Students explore reading comprehension strategies. For this character development and reading comprehension lesson, students brainstorm common traits of "heroes." Students read Heroes, then identify the personal conflicts the story...

Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....

Students identify and analyze when the following occurred: the beginning of the NAACP, the enactment of the Pure Food and Drug Act, the ratification of the nineteenth Amendment, and the enactment of the Clayton Anti-trust Act. Students...

Students view a video clip about the reconstruction efforts in Iraq. They work together to compare and contrast the reconstruction plans after the Spanish-American War and World War II. They compare those results to the situation in Iraq.

High schoolers examine the French colonization of Vietnam, the Vietnam War, and the current evolving Communist system. They develop political maps, outline the major events of the Vietnam War, write an essay, and compare/contrast...

Learners discuss the role of the media in public opinion. They use the internet to research when the media has had an impact on war. They write an essay about their research and any conclusions they have made.

Students compare/contrast the Afro-American and Puerto Rican experience as they migrated and assimilated in the U.S. They research and discuss the reasons for migration and the historical significance of economic autonomy and oppression.

Students view photographs of Charles Young. They analyze the photograph to decipher the time period. As an introduction, students brainstorm questions they may ask the man in the photograph. Students investigate the era of the...

Fifth graders explore all the myths of the battle of Yorktown. A variety of primary documents are viewed and analyzed for discussion. They become aware that what one sees and hears is not always as it seems in reality. Each group...

Young scholars explore the concept of political cartoons. In this political cartoons lesson, students examine political cartoons from different time periods in American history and respond to questions regarding them.

Students examine the photographs of Russell Lee and identify the obstacles faced by Mexican-Americans in Texas during the early and mid-20th century. They discuss the ways they overcame these obstacles and relate it to obstacles in...

Eighth graders take a closer look at the Spanish influenza breakout of 1918. In this research skills lesson, 8th graders examine primary sources gathered by their instructor and identify how communities prepared (or did not prepare for)...

Students researchhow Queen Ann's War of Europe affect Native Americans in New England. After reading excerpts from History of Deerfiel by George Sheldon and Nuthatch's Dilemma, a story about a Pocumtuck woman, students are prepared to...

Seventh graders are introduced to the processes of cotton farming in the early 20th century. In groups, they examine the role of Mexican Americans on the farms and the impact of a boom and bust economy on cotton. They identify the...

Students explore the American cattle industry history. For this United States history and reading comprehension cross curriculum lesson, students read an article about the history of longhorn cattle, then answer comprehension questions...

High schoolers investigate how women went to war and the contributions that they have made in history. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a class presentation and answer some...

Railways not only cross the US, but they are also intertwined with the history of America. Using a timeline format, individuals explore the connections between major events in American history—such as the Civil War—and the rise of the...

Railways are an integral part of the history of California. Using a timeline format, class members connect major historical events to the rise of the railroads and their impact on the state. Activities include a mix of independent and...

Eighth graders explore the assistance to the American Revolution provided by Spain. Through class discussion and research, they gather information about Bernardo de Galvez and his role during the Revolutionary War. Students synthesize...

Students recall their knowledge of Native American people who lived in the West and reflect on how their perspectives differed from pioneers and argonauts of the 19th century.

What can maps tell us about the past? Find out with a Spanish lesson that incorporates geography. After examining maps individually, comparing two old maps of Spanish Florida and writing notes in the provided Venn diagram, pupils pair up...

Combine history and Spanish instruction with an exploration of descriptions of fines given in Florida in 1790. Partners read the brief text, fill out a graphic organizer about the crimes described, and interview each other about fines....

Middle schoolers explore how World War I created a foundation for the United States to become a world power. In this World History lesson plan, students work in small groups to create posters and an oral presentation to share their...

Eleventh graders explore the term terrorism.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders participate in a press release on terrorism.