PBS
Frederick Douglass: Orator, Editor, and Abolitionist
Imagine the task of designing a national memorial for a former slave, orator, editor, and abolitionist! Scholars research and analyze the impact of the life of Frederick Douglass. Incorporating primary and secondary sources as well as...
C-SPAN
Presidential Candidate Firsts
Hilary Clinton may have been the first woman to run for president on a major party ticket, but she was only one example of an historic candidacy. Class members use video clips curated from C-SPAN to examine historical firsts in...
PBS
Sojourner Truth: Abolitionist and Women’s Rights Activist
Scholars dive into the life of former slave, abolitionist, and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth. Using video evidence, speeches, and primary documents, class members complete a project on a current "Truth-figure" they see in...
PBS
Harriet Tubman: Abolition Activist
Imagine breaking out of prison only to continue to go back in to get others out. Welcome to the life of Harriet Tubman. Scholars research her amazing life and her impact on abolition in the United States. Using primary and secondary...
Curated OER
Literature for Lesson 4 - Abolitionists
Students examine the definition of abolition and abolitionists. In this abolition instructional activity, students complete vocabulary work before reading about Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Frederick Douglass. They watch a video...
Curated OER
Frederick Douglass
Fifth graders are introduced to the novel "Frederick Douglass" and conduct research about his life. The lesson integrates technology while using a library database. It is used as a source of information with access to a reference...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Enterprise and Commerce
Using Mark Twain's The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, invite your learners to consider the concept of virtue in a democratic society devoted to gain and self-interest. This stellar resource guides your class members through a close...
Facing History and Ourselves
Defining Freedom
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate states. The Thirteenth Amendment banned slavery in the United States. However, neither document defined freedom. The second instructional activity in the Reconstruction Era...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Equality
What if society sought equality by handicapping the gifted and dispelling any traces of diversity? Kurt Vonnegut Jr. offers one possible answer to this question through his incredibly engaging and thought-provoking satirical...
PBS
Henry David Thoreau: Author, Philosopher, and Abolitionist
What would Henry David Thoreau think of life in 21st-Century America? Pupils investigate the abolitionist using primary and secondary materials. They analyze what Thoreau would think of the changes to American lifestyles since the time...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: National Identity and Why It Matters
Combining a close reading of a classic American text with the study of history can be a very powerful strategy, and this is most certainly the case with this resource using Edward Everett Hale's The Man without a Country. Consider themes...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Freedom and Individuality
What are the strengths and weaknesses of American individualism and independence? Explore these principles through a close reading of Jack London's To Build a Fire, and engage in high-level discussion with your class by analyzing the...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Freedom and Religion
The United States of America was founded on firm ideals of both the pursuit of happiness and a spirit of reverence. Through a close reading of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The May-Pole of Merry Mount," you can examine what some consider was a...
What So Proudly We Hail
The Meaning of America: Self-Command
Even for one of the most accomplished men in American history, there was room for improvement. Challenge high schoolers to use Benjamin Franklin's Project for Moral Perfection to analyze text, make inferences, connect to historical...
Curated OER
Creating and Evaluating Ethnic Advertising
Students examine the concept of ethnic advertising. In this African American history lesson, students watch segments of videos about the history of ethnic advertising. Students respond to questions that correspond to each of the video...
Curated OER
Creating an Ethnic Student Newspaper
Learners examine the role of the Black Press. In this African American history lesson, students watch segments of a video titled, " Too Long to Have Others Spoken for Us." Learners respond to discussion questions regarding each of the...
Curated OER
The Roots of Slavery
Students conduct research about the Civil War and the slavery movement. They examine primary and secondary resources. The use of the internet and web slides are resources made available for students to make cognitive connections.
Curated OER
Simulated Underground Railroad Experience
Fourth graders travel through a mock Underground Railroad.
Curated OER
Simulated Underground Railroad Experience
Fourth graders participate in a simulation activity that culminates their study of the Underground Railroad. They climb on obstacles while bells rings and older students act as conductors. They work in a darkened area with only one light...