Who was the second Baronet in Great Britain, you ask? Why, it was non other than Sir Robert Peel! Learn all about Sir Peel's life, politics, and contributions to British policy. If this isn't what your class is studying in school, it...

Young historians study primary and secondary source materials to try and separate the true story of Pocahontas from the myths, fictional tales, and conflicting accounts of her life.

Imagine living in the hold of a sailing ship for 63 days, enduring rough seas and autumn storms. As part of a study of the voyage of the Mayflower, class members examine an online resource that details life about the ship, watch a slide...

This set of discussion questions prompts learners to think about their place in the global community. These questions encourage them to consider food availability, free community services, schooling, and what life in other countries...

The first Thanksgiving is the focus of a lesson 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 questions, pupils...

American traditions of Thanksgiving come to life through culinary activities. Young chefs practice cooking a turkey and setting a table for a Thanksgiving family feast. They use math and reading skills to follow directions and measure...

Role play as a person living in the 1830s working in a Lowell factory. The class will take on the role of factory owner, girl on strike, talk show host, and girl not wanting to strike. Each group will analyze and research their character...

This PowerPoint has simple slides that outline Martin Luther King's life and pivotal moments in his career. Important facts are an excellent jumping off point for further discussion, research or class project or as a review for...

How did Fidel Castro's revolution affect the people of Cuba? Through a series of vivid images and light text, learners will consider life for Cubans under both Batista and Castro. The images can be used as discussion starters or to...

Learners increase their reading comprehension skills with a reading passage describing the early life of Christopher Columbus. They read the passage and then answer each of the five comprehension questions.

Use oral history as a way to help learners develop communication skills. They interview a trusted adult about their life as a young person, challenges they overcame, and what they are proud of. Learners are then interviewed themselves in...

America during the 1920s was quite an interesting place! Bring the jazz, poverty, consumer excess, culture, and politics to life with this presentation. Primary source images, excellent descriptive text, and a wide span of topics are...

Young historians gain a well-rounded insight into the tragedy of the Holocaust by exploring pre-war Jewish life, reading and discussing survivor testimonies, and illustrating their understanding by using their own words and those of a...

Should the United States ban the death penalty? Scholars use real-life examples of criminal activity to come to their own conclusions on the death penalty. Primary source documents, as well as video clips, open the issue of capital...

All rise! Scholars put their skills to the test in a mock trial. Using evidence, photographs, and testimony, they role play the trial in the classroom. Rules of law—and the court room—come to life as the class becomes a place of law! 

Mind maps are great tools. Teach your classes how to use mind maps to collect, organize, and retain information with a lesson plan that asks learners to research the life of Sacagawea and use mind maps to record their findings.

Using sources from various publications and a series of videos, pupils consider the global economy and the positive and negative effects of globalization. With a jigsaw discussion and a writing assignment, scholars weigh in on whether...

A 64-page packet, a day-to-day guide organized by months, contains information and activities that reinforce basic skills while celebrating aspects of everyday life.

Students examine and analyze visual media and its messages critically. They determine whether specific media messages inform, entertain, or persuade and what factors influence the media. Using primary sources, they participate in peer...

Fourth graders investigate the social skill of honesty and trust. They diagram how the two are related and participate in class activities in order to strengthen cognitive connections of how honesty and trust are related. The lesson...

Students identify examples of African clothing for casual and special occasions. After the teacher models types of African garb, they brainstorm reasons why people wear certian types of dress. They view pictures of various African...

Seventh graders study to identify patterns in earthquake activity and impacts on human behavior. They also develop plans to cope with such natural disasters.

Words can hurt. Words may not break bones but they can break a heart. An activity focused on the meaning of and the history of some often heard words and phrases is designed to raise awareness of the importance of choosing words...

Balloons take on the role of stereotypes in an activity that asks high school freshman to generate a list of different adjectives that are frequently used to describe men and women. Then then attach a stereotypical label to a balloon and...