From the trade of the colonial era to the Clean Water Act, water has shaped American history. Class members unpack how water affected the American story using primary sources that span events including the Lewis and Clark expedition to...

Geography has played a complex role in America history. The Atlantic Ocean has served as a buffer to protect the United States from European Wars, but its proximity to Cuba, however, left it vulnerable to nuclear war during the Cuban...

Using primary and secondary sources—including classics such as the Communist Manifesto—class members consider the effects of these ideas on the course of history. Another essay prompt explores geography and history, while multiple-choice...

Every once in awhile a resource comes along that has all the materials you could ever want on a specific topic. Here's such a resource; an amazing collection of primary sources, photographs, posters, handbills, articles, and even the...

It looks like a cracker, but hardtack was anything but. The staple of the Civil War soldier's diet is one of many aspects of military life that scholars consider using letters from soldiers back home and images from slavery. A PowerPoint...

The Civil War—in its breathtaking ferocity—came to a close in 1864. However, turmoil echoed throughout the country's politics, including the presidential context between Lincoln and McClellan. Performing chronology and primary source...

How can we create a more fair world? Chances are, class members have some ideas! After reading a text about fairness, individuals create skits around the ideas of fairness. Extend the learning and make their presentations a...

Scholars watch two puppet dialogues illustrating negative and positive communication between friends. Then, they discuss how the puppets' communication skills influenced the outcome of each interaction. 

Class members read a handout to learn about using I-Messages—honest statements that begin with I to get their points of view across. Next, learners practice using I-Messages with partners to better communicate without hurting...

The role of the judicial branch has far reaches into American life. Learners consider its uses with a reading on the branch and a structured conversation on the topic. Together, they work to root their contributions to the discussion in...

African Americans fought in the Civil War, and they were recruited by both the Union and the Confederacy! By comparing the wording of posters—one directed at freedmen and another to the owners of enslaved people—young historians discover...

There's more to music than a memorable tune. The songs of those who were enslaved reveal the harsh realities of their lives. Using both songs and slave narratives, historians uncover this hidden history. The lesson incorporates a variety...

Some enslaved people decided to run for their liberation. Using lyrics of songs they sang, young historians look at these anthems of freedom. An assessment asks them to write the story of escape from the perspective of an enslaved...

If a picture is worth a thousand words, song lyrics also can communicate many meanings. Using the lyrics of spirituals, young historians analyze them for coded messages about freedom. Resources include a chart to help individuals track...

While many believe slavery ended after the American Civil War, it continues today in various forms. Using a WebQuest research project, class members investigate how the institution of slavery lives on in the modern world. Activities also...

Fourth graders engage in a lesson which integrates the study of the Underground Railroad in Indiana with a Language Arts unit on quilts. They write a book report on one of the quilt books read in class and design a quilt block for the...

Students explore African-American students literature as an integral building block in empowering all students to a better awareness when reading and writing. They use as a productive Social Studies tool for overall understanding of the...

Third graders discussschool integration.  In this racial inequality lesson, 3rd graders read Remember: The Journey to School Integrationand discuss the school facilities and how people must have felt. Students watch a...

This advertising PowerPoint displays the Values and Lifestyle program of target audiences. It lists the attributes of each audience group such as: Survivors, Sustainers, Belongers, Emulators, I-Am-Me, Experiential, Societally Conscious,...

Students integrate the study of the Revolutionary War through dance. They study many dances such as The Waltz, Charleston, Swing, Fox Trot, 50's and 60's dances all the way to the current Cha Cha Slide. They study the social aspect,...

Students read and explore the historical evidence that supports the viewpoint that Islamic women have made significant and lasting contributions to Islamic Civilization. They read and analyze secondary and primary sources relevant to...

Students study the ways in which one room schoolhouses were an integral part of Canadian society. They explore the economic, geographic, and cultural contributions to their establishment and speculate about and compare education...

Second graders focus on Native Americans through hands-on crafts. They also study various Native American tales and legends, geography, and fine arts of the different regions.

Students discuss how the issues surrounding school integration have changed since the Little Rock Nine entered Central High School. They discuss the recent events in Jena, Louisiana. Students write a letter to a school administrator...