Curated OER
Reading Primary Source Documents: Historical Content
Why do we read primary source documents? What can they give us that other writings cannot? Provide your learners with any of the primary sources attached here (there are seven), and have them complete the graphic organizer (which opens...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Realism in Magical Realism
A lesson on magical realism has young historians research how Garcia Marquez weaves historical events and his own experiences into One Hundred Years of Solitude. Using historical records and information found in a biography of Garcia...
K20 LEARN
The Conflict at the Washita River: The Indian Wars in Indian Territory
"Battle" or "Massacre"? Words matter, especially when labeling historical events. That's the big idea in a lesson about the 1868 conflict at the Washita River. After examining two images of the event, groups read and discuss articles...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Comparing Democracies
Could a president just ignore election results? For this analysis handout, scholars consider this question as they read background information on the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe. Two political cartoons poke fun at President Robert Mugabe,...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Reading the Work of B. Franklin, Printer
Placing Ben Franklin’s ideas about a free press next to those embodied in the First Amendment sheds light on both. Learners interpret and compare two primary sources and then examine them in the light of a contemporary survey about...
Curated OER
A Historical Career Search
Students analyze the use of language, including non-standard written and oral English. They write persuasive, descriptive, narrative and/or evaluative pieces in response to the story read and keep reflection journals. Finally, students...
Curated OER
Historical Scavenger Hunts
Students investigate the impact of historical events. For this historical scavenger hunt lesson, students examine photographs of a local monument that zoom in on details. Students record their impressions regarding the photos. Students...
Curated OER
Case Study of a Historical Episode
In this historical events worksheet, learners research selected American historical events and follow the instructions on this worksheet to create their own case studies on the events.
Curated OER
Agriculture: Oklahoma's Legacy
Sixth graders explore agriculture as it relates to crops over the course of a series of historical events. They read and create a timeline of the 50-year increments that depict important cause and effect events. Students then use...
Judicial Branch of California
Separate But Equal - Is It Black or White?
The story of Ruby Bridges and the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education are fantastic tools for discussing the concept of separate but equal. Kids tackle some big questions about what is fair, what is civil, and what rights or laws...
Curated OER
The Dust Bowl Odyssey
Great information, images, and wonderful higher-order thinking questions await your class. They'll discuss, consider, and examine multiple factors related to the Dust Bowl. A cross-media comparison is made between the historical events...
Curated OER
Advanced Critical Reading: Generations
In this critical reading activity, students read a passage about cycles of American generations then answer three questions based on the reading.
National Council of Teachers of English
Timelines and Texts: Motivating Students to Read Nonfiction
With the emphasis on incorporating more nonfiction in language arts classes the question arises about how to design activities that motivate kids to engage with informational text. How about an assignment that asks class members to...
Carnegie Library
Creative Writing: Middle School Lesson Plan
Enhance a unit on historical fiction with an engaging writing lesson. Learners bring the Industrial Era to life as they compose their own historical fiction pieces based on primary source images of Pittsburgh steel workers.
Eastconn
Women of the California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush was not just an opportunity for the male gold miners sifting for shiny nuggets. Small groups read accounts of the ways women took advantage of the influx of workers to run hotels, bake pies, and wading out into...
American Press Institute
Newspapers in Your Life: What’s News Where?
Big news isn't necessarily newsworthy everywhere! How do journalists decide what to cover with so much happening around them? A instructional activity on media literacy examines the factors that affect the media's choice of stories to...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
One Land, Many Trails: Challenge Activities (Theme 5)
Bring history to life through literature. The first in a series of three challenge activities designed to accompany Theme 5: One Land, Many Trails does just that through unique projects connected to historical fiction and nonfiction...
Curated OER
Culture, Climate, and Current Events
Students decide on a country to research as a class, keeping a list of the countries already being researched. Using the internet, they research the culture, climate and current events of the country. They end the instructional...
Curated OER
Current Events Research
Young scholars look for news stories on the Web that highlight some of the prominent issues in modern American history they outlined in Lesson One. They see the connection between historical issues and current events.
Curated OER
Historical Effects
Fifth graders examine how events affect characters in the text The Watson's Go to Birmingham--1963. In this historical effects lesson, 5th graders read from the book and complete a worksheet. Students discuss racism and segregation...
Curated OER
Historical Travel Brochure
Fourth graders answer the question, Where in America did history take place? Through investigation as a travel agent, they discover that history is not an isolated event. They use a wide variety of technological resources to create their...
Curated OER
Crossing the Delaware with Historic, Cultural, and Personal Interpretations
Sixth graders discover the importance of information sources by researching the United States History. In this research gathering lesson, 6th graders examine a historical painting of George Washington and analyze what it means,...
Curated OER
Fill-In: Walking Across Niagara Falls
Kids use their own words or phrases as they fill in the missing parts of an article about a man who crossed Niagara Falls via tightrope. They read the article and use the word list at the bottom of the page to fill in the blanks.
Curated OER
Understanding American Values
Scholars read books and discuss emotions that lead up to the American Revolution. They also discuss vocabulary and use reference materials to research the Internet for causes and sentiment that led to the American Revolution.