High schoolers study maps to determine barriers associated with the Pennsylvania mountains and the Native Americans.  In this investigative lesson pupils study the routes used by Native Americans, explain physical features of the...

Students read the story of Molly's Pilgrim, create a Native American doll, and explore the meaning of the word pilgrim.

Fourth graders read The Trail of Tears and create a timeline to show the sequence of events that effected the Native American tribes during Andrew Jackson's presidency. In this Native American lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the...

Students create short oral presentations describing how Native American tribes use dance, poetry, music, art and other expressions to make a dedication to a physical concept or thing.

Middle schoolers examine the exploration of the New World. They write a descriptive account of the first encounter between Europeans and Native Americans, analyze and label maps, plot Columbus's journey on a map, and write a chapter...

Fourth graders study cultural characteristics regarding Native American beliefs. They discuss spiritualism as it relates to respect. (respect for all things, living and dead; connection with the land, etc.) They provide examples they...

Students identify figurative language in a proverb and write an interpretation of the proverb prior to reading The Witch of Goingsnake. In this The Witch of Goingsnake lesson, students read a native American proverb and determine whether...

Third graders read and discuss the "Indian Allotment Act". Students compare communal and private property we have today. Students research Indian tribes online and write about their way of life and traditions during the 1880s. ...

Ninth graders read and color “Boats, Boats, Boats on Lake Champlain.”  In this US History lesson, 9th graders listen to more detailed descriptions of the history of boating on Lake Champlain.  Students draw a picture of a boat...

Eleventh graders study the history of immigration from 1850 to the present.  For this American History lesson, 11th graders compare the 1924 and 1965 immigration acts and give a reasoned opinion on each.  Students research,...

Students identify and research key event in the history of Illinois during the 1800's and create a dramatic skit or oral report based on the event.

Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and  investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black...

Students discuss the history of Native American pottery in North Carolina. They explore the coil method of making pottery and make their own creations implementing the coil method. They can allow the pots to dry or have them kiln-fired.

Students develop debating and analytical thinking skills. They take a position in the Back-to-Africa discussion, based upon any readings and the two opposing essays they read. In groups, they discuss an issue from two different points...

Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this American Revolution lesson, 8th graders examine the Battle of Fort Moultrie and create their own historical narratives regarding the event.

Eighth graders examine primary sources regarding Henry Laurens and his time in the Tower of London. In this American Revolution lesson plan, 8th graders create illustrated journals based on their research of imprisonment of Henry Laurens.

Eighth graders reflect on the relationship between the American Indians and the French, Spanish and American explorers.  In this United States History instructional activity, 8th graders work in small groups to discuss how the lives...

Students view a video of Colonial House, a reality series where people lived according to the standards of European immigrants to the U.S. in 1628. In this colonial history instructional activity, students research changes in geographic...

Eighth graders locate the major land forms and bodies of water on a map of Louisiana. In groups, they discuss the role of the Mississippi River in the Battle of New Orleans and how land and water affect the outcome of battles. To end...

Students study the interaction between Native American and European cultures in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s. They focus their study on the Hudson's Bay Company and Fort Vancouver.

Sixth graders review and study the major regions of Native Americans and how their cultures were influenced by geography, natural resources and religious beliefs. They utilize chronological thinking, historical analysis and historical...

Students consider how New Deal programs impacted African Americans. In this New Deal lesson, students collaborate to research Internet and print sources regarding selected New Deal programs and African Americans....

Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...

Study and compare multiple aspects of both Aztec and Inca civilizations. Young historians explain how each of the empires came to be, and how they were both defeated by the Spanish. The resource starts out as a good instructional...