Curated OER
Deciphering Propaganda Posters of World War I
What strategies are employed when creating propaganda? Your young historians will learn about six different techniques utilized in the construction of political propaganda, particularly in the advertisements of World War I. The...
Umoja Student Development Corporation
Martin Luther King, Jr.: What Did He Do? Why Does It Matter?
Young historians examine the work of Martin Luther King Jr. by reading and answering questions about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Albany Movement, the Birmingham and Chicago campaigns, and the Memphis Sanitation Worker's Strike....
US National Archives
The Home Front: How Did People Prepare for the War at Home?
Wars have a profound effect not only on a country's soldiers, but also on the everyday lives of its citizens. Invite young historians to discover how Britain prepared for the second World War by analyzing a series of government posters...
University of Chicago
Addressing Stereotypes
How is a stereotype defined, and what are some mechanisms we can use to combat negative stereotyping? Your young historians will discuss how and why stereotyping occurs, as well as consider the roots of modern conceptions of...
Curated OER
George Washington: The President Without Precedent
Students explore time period and events surrounding George Washington's inauguration, demonstrate how Washington set precedent for each action he took as American Republic's new president, and compare and contrast traditions and events...
Curated OER
The Renaissance
Students encounter having been chosen to join a group of renowned historians who have been offered an unprecedented opportunity. They travel back in time to the Renaissance time period. Students research one aspect of that time period....
PBS
African-Americans in the American West
Secondary learners explore the westward movement of African Americans. Segmented into four time periods, the lesson plan provides an overview of how African Americans experienced westward expansion. Learners view PBS specials on the...
Briscoe Center for American History
Applying the SOAPS Method of Analyzing Historical Documents
Young historians use the SOAPS (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject) method of questioning to determine the historical value of primary source documents. The third in a series of five lessons that model for learners how...
Briscoe Center for American History
Mary Maverick and Texas History - Part 1
What's the difference between a diary and a memoir? Young historians explore the ramifications of this question as they learn how to use primary source materials to gain an understanding of life on the Texas frontier.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Immigrant Discrimination
For a class learning about Chinese and Irish immigration in America, here's a great starting lesson plan. It has your critical thinkers examining song lyrics, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and a political cartoon, and finally...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Declaration of Independence
Give budding historians a guided exploration of the Declaration of Independence, historic photos, videos, and more as they deepen their understanding of the American Revolution and the attitude of the colonists leading up to...
Curated OER
The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas
Looking for a simple and straightforward reference on the Enlightenment for your young historians? Check out this list of key terms and important figures from the period, followed by a traditional assessment where your learners will be...
Curated OER
Tools of the Historian: Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Students identify the difference between primary and secondary sources. They discuss the importance of evaluating all sources they might use. They read primary and secondary sources that relate to the colonial period.
Curated OER
Becoming A Local Historian
Students practice the art of being a historian. They compare primary and secondary resources to conduct a critical thinking assignment. Students compare the map of the Baton Rouge area to a modern one in order to make inferences about...
Curated OER
Face to Face with the Great Depression
Students develop an analytical perspective of how historians record, preserve, and interpret data. For this US history lesson students read and interpret personal accounts of the Great Depression. They discuss how interpretation affects...
Curated OER
Writing History: From Students to Scholars
An Online NewsHour article about scholarly ethics launches this study of plagiarism. Since historians are supposed to bring original ideas and perspectives to their publications, they must give credit to the ideas of others. After a...
Park City Historical Society & Museum
Oral History Interview Questions Worksheet
What is an oral history interview? What goes into the planning and what should be said? Why is it important that we know and learn from oral history? This is an excellent worksheet to support your young historians as they conduct...
National Museum of the American Indian
Lone Dog's Winter Count: Keeping History Alive
What is oral tradition, and what unique tool did the Native Americans of the Northern Great Plains use to help them remember their complex histories? Through pictograph analysis, discussion, research, and an engaging hands-on activity,...
University of Southern California
Persecution of the German-Jews: The Early Years - 1933-1939
Young historians learn about the dehumanization process of stripping German Jews of basic, fundamental rights prior to the genocide of European Jews in the 1940s. Learners watch video clips of survivors who recount such events...
Curated OER
"No News Like Ancient News"
Want to know more about Ancient history? Young historians will read a minimum of two web sites to complete the chart "Residents of Olympus". They choose one Greek god or goddess to research. This could be a small group activity or...
Curated OER
US Constitution
Think about the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence with your budding historians. They analyze the importance of historical documents by examining several famous documents, and then they complete activities that check...
California State University
The American Revolution
Invite your class on a ride through the American Revolution. Young historians travel through time as they explore the events that led to the foundation of the United States of America. Over the course of eight lessons, this unit...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Analyzing the Inaugural Address
Get high school historians to step outside their own shoes by responding to JFK's inaugural address from the perspective of a civil rights activist, a soviet diplomat, or a Cuban exile. After a class discussion about the address,...
California Historical Society
Understanding California
Here is a beautiful handout through which learners can explore the history of California, from the earliest Europeans to visit the Golden State up through its experiences during the Great Depression and position in the modern...