Students view a documentary on the different values and meaning placed on the buffalo. Examining various cultures, they link the attitudes to the treatment of the animal in the wild. They develop solutions to the conflict raised by the...

Learners examine their assumptions about forest fires. They explore the conflicts involved with the forest service's new strategy. in addition, they will study one case where a prescribed natural burn had a significant impact on a later,...

Students study the goals set out for the Constitution. They examine the resolutions arrived at to resolve three major conflicts which arose during the writing of the Constitution. They discuss or write down a one-sentence summary of...

Students reflect on the events that lead up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early 1960s.  In this history lesson plan, students explore the conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union revolving around missiles in...

Fourth graders investigate the concept of fire and how it was used by the Native Americans. The instructional activity has sufficient background information for the teacher to establish historical context. Students summarize the nine...

Students examine importance of buffalo in culture of Blackfeet Indians, and explore types of technology used by Indians to kill large numbers of buffalo. Students research transition of Blackfeet from subsistence economy to capitalist...

Reading about history is nothing like experiencing it firsthand. Encourage your eighth graders to do the next best thing with a historical narrative prompt, in which they describe the experience of a first-time traveler on the...

Eleventh graders recognize the interaction between early settlers and indigenous people in the U.S. They recognize the impact of the Indian Removal Act on displaced Natives in the early West and the impact on Native attitudes today.

Students discover the political and cultural conflicts that led to the Battle of Horseshoe Blend, Alabama, and evaluate historical maps of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. They research American Indian cultures that were located in their...

Eighth graders examine the time period of the Industrial revolution in American history.  In this American History lesson plan, 8th graders read the chapter on this time period.  Students create a presentation on this time...

Students reflect on challenges that face farmers in cultivating crops, including insects. They then simulate how crops are affected by native and non-native insect populations and the options farmers have to protect their crops. Finally,...

Learn how the Civil War created fierce conflicts among American Indian nations who had been moved across the Mississippi River.

Young scholars participate in a simulation activity to help them explain the attitudes involved during the Manifest Destiny period in American history. It provides a clear demonstration of territorial disputes.

Students visit Internet sites to compare ways of life of Indians on western Texas frontier and U.S. military men at Texas forts, and draw pictures to illustrate clothing, transportation, weapons, and shelter of both Indians and U.S....

Fifth graders explore all the myths of the battle of Yorktown. A variety of primary documents are viewed and analyzed for discussion. They become aware that what one sees and hears is not always as it seems in reality. Each group...

Eleventh graders study the history of immigration from 1850 to the present.  For this American History lesson, 11th graders compare the 1924 and 1965 immigration acts and give a reasoned opinion on each.  Students research,...

Students examine the hunting and gathering aspects of the Washoe culture. They are assigned roles, and participate in a simulation of surviving through the seasons by competing for food with other people and tribes.

Young scholars watch a documentary prior to participating in a Supreme Court simulation in order to study how religious practices are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. They interpret conflict from a number of...

Seventh graders investigate the cultural differences that can be found in America. They discuss what it means to be called an American. The patterns of migration to America are discussed with the use of maps and geographical terms....

Students discuss how changing the environment can cause conflict between two groups. In groups, they brainstorm other ways to deal with this issue without using warfare. They use the internet to research the differences in today's army...

Students examine and read about Pomp, the infant son of Sacagawea. They research the Lewis and Clark expedition, create a storyboard presenting important events, and design a Powerpoint presentation.

Broaden your history class' knowledge of early America with this presentation, which takes them through the beginnings, battles, and bitter end of the French and Indian War. Vivid maps and paintings help tie the slides together. Note:...

Eighth graders locate the major land forms and bodies of water on a map of Louisiana. In groups, they discuss the role of the Mississippi River in the Battle of New Orleans and how land and water affect the outcome of battles. To end...

Young scholars read and predict the outcome of a story set during the Civil War, then map the story. To prepare for the activity, students determine why it is important to look at historical events from all angles by using primary and...