What makes an effective fort, and why might a city feel that they need such a structure? Your young historians will explore the purpose and design for Fort McHenry, and build their own models of a fort based on the information they...

The Le Moyne brothers, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre, were among the first explorers of the Gulf Coast. Class members read biographical information and journal entries about these men, study maps showing where the settlements they established...

It's 1943, and Jewish people in Denmark are in hiding from the Nazis. What protection can the United States offer them? By examining the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights, scholars consider the protections afforded to those...

How much do you know about Canadian history? If you're from Canada you may know a lot! Review major Canadian battles, famous politicians, and provinces with your class. You'll find simple yet informative information, images, and a...

Useful for history or economics classes, this presentation details the characteristics of mercantilism and its evolution into modern-day capitalism. The slides detail Adam's Smith criticism of mercantilism and how, rather than an...

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

Students are introduced to the concept of evolution by natural selection from a historical standpoint. They examine the evidence and arguments that support the theory of natural selection.

Young scholars discuss the societal roots of music from times of slavery and black spirituals, and compare it to the emergence of Rap and Hip Hop music.

Vive la résistance! Provide young historians with a list of important people and events during the French Revolution and Napoleonic periods.

In 2006, about 20 percent of the world's electricity was generated from hydroelectric power. In the presentation, scholars review the water cycle and gravitational energy to begin to understand how humans harness the power of water. They...

Students research lifestyles from the 18th century. They examine artifacts from the Jean Hasbrouck House and associate them with the responsibilities and roles of the people who lived there. They make candles and consider the importance...

In this online interactive history instructional activity, students respond to 20 multiple choice questions about Rousseau's The Social Contract. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive instructional activity.

The Museum of Modern Art provides this educators' guide to Dada and Surrealism. Featuring the works of such artists as Jean Arp, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, and Meret Oppenheim among others, the guide is ideal for art history and...

In this Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry comprehension check activity, students respond to 12 short answer questions covering chapter 8 of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor in order to help them better understand the chapter...

Fourth graders discuss early Nebraskan history. They view and discuss the painting "Sodhouse Family." Students are directed to the artistic elements of the painting, such as the horizon line. They follow a prescribed procedure to create...

High schoolers study Asian works of art and Japanese haiku. They then take this knowledge and create an original haiku in response to other works of art.

After the abstractists and the Cubists of the early 20th century left their mark, the Dada and Neue-Sachlichkeit movements began. Examine the interesting world of these movements and have your class consider their impact on current...

Imagine if Sigmund Freud or Charles Darwin had a Facebook page. As part of a study of major historical figures in the field of psychology, class members are assigned a psychologist and design a mock Facebook page that includes...

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, considered by many to be a seminal piece of American literature, contains many complex literary themes that carry through United States history. Use a series of discussion questions and classroom...

Pointillism is the focus of a lesson that asks young artists to compare Vance Kirkland's painting style with aboriginal dot art, and then to produce their own piece of dot art.

Take some time to focus on Christopher Columbus, his three ships, the purpose of his voyage, and the new land he discovered. Pay special attention to the included additional materials, they are the real value in this resource.

Review one of the most memorable cases in the history of the United States. After reading To Kill A Mockingbird, young scholars read and select court transcripts and other primary source material from the Scottsboro Boys Trial of 1933....

The history of the Latin American revolutions - and the philosophies behind them - is the focus of this comprehensive presentation. From the theories of the European Enlightenment, to the Revolutionary Wars of America and France, Latin...