Author Faith Ringgold uses quilts to illustrate her books Tar Beach and Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad. In this integrated trio of activities, young scholars read stories, identify and create patterns, and design quilt squares of...

Students explore the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. For this civics lesson, students examine the document, define related vocabulary words, and rewrite it in their words.

Students examine the damage from the earthquake across a large geographic area of Alaska. They discover additional damage occurred from the tsunami, fires, and flooding after the initial earthquake. They collect images and information...

Students study patriotic symbols of America. For this American history lesson, 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.

Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the American Revolution based on the novel, 'Johnny Tremain.' They define key vocabulary terms, develop a timeline, write a report on a colonial craft, make a colonial flag, and create a...

Students recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time.  In this environmental factors on artifacts lesson, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on artifacts.  Students make...

Does your class know about the meaning of Memorial Day? Discuss the history of the holiday in this lesson plan, which prompts elementary and middle schoolers to create word webs of ideas about the holiday. Additionally, they create poems...

Young scholars discover how and why flag and national anthem of the United States were created, and in what ways they represent the foundation of our national identity.

Young scholars study the concept of symbolism. Many students know what the different patriotic symbols are, but they do not know why these things symbolize patriotism. They identify classic American symbols, explain why they are symbols...

Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...

Students use the Internet to discover the basic information about the American Flag. They explore how to fold a flag and which holidays to use the flag. They compare Betsy Ross's flag to the ones of today. They discover the story of the...

Students examine pictures of the four flags Texas had had through history. They discuss similarities among the flags and they relate the flag as a patriotic symbol of Texas. Then they create their own flag incorporating a Lone Star...

Eleventh graders assess an appreciation for the sacrifices made to achieve fundamental rights in our society. They analyze how far we've come to explore what more needs to be done in the "Freedom Struggle." Each student completes a...

Pupils investigate the significance of various signs and symbols. They view and discuss the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of U.S. liberty, listen to the book "The Story of the Statue of Liberty," and create a class book of signs and...

To conclude the unit on "Exploring Identity in the United States," pupils consider whether it is possible to combine many voices into one national identity. After creating an identity chart that lists words, phrases, and images that they...

Students identify what respect is and how to show it for the symbol of our country as well as others when working in groups. They identify the traits of honesty, perserverance, and courage and that the colors of the flag represent and...

Students consider how zoning policy shapes the character of neigborhoods. They see how zoning and loan policies have been used historically in the U.S. to benefit some people and discriminate against others. They examine tensions between...

Students examine primary sources as related to Nevada and the Civil War. In this United States history lesson, students gather and analyze various primary sources in small groups and interpret unknown vocabulary words by using context...

Eighth graders study cultures and beliefs about the final life cycle.  In this culture lesson students complete several activities on the origins of Halloween.

Students pretend that they are visiting a relative in Micronesia and compare its Independence Day with the U.S. holiday. They compare the two countries' flags while older students in grades three through five create travelogues. Younger...

Students view film footage of the Ku Klux Klan in the U.S. in the early 1920s and examine how the actions of the KKK have been viewed by different strands of the civil rights movement. They watch the film and answer discussion...

Students learn vocabulary about the flag. They name the colors of the flag. They identify symbols of American patriotism.

Young scholars explore the history of flags and design banners for their communities. their designs reflect sentiments shaped by the events of 9/11. In addition, they write phrases beginning with, "being an American means..." Students...

Students analyze Pop art and the work of Robert Indiana. In this Pop art lesson, students read about the history of Pop art and a biography of Robert Indiana. Students complete a criticism and aesthetics activity, create their own Pop...