Curated OER
A Five-Step Plan for the Ohio Country and the Northwest Territory
Students complete five worksheets which correspond to the five problems the American government faced and the five solutions they instituted, accompany this lesson. They select and research one of the steps in this plan and write a...
Curated OER
Caught Between Worlds: Frontier Life as Reflected in Captivity Narratives
Students analyze captivity narratives written between the 1600's and 1800's. In this narrative lesson, students think critically about the interaction between Native peoples and the settlers to understand the cultural beliefs held by...
Curated OER
Happy Thankgiving: Traditions in Culture
Learners relate their own Thanksgiving experiences to those of the past through colonial games, Thanksgiving story books, and personal interviews. They develop a concept of how to celebrate Thanksgiving and plan a class time celebration,...
Curated OER
Indians and African Americans 1780-1820
Students explain that opportunities for African Americans remained severely limited by slavery until 1783. They examine the 1783 Massachusetts abolishment of slavery and its impact.
Curated OER
The Colonization of the United States
Bring the Age of Exploration into the 21st century with this ancestry activity! Learners get a chance to explore the complex genealogy of the Spanish settlers through watching two video clips (approximately five minutes each) featuring...
Curated OER
Early Colonial Labor Force: Indentured Servants and Slaves
Students study the labor force used during Colonial America. In this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Students read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students...
Curated OER
"Some excellent dumb discourse:" Caliban as native American
Twelfth graders explore some of the colonial implications of The Tempest, analyzing how language and power interrelate in the play and using another American voice, American Sign Language, to consider the different forms of communication...
Scholastic
Teaching About the First Thanksgiving
Learners research information about the Mayflower, Pilgrims, the Plymouth Colony, the Wampanoags, and the first Thanksgiving. They take an online tour of the Mayflower, interpret timelines, create a postcard, and compare and...
Curated OER
How - To - Posters
Students investigate the skills needed to survive for the early colonial settlers and Native Americans. They conduct research, develop a list of skills, and create a how-to poster demonstrating a survival skill.
K12 Reader
Rocky Relationships
Conflicts between Native Americans and colonists are the focus of a comprehension worksheet that asks readers to use information found in the provided article to answer comprehension questions.
Berkshire Museum
The Three Life-Giving Sisters: Plant Cultivation and Mohican Innovation
Children gain first-hand experience with Native American agriculture while investigating the life cycle of plants with this engaging experiment. Focusing on what the natives called the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - young...
Curated OER
The French and Indian War (1756 to 1763):
Take your class through the lead-up, strategies, and effects of the French and Indian War of the mid-18th century. The dynamics of American patriotism is put to the test in the vital years before the American Revolution, and the ongoing...
Teacher Vision
The Wampanoag Indians: A Thanksgiving Lesson
Spark some lively conversation about American holiday traditions and debunk accepted notions about the first Thanksgiving at the same time. After reviewing the mainstream version of the Thanksgiving story with your class, offer some...
Curated OER
Whose Manifest Destiny?
Students examine the Westward expansion. In this North American settlers lesson, students will view a PowerPoint presentation and answer critical thinking questions. Students will write an essay that analyzes the impact of westward...
Scholastic
Make a Mini Mayflower
Students discover the importance and history behind the Thanksgiving feast. Using walnut shells and toothpicks, they construct models of the Mayflower and simulate giving them to the Native Americans for helping the Pilgrims survive.
Curated OER
Jamestown's Economy
Students identify items made in Jamestown and draw conclusions about their economy. In this Jamestown economy lesson, students use the internet to complete a worksheet which required them to look at photographs of goods made in and...
Curated OER
Kids in the Colonies
Young scholars compare and contrast family life in colonial America with life today. They describe what communities were like in colonial times and how they varied from life today. A spokesperson from each group will present a verbal...
Curated OER
Pennsylvania Colony
Students research the main reasons for the colonists moving to the Pennsylvania colony. They analyze maps, label a bubble map, list similarities/differences of immigrants then and now, and create a colonial newspaper advertisement.
Curated OER
South Carolina: Loyalist or Patriot?
Eighth graders examine the battle waged in South Carolina over the American Revolution. In this American Revolution activity, 8th graders analyze primary sources as they determine how the Loyalists and Patriots chose sides in the war.
Curated OER
Branches of Government Worksheet
This is a basic multiple choice activity. Learners answer a set of 9 multiple choice questions about early colonists and branches of government. You might use this as a check for understanding or a quick quiz. The first 2 questions are...
Curated OER
Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving
Encourage learners to think critically about common myths regarding the Wampanoag Indians in Colonial America. They discover that behind every myth are many possible explanations—and that learning more about American history helps them...
DocsTeach
Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation
While most Americans connect the celebration of Thanksgiving to a colonial celebration of pilgrims and Native Americans, the national holiday was actually the product of a war-time measure by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War....
Curated OER
Corn in Ancient America
Students explore the importance of corn to the survival of early civilizations of the Americas. Through research and discussion activities, they read and describe how corn was used as food and currency in early civilizations. They...
Curated OER
First Nations Contributions
Eleventh graders recognize the contributions made my Indigenous people around the world. In this research skills lesson, 11th graders research native peoples of several countries and create presentations that feature the contributions of...