Students delve into the life and music of Duke Ellington as a major American musician and composer. The elements that made the sound of his orchestra unique and the talents of his band members are explored in this lesson plan.

Here is a wonderful presentation, perfect for setting the stage for the Revolutionary War. Containing great information and images, it acts as a timeline of events starting with the French Indian War and ending with the dawn of the...

Students study patriotic symbols of America. In this American history lesson plan, students construct a KWL chart on United States symbols and examine visuals of the Great Seal and bald eagle. Students create another symbol for America.

Eleventh graders take a closer look at the music of the Great Depression. In this 1930's America lesson, 11th graders read and analyze the provided lyrics of 6 songs from the era. Students then compose their own lyrics for songs that...

By The Great Horn Spoon is a fantastic novel for introducing learners to life during the California Gold Rush. First, kids research and analyze American folk songs, then they connect to the text as they listen to symphonic pieces written...

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....

What were the virtues and values that helped form America? Pupils watch and discuss a video, read biographies of early Americans, chart the differences between early American religious movements, write journals and letters, draw, and...

Young scholars explore the lives of migrant workers during the Great Depression. For this Great Depression lesson, students examine photographs and song lyrics to gain an understanding of the conditions for people living in the era....

Students examine American involvement in World War I. In this World War I lesson, students investigate Wilson's policy of neutrality as they read excerpts from his messages to Congress. Students respond to questions regarding the...

The Harlem Renaissance brought forth many American art forms including jazz, and the writings of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Using a carefully curated set of documents from the Library of Congress, pupils see the cultural...

A great writing exercise should have it all. This one requires learners to think critically about cause and effect, compare and contrast, and summarizing. They compose responses to five short answer questions regarding Spanish and...

What can maps tell us about the past? Find out with a Spanish instructional activity that incorporates geography. After examining maps individually, comparing two old maps of Spanish Florida and writing notes in the provided Venn...

Students develop an understanding of the role of a musician, composer, and conductor. In this musician activity, students examine the District of Columbia quarter and see that Duke Ellington is on the reverse side. They define performer,...

Learners explore the Great Depression. In this Great Depression instructional activity, students research selected websites and analyze primary sources to conduct inquiries regarding the depression, northern migration, and urbanization....

Students identify the qualities of an effective military leader. In this Revolutionary War lesson, students view several Internet resources about George Washington's life. Student groups research one of four battles, and document their...

Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...

Guide your students' reading with this worksheet. Included are five matching and five multiple choice questions focused on aspects of the two-party system employed in the United States. Use as a quiz, guided reading questions, or homework.

For this Route 66 activity worksheet, students respond to 10 multiple choice questions that require them to exhibit the knowledge they have about the American highway.

“. . .different men often see the same subject in different lights. . .” but the great orator Patrick Henry used all the skills at his command to craft a speech to convince listeners to see things as he did--that liberty was worth dying...

Fifth graders travel with the Corps of Discovery. In this ancient civilizations lesson, 5th graders research print and Internet sources about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Students prepare PowerPoint presentations to share their...

Students study the image of Andrew Jackson. In this presidential history lesson students investigate the political image that was groomed by Jackson as they examine advertisements. Students compose essays regarding the topic.

Students explore contemporary lifestyles, cultures, traditions are influenced by the contributions of the German settlers of that region. They research these influences and design a brochure to entice potential immigrants to the Upper...

Pupils determine the cause and effect of a historical event. They draw conclusions about statistical data and maps and compose a campaign speech for a Populist candidate. They design a political poster and badge for the Populist Party.