking the tightrope of etiquette involved with student teaching…in front of thirty kids.
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Escher-Esque Tessellations
Middle and high schoolers participate in a seven-part lesson creating Escher-Esque tessellations. They demonstrate their knowledge of geometric transformations after viewing a PowerPoint presentation, conducting Internet research, and...
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Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Lesson: Immigration
Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...
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Casting Coins
This wonderful art lesson plan invites students to design and “mint” coins bearing their own symbols. A simple carving andcasting process using Blick Wonder-Cut®linoleum and modeling clay is described in the plan. Coins can be one or...
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Life in a One-Room Arkansas Schoolhouse
Students read primary source documents to examine what a typical school day was like in the early 1900s. They discover how African-American children were taught differently than whites. They compare and contrast past school days to...
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Benedict Arnold: Triumph and Treason
Young scholars explore Benedict Arnold, and how his name is synonymous with treason, betrayal, and defection. Why did he turn on a young nation in its defining moment? BIOGRAPHY journeys back to the days of the colonies to solve the...
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Times Marches On
In this PowerPoint, students learn to distinguish between the terms "ancient" and "modern." The presentation gives visual and and written definitions of these words. Students respond to 5 questions that require them to decipher...