Urbana School District
Knocking Down Fences
After reading The Other Side and guiding children through a picture walk, third graders investigate evidence of the civil rights movement. In the mini unit, 3rd graders analyze photographs of the past and make connections...
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A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words
Students explore the power of images through political cartoons, particularly in light of the Danish caricatures of Muhammad that have incited violence around the world. They create their own original artwork to submit to an appropriate...
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Railroad Idioms Art Lesson Plan
Sixth graders research railroad idioms. In this idiom activity, 6th graders read through a glossary of different railroad idioms and their meanings. They illustrate a chosen idiom.
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Pieces of the Past
Students study the importance of preserving the archaeological record. They write a paragraph describing an object and why it is important to them. They cut their paper into a puzzle and compare their own to the student they trade with.
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Language Arts: Putting Together a Position Paper
Students are able to identify the target audience for their writing. They are able to create an appropriate format for their papers. Students are able to focus on the developing clear arguments and supporting all key points with facts.
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The Immigration Experience
Students research the reasons people immigrated to the United States. In this United States history lesson, students explore the causes and effects of immigrating. Students engage in a role-playing scenario , watch a video, and explore a...
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"I Hear America Singing": Controversy and Music in the Mexican War
Eighth graders examine the Mexican War and its outcome through music. In this primary source analysis lesson, 8th graders analyze the lyrics of selected songs to consider the 2 perspectives regarding U.S. involvement in the war. Students...
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Workers leaving Pennsylvania shipyards, Beaumont, Texas
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze an image of workers leaving the Pennsylvania shipyards in Texas. Students respond to 1 short answer question based on the provided source.
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A New Deal for the Arts - WPA Photographs
Students examine school life during the 1930s. They discuss the Great Depression and the New Deal, examine and discuss photographs from the Library of Congress website, and complete a worksheet about school life during the Great Depression.
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Mapmaker, Mapmaker, Make Me a Map!
Students evaluate the different types of historical and geographical information that one can gather through close study of historical maps from the 16th through the 19th centuries. They create their own maps.
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Play Doh Map of Your State
Learners create a state map using Playdoh. In this hands-on state geography lesson, students work in groups to form a three-dimensional map of their state using Playdoh made at home following a (given) recipe. Learners use four...
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The Great Depression
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (photographs and letters) for evidence of difficulties children faced during the Great Depression. They are asked how the government tries to help people with problems that people face to...
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Signature History
Students review the meaning and application of primary and secondary sources in research. They determine how researchers locate primary source documents before looking at signatures as a validating factor on many primary sources....
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Creating Dramatic Monologues from The Grapes of Wrath
The characters in The Grapes of Wrath come to life through an activity that asks groups to craft a dramatic monologue for a character in John Steinbeck's National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winning novel. Writers are...
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World War II
Students are asked what they recall about World War II. They are explained that they are going to find out about the role of women during World War II. Students have the option of researching daily life of women in either Germany,...
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George Washington: The President Without Precedent
Students explore time period and events surrounding George Washington's inauguration, demonstrate how Washington set precedent for each action he took as American Republic's new president, and compare and contrast traditions and events...
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A New Candidate for Animal Farm
Students create an advertising campaign in which a candidate from Animal Farm will run for an upcoming election. In this follow-up activity to George Orwell's Animal Farm lesson, students explore propaganda, rhetoric, and satire as they...
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Stereoisomers
Learners investigate stereoisomers using models that can be rotated and manipulated. In this stereoisomers lesson plan, students try to make models of molecules look alike by rotating the bonds. Using a mirror, the teacher demonstrates...
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Assignment Discovery Lesson Plan World War II
Students examine primary and secondary documents about life on the homefront during World War II. In this World War II lesson, students research the conditions of daily life in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany...
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African-Americans in California's Heartland
Students read and view video about the pioneers moving west. In this African American pioneer lesson, students become familiar with the problems faced by the pioneers and African-American pioneers. Students complete...
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The Three R's: Relief, Recovery and Reform through the New Deal Programs
Learners explore how the United States recovered from the Great Depression. In this history lesson, students research a chosen program that was implemented by Franklin D. Roosevelt, then create an informational brochure or pamphlet...
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Faces of the Past: Boys in the Civil War
Students investigate the role of boys during the American Civil War. In this Civil War Research lesson, students study the contributions of young Union and Confederate men to the war effort. Students also make...
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Inventions Change the World: The Enigma Machine
Third graders explore WWII by analyzing technological advances. In this invention instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss the use of the Enigma machine which decoded private German messages that communicated with U-boats. Students...
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I'm Proud... My Husband Wants Me To Do My Part
In this World War II worksheet, students examine a propaganda poster featuring women and the war effort and then respond to 4 short answer questions based on their analysis of the poster.