Curated OER
The Life of a President
Students examine the life of President Gerald R. Ford. After reading an article, they discuss his legacy. They collect articles written during his time in office and examine the key issues of his presidency. They write an article about...
PBS
Looking for Lincoln Throughout His Life
Young historians gather information about Abraham Lincoln through a variety of activities. They match vocabulary words with pictures to create a timeline. Additionally, learners read books and articles that teach them...
Curated OER
Lesson III: Crisis, Pearl Harbor, Internment
The third in a series of lessons introduced by “A Fence Away From Freedom,” uses the Smithsonian website, “A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution” and focuses on the section of the presentation devoted to the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Native American Cultures Across the U.S.
Learners examine how American Indians are represented in today's society. They read stories, analyze maps, and complete a chart and create an illustration about a specific tribe.
Rice University
American Government 2e
An informative resource provides a textbook on American government that covers topics such as the definition of government and how democracy works. Each section provides brief questions at the end to assess scholars' understanding.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Analyzing the Inaugural Address
Get high school historians to step outside their own shoes by responding to JFK's inaugural address from the perspective of a civil rights activist, a soviet diplomat, or a Cuban exile. After a class discussion about the address,...
Federal Reserve Bank
Could It Happen Again?
The final lesson plan in a series of six about the Great Depression focuses on the Federal Reserve's role in stabilizing the economy.
Curated OER
Cloud in the Classroom
Students describe the relationship between animals and humans. For this biology lesson, students research about the history of horses in America. They present a mock news broadcast about their research.
Curated OER
Who Are Our Greatest Presidents?
Students create criteria to evaluate U.S. Presidents. In this presidential legacy lesson, students determine criteria to rank presidents. Students research the presidents, then evaluate the current president and assess how they will be...
Curated OER
Historical Figure: A Monologue
Fourth graders develop their speaking skills. For this monologue lesson, 4th graders watch their instructors model a monologue regarding Abraham Lincoln. Students apply these skills as they research a historical figure from their state...
Curated OER
Smallpox Threat
Students examine a website devoted to sharing smallpox facts. They are to focus on the history of the diesease, how to prevent it and the pathology involved. They discover information about the smallpox vaccine and how it can be used as...
Curated OER
Through the Eyes of Al McIntosh
Students examine World War II through the eyes of local journalists such as Al McIntosh. As a class, they discuss how stories about the war affects the public back at home. In groups, they compare and contrast how newspapers reported...
Curated OER
Weapons of World War I
Ninth graders discover the weapons of World War I. They compare and contrast the weapons used during that time period with the weapons that are used in warfare today. They create a digital slide show with the history, uses, and...
Curated OER
Coal Mine Industrial Picture Analysis
Students observe coal mine pictures. In this US history instructional activity, students analyze the pictures realizing that history is shown in pictures and then write a newspaper article about life in a coal town using...
Curated OER
Oh, Go Fly a Kite!
Students research and report on aspects of kites including: history, types, building and flying kites. They use Inspiration Software as a graphic organizer. They use gathered research to complete informational booklets.
Curated OER
Word Play
Students examine the history of Chinese American artist Xu Bing. In this multicultural lesson, students collaborate in small groups to identify letters in the artist's work, and brainstorm how they would create their own images from...
Curated OER
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
Discuss a Nero Wolfe mystery on brining criminals to justice. Secondary students will read the book A Nero Wolfe Mystery: The Doorbell Rang. They then will watch the movie depicting this story and answer discussion questions. There are...
Curated OER
Isamu Noguchi/Stone Sculpture
Students examine the art and history of Japan and use it to help them conceptualize and create a work of art that reveals something about their own culture. They examine, interpret and analyze Noguchi's work and reveal information...
Curated OER
Westward Expansion
Middle schoolers explore the Westward Expansion Movement of U.S. history. For this Westward movement lesson, students use primary and secondary source documents research personal accounts of those who travelled west during the era....
Research Parent
Universe Cards
A 9-page packet comes with 24 cards that have pictures and informational text about each object in the universe. From nebulae to dwarf planets, objects we see—or don't see—are represented in the cards through pictures and words.
Curated OER
Exploring US Foreign Policy after WWII--The Cold War
Scholars explore U.S. Foreign Policy and Cold War ideologies adopted after WWII. They conduct Internet research on a topic or issue related to the Cold War Era, watch two films, and compose a time line and a multimedia presentation to...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
Whitewater Valley Railroad
Teaching and Learning with The Polar Express
Use a series of extension activities to enhance your class reading of Chris Van Allsburg's holiday classic, The Polar Express. From a biography of the author to filmed book reviews and research about the railroad, kids can take...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Military Advisers in Vietnam: 1963
How did the beginning of the Vietnam War factor into the Cold War with the Soviet Union? As part of a study of American involvement in Vietnam, class members read a letter address to President Kennedy and his response in which...