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Life of a Navajo Weaver
Students explore Native American weaving patterns and dance movements. In this Native Americans lesson, students view examples of weaving patterns on the Internet and compare the patterns to a Native American dance. Students demonstrate...
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Comparing Units of Measurement
Fourth graders investigate the units of measurement used by various Native American tribes before they had contact with the Europeans. They write research questions, conduct research using a variety of resources, in small groups write a...
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Westward Expansion and the Frontier
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...
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What's Behind that Mask?
Students use a "spider web" graphic organizer to record information about different types of masks they are familiar with. They write a paragraph about masks. Students read about Native American cultures and compare/contrast the...
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Speeches on the Not-So-Big Screen
Students examine American speeches. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students explore the emotional context of historical periods as they analyze "The Gettysburg Address" and "I Will Fight No More Forever" speeches.
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Temperature in a Cultural Context
Fourth graders investigate the effects of temperature on Native American lifestyle and culture. In small groups they conduct research on cultural practices showing a connection to the climate and create a poster displaying their...
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The Treaty Trail: U.S. - Clothing That Talks: Meaning and Material Culture
Learners investigate the cultures of Native Americans and Euro-Americans through their clothing. In this photograph analysis lesson, students observe historic photographs and analyze the style of clothes people wore and how it...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
B. Franklin, Printer and the Public Eye
Students explore U.S. history by researching famous Americans. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson plan, students read portions of a biography about Franklin and identify his position within U.S. politics and as a leader in the battle for...
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Drake’s West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
Students examine the exploration routes of Sir Francis Drake. In this American exploration lesson, students investigate primary sources to trace the routes and contact with the natives that Sir Francis Drake experienced on his voyages in...
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Michigan's Early History
Students use maps and lecture notes to discover the diverse history of the state of Michigan. After gathering their information, students develop interview questions that might be used to interview an elderly person in their community.
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Ancient Highways-Native Byways of Salmon Lake State Park
Eighth graders investigate the concept of the trail system used by the Native Americans. They compare and contrast the trails to modern transportation roadways of today. Students also define the types of information archaeologists use to...
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Intrigue of the Past: North Carolina's First Peoples
Students study the lifestyles of the Native Americans and construct a timeline of four major culture periods in Native American history.
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History of the American Family
Learners discover the history of the American family and the affects of immigration. In addition, they examine the contributions of minority families to American culture. In groups, students explore the pros and cons of dual-income...
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Views of the American West: True or False?
High schoolers explain that a landscape painting may or may not accurately represent a specific place. They identify techniques that create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface.
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...
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Native American Trivia Book
Fourth graders research information about the Eastern Woodland Indians for a class trivia book. They Save, proofread, and print out their trivia sheet and design a cover page for the book.
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Fort Life in the Green Bay Area, 1816-1841
Ninth graders examine from the perspectives of military personnel, Native Americans, families of soldiers, and civilians who lived and worked in the region during the era. They create a 2-page scrapbook layout from at least two of the...
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Forced Assimilation
Students identify ways that a society promotes assimilation and examine areas where it still occurs in our present culture. They assess the value of assimilation.
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages of looking at a historical event from the multiple points of view of...
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Indigenous People
Learners examine what foods are indigenous to America and how Western European expansion impacted indigenous communities. They identify indigenous foods that they themselves eat, and label maps and identify ethnic groups in the Americas.
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Developing Dialogue
Why do people argue? Use the article "A Holiday Medley, Off Key" to discuss the struggles that interfaith couples face when choosing to celebrate certain holidays. Then, in small groups, encourage learners to write dialogues that...
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The Lure of The West
Here is a fabulous series of lesson plans on four of the most celebrated artists of the Old Western period in American history. Learners study the works of Charles King, George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran. The pack is...
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Images of the New World
Students examine how visual and literary images played an important role in the English colonization of Virginia. They analyze the importance of Thomas Harriot's Report on the subsequent development of English colonial plans for...
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Viruses
A fliud exchange activity using pipettes/droppers to exchange fluids with at least 3 people. your students are advised not to spill any liquid. Droppers are collected in a large beaker, and students return to desks while holding tubes....