Curated OER
Family Interviews: The Grandparent/Elder Project
Students explore key concepts/facts in 20th Century history, develop interview questions, and produce master list of questions that can be used in project. Students then interview grandparent, great-grandparent, or other elder about...
Curated OER
Natural Disasters: Nature's Fury
Students explore the human experience. For this business ethics lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the American natural disasters of the 19th and 20th centuries and the implications they presented.
Curated OER
The Civil War Through a Child's Eye
Students use primary and secondary sources to observe a child's view of the Civil war. For this Civil War lesson, students understand that different people had different perspectives on the war. Students recognize the...
Curated OER
Immigration and Oral History
Students examine immigration. In this oral and social histories instructional activity, students analyze primary sources to research immigration history in their community. In this year-long research project, students participate in...
Curated OER
Stand Up and Sing
Students locate historical references in songs. They create music/lyrics to illustrate an historical topic.
Curated OER
Personal Stories and Primary Sources: Conversations with Elders
Learners learn from their elders. In this oral and social histories lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the America in which their grandparents grew up. Learners conduct interviews with elders in...
Curated OER
Exploring Community Through Local History: Oral Stories, Landmarks and Traditions
High schoolers explore the history of their local community. In this local history lesson, students analyze primary documents to develop an understanding of the local culture and traditions of their local community.
Curated OER
Reading A Historical Photograph
Students examine a historical photograph to gather information and draw conclusions.
Curated OER
Old Photographs: Windows to the Past
Students examine several types of old photographs and compare them to photography today. Students search for historical photographs and draw conclusions about the time period from the subject matter. Students explain how a camera...
Curated OER
Segregation: From Jim Crow to Linda Brown
Students examine the African American social, economic, and political conditions between 1896 and 1953. In this segregation lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the plight of African Americans'...
Curated OER
Drums of War
Learners research the political climate prior to major American wars of the past, then reflect on the current call for power to confront Iraq. They create posters using newspaper articles and headlines to highlight the major opinions of...
Curated OER
The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
Young scholars analyze the U.S. Constitution. For this U.S. History lesson, students explore the purpose of the Constitution, as well as who was involved in its creation.
Curated OER
Bringing the Past to the Present
Second graders work in pairs and read a primary source artifact. They create a PowerPoint slide that will be part of a "museum" presentation for the rest of their class. Students select artifacts from a group of digitalized artifacts...
Curated OER
Challenges Faced by the New Nation's Presidents
Sixth graders, while in the computer lab utilizing the internet, locate primary sources to interpret and analyze the struggle of the new nation to gain the respect of European countries. They interact with a worksheet that organizes...
Curated OER
Immigration/Migration
Sixth graders investigate the immigration into America by researching Ellis Island. In this United States History lesson, 6th graders research the Internet to view photographs and find information about the immigration to Ellis Island....
Curated OER
Indian Removal Act
Pupils use the Internet to research the Indian Removal Act and write a journalistic article showcasing their findings. They choose from a variety of viewpoints and topics to narrow their focus.
Curated OER
Teaching With Documents Lesson Plan:Launching the New U.S. Navy
Students demonstrate understanding of the issues related to the creation and ratification of the United States Constitution and the new Government it established.
Curated OER
Blessings of a Free Government: The Louisiana Purchase in 1803
Students may take part in a multitude of activities listed such as creating political cartoons, comparison papers, and creating a portfolio to reinforce concepts and ideas surrounding the Louisiana Purchase.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Thomas Jefferson's Library Is Purchased
When the first Library of Congress was destroyed by the British, Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library as a replacement. This site presents a brief overview of these events, and includes photos and a portrait.
Library of Congress
Loc: Religion and Founding of American Republic: Religion and the Congress of the Confederation
This site from the Library of Congress offers descriptions of multiple events, people and beliefs that helped shape the government and culture of the U.S. Links to views of historical documents and pictures depicting the religious...
Library of Congress
Loc: Major Events in History: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
A synopsis of the events preceding the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, plus great pictures and links to excellent maps of the area negotiated for and to the text of the actual document.
Library of Congress
Loc: Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents
This page from the Library of Congress links directly to a chronology of events leading to the declaration of independence from Great Britain, the drafting of the document, and Jefferson's vison as stated in the Declaration of Independence.
Library of Congress
Loc: Making Connections Through Poetry
Why not assign a creative project through which students analyze historical documents and share their understanding through poetry and art? All of the resources for this project (documents, images, and examples of famous poems) are...
Library of Congress
Loc: European Reading Room: Germans in America Chronology
This site from the Library of Congress provides a good overview of events relating to German immigrants provided in a timeline from 1608 to 1990.