Curated OER
Exploring Nebraska Art and Architecture
Students explore the art and architecture of Nebraska. Using the internet, they view artwork by various artists and analyze it by using a form given to them by their teacher. They share their analysis with their classmates and discuss...
Curated OER
Quilts, Warmth with History
Pupils examine numerous quilts that show the culture and history of Nebraska. Using the internet, they view quilts from different points in history and discuss them as a class. They examine the role quilts play in discovering information...
Curated OER
Sectionalism and the Kansas-Nebraska Act
Students define and discuss sectionalism and popular sovereignty, analyze impact of popular sovereignty in creation of state of Kansas, compare issues in territorial Kansas to current politically divisive topic, and evaluate primary...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Night to Life is Beautiful
After reading Elie Wiesel's Night, watching the movie Life is Beautiful, and researching World War II, class members write a comparison essay on the book and film. This includes a prior knowledge activity, discussion in whole and small...
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Hit the Trail
Young scholars read about the history of cattle trails and complete language arts, math, social studies, and more activities about barbed wire. In this barbed wire lesson plan, students read poetry, research changes over time, draw...
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Traveling Around Nebraska
Learners analyze a current or historical photograph from their textbook and as a class complete a worksheet of the analysis. Using the Photographic Analysis Form, they locate and analyze two transportation photographs and use the...
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Letters from the Plains
Eighth graders read and analyze primary source documents dealing with Nebraska history. In a role-play, they present the information they gathered to their classmates. They examine what live was like for people settling in Nebraska.
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How We Got to Kansas-Nebraska
Young scholars explore the causes of the Civil War. In this instructional activity on slavery students use primary sources to examine the evolution of the issue of slavery and in the American political system. Young scholars will then...
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Analyzing Oregon’s Population Changes
Students examine immigration. In this Oregon history lesson, students compare and contrast the population patterns of the state in the 1800's and the 1900's.
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ourney Through Time: Art Tells the History of Nebraska
Fourth graders discuss early Nebraskan history. They view and discuss the painting "Sodhouse Family." Students are directed to the artistic elements of the painting, such as the horizon line. They follow a prescribed procedure to create...
Curated OER
Sectionalism, Popular Sovereignty and Secession
Students read and discuss background material on several key decisions that played a role in the Civil War including the Missouri Compromise, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dredd Scott Decision. They create a timeline and write an essay.
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Swing Your Partner! It's A Virtual Square Dance
Learners explore the Wessels Living History Farm website and research how to do a square dance. They read a story, listen to an explanation of barn dances, and participate in various square dances.
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Personal Stories of the National Parks
Middle schoolers explore historical information about U.S. national parks using the stories of Edward and Margaret Gehrke as a primary source document. In this United States geography, history, and literacy lesson, students view the...
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The Kansas and Nebraska Act
Students use a primary source of a political cartoon to set the context for a lesson plan. They answer key questions in writing or orally. Students conduct a class discussion about the issue to stimulate higher order thinking skills like...
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Hit The Trail
Young historians research one of the most colorful periods in US History: the cattle drives of the 1800's. They research the three most popular trails, and complete mapping and writing assignments about each one. The lesson has many...
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The Railroads and Settlement of the Great Plains
Enhance your American literature unit with this resource, in which readers access the Nebraska Studies website and read about "Railroads and Settlement." They search for a photograph of some aspect of the railroad from the Prairie...
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African American Homesteaders
Students 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...
NET Foundation for Television
1850-1874 Homestead Act Signed: The Challenges of The Plains
Start a whole new life in a land known as the Wild Wild West! Learners analyze maps, personal accounts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, songs, and video clips to uncover life under the Homestead Act. Using their new skills, class members role...
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Pioneer Values in Willa Cather's My Antonia
Included in this resource are a variety of activities to do while reading Willa Cather's My Antonia. The activities, which range from mapping out Nebraska to writing activities about pioneer living, are all designed with one guiding...
Curated OER
Interest Rates
Use a KWL chart and discussion to explore the concept behind loans with interest based on percentage rates. Learners examine different types of interest, the history of interest loans and calculate the costs of a loan over a ten-year...
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Remembering Logan Fontenelle
Students research Logan Fontenelle and discuss his role in history and importance to the state of Nebraska. Students create individual mock memorials for Fontenelle to be placed at his burial site.
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Omaha's Whose Who at Prospect Hill Cemetery
Students explore and are able to explain how to read an old street map of downtown Omaha. Students review the names of schools in OPS as well as country names in Nebraska. They find out the names of graves in Prospect Hill Cemetery....
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Rollin' On The River II
Students explore the importance of the Platte River to the state of Nebraska. They investigate the river's historical, social, economic, and political importance to the development of Nebraska. Students explore the ecosystem of the river.
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Poetry on the Prairie
Students explore the history of the Nebraska prairie by looking at different pieces of art. Using the art, they write a poem that captures the essence of a prairie. They use their senses and any feelings or emotions they get from the...