Pupils explore the idealistic expectations of the industrialists who financed and built mills in Lowell, Massachusetts. They research how the expectations of Lowell mill founders compared to the reality of life in the textile mills for...

Students discover the story of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. In this American Civil War instructional activity, students study the life of Robert Gould Shaw and the regiment he led. Students research primary and secondary sources to...

In this primary source analysis worksheet, students respond read an article from the 1773 Massachusetts Gazette regarding the Boston Tea Party. Students discuss the excerpt and its significance in American history.

Eleventh graders explore primary and secondary sources involving "everyday life" of individuals living in Deerfield at the four turns of the centuries. They learn what these characteristics reveal since the town's beginning as an English...

Eighth graders examine the experiences blacks were having in Massachusetts before and after the American Revolution. They also discover that many blacks migrated to Canada in search of a better life.

Students research primary and secondary source documents to examine the separation of New Hampshire from the larger colony of Massachusetts.

Eleventh graders examine how in this volatile period, colonial powers and Native groups competed for trade goods and land, coming into conflict repeatedly. They also explore primary and secondary sources.

Eleventh graders review the goals of John Winthrop.  In this American History lesson plan, 11th graders read Winthrop's speech and summarize his key points.  Students predict the possibilities for success and failure in the...

Young scholars use primary resources (gazettes, broadsides, advertisements) to consider life at the turn of the 18th century in Deerfield, Massachusetts. They infer observations about life in the nascent United States.

High schoolers examine the expectations of Civil War soldiers. In this American Civil War lesson, students analyze a letter written by Colonel Shaw to his wife in order to gain an understanding of the expectations of the 54th Regiment....

Learners research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the two...

Students use art and images analyze the Civil War. In this lesson on the Shaw Memorial, students engage in 3 activities, discussion, and art analysis to better comprehend the events of the Civil War. This lesson includes web resources,...

Students analyze a map of Maine to determine its proportions in 1795. They examine Osgood Carleton's map of Maine from 1795 and complete a worksheet. They share their observations with their group and evaluate a present day map of Maine....

Eighth graders study maps of the same area from different time periods which show the ways in which the land stayed the same, and the ways this New England village changed over the years.

High schoolers examine the life and reform efforts of Dorothea Dix on behalf of people with disabilities. They discover how her efforts resulted in the passage of legislation. They also examine the care people with disabilities receive.

Students describe the basic beliefs of the Puritan religion; identify the principle figures in the Salem Witch Trials;explain the events that led to the mass hysteria suffered by the town; analyze the First Amendment; and examine...

Eleventh graders examine the qualities of a leader.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders read the story of Nathaniel Bowditch and use it as a catalyst for discussions on leadership and the definition of a hero.  

Prompt your class with the following question: What was the status of American Indians in Massachusetts during Jackson's presidency? To answer this question, class members will read a series of primary source documents (attached),...

The work of building and maintaining a democracy is, in the words of Justice William Hastie, "never finished." To better understand what Hastie sees as an ongoing building process, class members listen to a seven-minute podcast about two...

Beginning in 1851, Thoreau recorded the dates of the first spring blooms in Concord, and this data is helping scientists analyze climate change! The culminating instructional activity in the series of four has pupils graph and analyze...

Students examine sites located in Massachusetts that celebrate the history of African Americans. In groups, they read census reports and oral histories to gather more information about this group of people. They develop a timeline of...

Students investigate immigration in Massachusetts during the 1990's. They research a series of questions pertaining to immigration, including their experiences, obstacles, and countries of origin. They graph the five most prevalent...

Eleventh graders conduct interviews with a relative or a family friend who lived in Massachusetts during the Depression. They write an essay based on the interview that shows an intimate portrayal of how the lives of the individuals who...

Learners analyze the effects of Shays' Rebellion. In this Shays' Rebellion lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the rebellion and the events that led to it. Learners respond to discussion...