Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Kanaka Village at Fort Vancouver: Crossroads of the Columbia River

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the interaction between Native American and European cultures in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s. They focus their study on the Hudson's Bay Company and Fort Vancouver.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indian "Buffalo Skin" Writing

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify common Native American writing symbols. They create paper bag "buffalo skins" and on the back, they write stories about Indian life.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

USH Test One

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders write about one reason immigrants came to the United States in the late 1800's. They take a test that focuses upon past concepts and then an introduction is given by the teacher for the concepts of Imperialism and The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: A Fitting Situation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
In the Enemy's Country is a painting that depicts several Native Americans dressed and ready for war. Youngsters analyze the artistic and storytelling elements the artist used to convey his idea. They then write a creative piece from the...
Lesson Plan
US National Archives

Documented Rights Educational Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How have groups struggled to have their unalienable rights recognized in the United States? Acting as a research team for the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, your young historians will break into groups to research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Westward Expansion and the Frontier

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore U.S. history by researching a historic map. In this westward expansion instructional activity, students discuss the mystery of the western U.S. in the early 1800's and the impact expansion had on Native Americans and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Happy Endings: The Final Battle

For Teachers 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Navajo Code Talkers

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate the Navajo Code Talkers and their role in World War II. They complete a Webquest, explore various websites, encode a short message, analyze maps, answer discussion questions, and read newspaper articles about secure...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Brutal British

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Battle of Fort Moultrie

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this American Revolution instructional activity, 8th graders examine the Battle of Fort Moultrie and create their own historical narratives...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Code Talkers

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students investigate the Navajo code talkers contributions to World War II. They read and discuss a fact sheet, and create and decode secret messages using a Navajo code talkers' dictionary.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

South Carolina: Loyalist or Patriot?

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the battle waged in South Carolina over the American Revolution. In this American Revolution lesson, 8th graders analyze primary sources as they determine how the Loyalists and Patriots chose sides in the war.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

News Interviews of Historical Figures During the Indian Wars

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the lives of important historical figures. Using primary source documents, they develop a list of questions to ask the figure if they were still alive. In groups, they discover information about the other historical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indian Removal

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners investigate the historical events surrounding The Trail of Tears. They write a letter that identifies the people, destination, events, and descriptions surrounding the timeframe. Students provide a written summary of the history...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Diplomatic Misunderstandings: Indian Treaties and the Black Hawk War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine and discuss the U.S./Native American treaty process of the early 19th century. They write essays describing the events behind the 1804 and 1816 treaties, and their assessment of U.S. diplomatic interactions with the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gaining Insight into the WWII Era Through Electronic Records and the National Archives

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are introduced to the variety of resources that are available to them online with regards to national archives and enlistment records. Individually, they use the database to find someone they know who enlisted before or during...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the 'Utah War'

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the contributions of Native American Indians, explorers, and Utah's pioneers.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Buffalo War: A Clash of Cultures

For Teachers 8th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine the events of the Civil War. Using the internet, they research one aspect of the war of interest to them. In groups, they create a hyperstudio stack which they present to their classmates showing the information they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Homesteaders

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Pupils analyze the reasons African-Americans settled in the area to be known as Nebraska. Using primary source documents, they read about the challenges they faced and compare their growth and distribution of African-Americas in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trade Trials Treaties

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the trade relationships that existed in the late 1700's Colonial America. In this American history lesson, 4th graders examine English and Cherokee trade treaties by reviewing primary and secondary sources....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pocumtucks In Deerfield

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students read a story about the Pocumtucks' religious beliefs. Using the text, they discover their concept of land ownership and how they migrated within their territory in different seasons. They use primary and secondary sources to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Memorandum Regarding the Enlistment of Navajo Indians

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the Navajo dictionary used by the U.S. military in W.W. II. They role-play Navajo messengers and Marine Corp staff. They research the Battle of Iwo Jima and confirm or discount the claim that Navajos made the victory...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Horse and Rider: The Pony Express in Utah

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research the Pony Express. In this Pony Express instructional activity, 4th graders discover the reasons behind the development of this business and the technology that ended it.