Core Knowledge Foundation
Sixth Grade Poetry
Study some of the most prominent poets and works of poetry in history with a language arts poetry unit. From Virgil to Shakespeare to Dickinson to Angelou, the resources present biographies and examples of poetic elements to...
Curated OER
Unit Two: The French Revolution and Napoleon
Have your class define, examine, and explore the causes and effects of the French Revolution. The presentation is organized so that students will be able to take effective notes on each topic covered. Critical thinking is promoted...
Kauai's Hindu Monastery
The History of Hindu India
What obstacles did India face during their post-colonial formation after gaining independence? Topics discussed in the lesson include Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, the Indian Constitution, economic development, and the...
Virginia Department of Education
World History and Geography to 1500 A.D.
Here's a great resource for your curriculum library. The 240-page packet, organized into units by topics, includes sample lesson plans, links to primary and secondary source documents, worksheets, activities, and sample assessments.
DocsTeach
Analyzing a Photograph of Clara Barton
Just who was Clara Barton? Using an archive photo from the National Archives, class members consider the legacy of the founder of the American Red Cross. The activity includes the photograph, along with prompts to help young scholars...
Australian Human Rights Commission
Introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Human rights became a global focus after decades of war, recovery from war, and uncountable war crimes committed throughout. Social studies class members discuss the Universal Declaration of Human Rights before completing an interactive...
Teacher.org
The History of Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving is the focus of a instructional activity that boosts reading comprehension and interview skills. Half the class reads about Pilgrims while the other half reads about the Native American, Squanto. After answering...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Marketing a Bad Idea: Why So Many People Joined the Klan in the 1920s
How did the Klu Klux Klan manage to gain so many members during the 1920s? Class members examine Klan documents and promotional materials to gain an understanding of the propaganda techniques used to attract members.
Curated OER
The Civil War: A Nation Divided
Discuss the differences between the North and the South and how those differences led to the Civil War. Middle schoolers examine and analyze a famous speech or writing by President Lincoln in order to better understand the speaker's...
Curated OER
Oh, Say, Can You See What the Star-Spangled Banner Means?
Students research the historical inspiration for the lyrics of the "The Star Spangled Banner". They explore websites, read articles and analyze poetry in an examination of America's patriotic symbols and history.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Analyzing the Inaugural Address
Get high school historians to step outside their own shoes by responding to JFK's inaugural address from the perspective of a civil rights activist, a soviet diplomat, or a Cuban exile. After a class discussion about the address,...
Curated OER
World War I - The War Ends
Your class is in for a treat with this outstanding PowerPoint on World War I. The presentation is loaded with facts, maps, important personalities, and discussion questions on the war. Additionally, there is a wonderful video called,...
Curated OER
To Join or not to Join the League of Nations - That is the Question
Students evaluate the possible reasons the United States did not become part of the League of Nations. In this World History instructional activity, students discuss the pros and cons of what might have happened if the United States had...
Curated OER
What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States
Students examine how the European voyages of discovery influence American culture even today. They map eighteenth century Europe's impact on the United States.
Smithsonian Institution
War of 1812
Luckily for those who aren't history buffs, anyone can guess that the War of 1812 happened in ... 1812. But how to cover the rest of the story? The resource does just that with effective direct instruction that includes statistics,...
Our White House
The Our White House Inauguration Celebration Kit for Kids!
Get the youngest American citizens involved in the presidential election and inauguration with a set of social studies activities. Focusing on the history of presidential inauguration ceremonies, learners draft their own poems, design...
Vanderbilt University
Stories from the Panama Canal
The stories of the Silver People, the West Indies immigrants hired to work on the Panama Canal, come to life in a lesson about the building of the Panama Canal. Groups research why the canal was built, how it was build, the working...
New York Historical Society
The Vietnam War: 1945-1975
Do pupils know that the Vietnam War spanned a period of 30 years? A war that long is bound to leave devastating effects. Help young historians develop a comprehensive understanding of the war through multiple units on the subject that...
Student Handouts
The Cold War: The Truman Doctrine of 1947
What was the Truman administration's position on foreign policy during the Cold War? Class members respond to an excerpt from President Harry S. Truman's "Truman Doctrine" with three questions in the space provided.
Curated OER
The Power of One
High schoolers examine the origins of the Canadian nation and government. They study the principles upon which each of the provinces was founded. The four-lesson sequence also provides opportunities for experiences in visual art, story...
Curated OER
The Great Military: Map of Texas
The battle at the Alamo may be one of the most famous military campaigns in Texas history, but it is by no means the only one. As part of their study of the military history of Texas, class members research less-well-known sites, locate...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The Election of 1912
The Election of 1912: an election with four competitive opponents. Pupils get to know the candidates with informative reading passages that provide context to the election. Then, the class engages in a debate and answers questions as one...
Library of Congress
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance brought forth many American art forms including jazz, and the writings of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Using a carefully curated set of documents from the Library of Congress, pupils see the cultural...
Heritage Foundation
Slavery and the Constitution
It's hard to believe the abolition movement was once seen as scandalous. Help learners understand how the US Constitution changed everything. A variety of activities such as corresponding reading activities, group work ideas, and...