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American Indians
Students research early Indian adaptations in this lesson. They research the different American Indian tribes. They also research and compare the tribes' rituals, daily lives, and their impact on the Europeans who came later to the...
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Literature: Esperanza Rising
Students read and discuss the book, Esperanza Rising. After analyzing and identifying the novel's structural elements, they examine working conditions for migrant workers in the 1930s. As part of the lesson, students in groups choose...
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Major Events Leading to the American Revolution
Students explore the causes of the American Revolution. For this taxation without representation lesson, students analyze political cartoons in order to gain an understanding of the efforts of the colonists to resolve conflict with...
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Causes of the Civil War: Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850 and Kansas Nebraska Act
How did the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act contribute to the growing tensions that led to the Civil war? To better understand the events that led to the Civil War, young historians engage in a...
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Impact of Indian Removal
Seventh graders consider how the majority sometimes enforces unjust laws upon the minority. In this Indian Removal lesson plan, 7th graders research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and discuss its...
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Portraits of History
Eighth graders research the Post-Revolution to Pre-Civil War era by investigating the life and contributions of a notable person. They create silhouettes which are framed with timeline. Also, they add the research information to the...
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Social Sstudies: Change in Space and Time
Learners examine the dynamics of change and compare and contrast it with other cultures. They cite examples of how people change over time and explain why it is necessary. Students organize a skit, Webpage, or Powerpoint presentation...
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From Smithson to Smithsonian: Who Was James Smithson?
Learners evaluate and examine primary and secondary source material as they relate to the life of James Smithson.In this "From Smithson to Smithsonian" lesson, students analyze documents looking for clues to the identity of James Smithson.
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Multi-cultural, The Butterfly
Sixth graders discuss The Butterfly. In this literacy instructional activity, 6th graders write two postcards about the issues of the Holocaust from the two different perspectives of the two girls from the text.
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Create a Hero Trophy
Students research and read about the lives of some famous American heroes. They examine the qualities that make or made these people heroes and how the time period they lived in influenced their images as heroes.
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Once Upon a Castle
Young scholars complete a variety of activities surrounding castle communities and fairy tales. They write a letter to a fairy tale character, write a fairy tale, create a model of a castle, and draw a map of a castle community.
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The Twentieth Century
Fifth graders summarize a decade in the twentieth century and compare it to another decade. They present facts in a Hyperstudio document that includes text, photos, and audio to describe the decade.
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Kentucky: Past, Present and Future
Fourth graders analyze how Kentucky's past is different from the present. They research why Kentucky was even explored and settles. What social issues face Kentucky now. Discussion lies on how Kentucky can be improved for the 21st century.
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Constitutional Convention
Students engage in a role-playing situation to illustrate the kinds of compromised that were made a teh Constitutional Convention. They write three short 1-2 paragraph arguments and then present their arguments to the class at the...
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Reconstruction
Learners explain how the Civil War and Reconstruction both solved and created problems for our nation. They study how Reconstruction caused a further decline in relations between the North & South and how racism has been and is...
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Understanding History By How America Felt
Students explore public opinion of presidential decisions. In this history lesson, students examine various graphs that depict overall American approval of U.S. Presidents and government decisions then answer questions about the...
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Drawing Political Cartoons
Students draw political cartoons. In this editorial cartoons activity, students discover the history of the cartoons in America, analyze some cartoons, and then draw their own cartoons that make social statements.
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Westward Expansion : Mapping
Fifth graders travel along exploring the expeditions of John F. Fremont. In this Westward expansion lesson, 5th graders gain understanding of the events that shaped the west through the use of maps. Students use mapping skills to...
National Endowment for the Humanities
From Courage to Freedom: Slavery's Dehumanizing Effects
Learners analyze slavery and its effects on humanity using Frederick Douglass' autobiography. In this slavery instructional activity, high schoolers analyze instances of reality and romanticized myth using a slave narrative. Learners...
National Endowment for the Humanities
From Courage to Freedom
Learners analyze Frederick Douglass' narrative about Christianity and slavery. For this Frederick Douglass lesson, young scholars read his slave narrative and analyze its word choice, imagery, irony, and rhetorical appeals. Learners...
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The First American Party System: A Documentary Timeline of Important Events (1787-1800)
Students conduct research on the events of the end of the 18th century in order to identify critical factors leading to the development of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican political parties. They summarize the key positions of...
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Black Kentuckians and the Civil War
Students demonstrate how the American Civil War affected black Kentuckians socially and politically. They identify and discuss the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forced the end of slavery in Kentucky months after the...
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Religious Communities: 19TH CENTURY HARMONISTS
Students examine the Second Great Awakening and the religious revivals that swept through the United States during the early decades of the nineteenth century. They compare various communities to the Harmonists of Old Economy.
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Journey
Students complete a variety of enrichment activities that focus on the book, Journey, by Patricia MacLachlan. They create a photo album that shows their own family history.