Is it a calendar? A religious symbol? A political statement? One thing for certain is that Aztec sun stone designs remain an important symbol in Mexican cultural art. Young artists craft their own Aztec Sun design incorporating ideas...

To conclude an eight-lesson study of the events that occurred in the early colonial period in Deerfield, Massachussetss, class members evaluate the point of view and bias found in late 19th and early 20th century retellings.

The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...

In 1856 Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beat Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts over the head with a cane. This event, which highlighted the acrimonious debate over the expansion of slavery, is the focus of a paper...

Students participate in class discussion to investigate how media affects the ideas of Americans (specifically in politics) and then research events in political history to analyze how the media may have influenced the government's...

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.

Learners define what it meant to be an American early on in the nation's history. In this American identity lesson plan, students examine the noted quotations and determine what was meant by each of the authors with regards to an...

Students examine excerpts of Thomas Paine's Common Sense. For this early American history lesson, students read Paine's pamphlet and analyze the information according the rubric provided.

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.  

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.

Class groups examine conflicting primary and secondary sources describing the 1704 attack on the fort at Deerfield by French and Native Americans and analyze the implications of discrepancies.

As part of a study of colonial and Native American history, class members focus on the beliefs and land use of the Pocumtucks, who settled near Deerfield, Massachusetts. Students examine their beliefs about land use and ownership, the...

Learners view and analyze three different images related to the Battle of Lexington and Concord. They also answer a variety of questions in a graphic organizer to help keep the information straight.

To war! To war! Every nation in the history of the world has had to deal with warfare on some level. Scholars go through a series of activities and discussions surrounding the development of the Constitution to help them better...

Young historians examine a memorial sculpture of the first African American regiment in the Civil War, and then compare how the experiences of the regiment are portrayed in letters and poetry, as well as in the motion...

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...

Students write letters to penpals. In this geography/literacy lesson, students become penpals with a classroom in England to learn about customs and society across the ocean. Flat Stanley by Will Holton is read aloud, and students...

Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact.  In this U.S. History lesson, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S. settlers and...

Students 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 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.

If you are looking for a secular approach to teaching about Easter, this may just be the resource for you. Pupils read a paraphrased text depicting the last supper, arrest, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ as told in the Bible,...

Students study the state of the world before the slave trade. They explain the geography and economics of the slave trade. They explore primary sources and how historians use these sources to create historical interpretations.

Eighth graders determine how secession impacted South Carolina as well as the United States. In this American Civil War instructional activity, 8th graders examine selected primary and secondary sources in order to study the state's...