Curated OER
The Immigrant Experience In America
Students study immigration, Ellis Island, and tenement life from 1890 to 1924. Each student create an identity of an immigrant and write an essay in the first person. Essays describe what they found when they arrived in New York City.
Curated OER
Be That As It Maya
Creative projects are a great way to engage your class and can be a fun way to assess mastery! Learners create brochures and postcards that might have been created by and for travelers to ancient Mayan cities. They read and discuss the...
Curated OER
Undercover-ed
Have your class engage in critical-thinking activities using this resource. Learners discuss a variety of topics they think get too much, or too little, attention from the press. They analyze why these topics are over or underrated....
Curated OER
Art as a Reflection of Society
Students write about their interpretations of "Glow of the City," discuss "Glow of the City" in terms of imagery, symbolism, use of shadows and light, and ways that it reflects life in the late 1920s in New York.
Curated OER
20th Century Architecture
Discover the functional works of art found in everyday life. Modern architecture is the focus of this highly visual presentation. Works from architectural masters such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, and Le Corbusier are featured. A...
Library of Congress
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance brought forth many American art forms including jazz, and the writings of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Using a carefully curated set of documents from the Library of Congress, pupils see the cultural...
Smithsonian Institution
Targeted at Home: Islamophobia
September 11th was a terrible tragedy with long-reaching consequences. Scholars learn about the Islamophobia that occurred to many Muslim Americans following the 9/11 attacks. The resource provides videos, articles, and interviews to...
Curated OER
In the Heart of Your City
Students analyze the changes in the community described in "Still a Contender on the Waterfront" and evaluate how the history of a city can be seen, regardless of changes, in a city as it exists today.
Curated OER
An Incredible Journey: Exploring Brave New Worlds
Students, after reading the novel, Brave New World, research in depth topics like the production and consumption of Henry Ford, Pavlov's and Skinner's behavioral science work, as well as the existence of Utopian and dystopian societies....
Curated OER
Turn of the Century Immigration
Students explore the immigration wave that hit the United States in 19th century. In this immigration lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources to determine what the immigration experience was like for new citizens. Students...
Curated OER
New York City: Passionate About Shakespeare
High schoolers read passages from Shakespeare and have a Town Hall meeting in which they defend Shakespeare as part of American culture.
Federal Reserve Bank
Piggy Bank Primer: 25 Cents Worth of History
It's all about money. Here's a resource that introduces kids to the Federal Reserve System, different coins produced by the mints, and fun facts about state coins.
Curated OER
Lesson: Tlatelolco: Mexican Student Massacre 1968
The Massacre of Tlatelolco is the focus of a discussion-based activity. Civil-minded learners consider the nature of student movements that have ended in violence based on over-reaction and government oppression. They discuss the social...
Skyscraper Museum
Designing a Skyscraper
Besides serving as awe-inspiring monuments of human achievement, skyscrapers are built to perform a wide range of functions in urban communities. The second lesson in this series begins by exploring the history of the Empire State...
Institut Obert de Catalunya
20th Century Music: Jazz
A 67-page packet provides instructors with a complete course in the history of Jazz. Lessons look at the roots of jazz in early 20th century African American communities in the southern United States and continues to the New Orleans...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
EarthViewer
Can you imagine Washington DC and London as close neighbors occupying the same continent? Learners will be fascinated as they step back in time and discover the evolution of the earth's continents and oceans from 4.5 billion...
Curated OER
What's the Hold-Up?
Students explore the current plan by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to retain underperforming third graders in public schools. They research and debate social promotion versus retention.
Curated OER
Scaffolded Reading of "Drawing of an African Burial Ground Grave in Situ"
The class reads the description of the "Drawing of an African Burial Ground Grave In Situ" then completes a work sheet. They act like archaeologists and answer a series of critical thinking questions to better understand the historical...
Scholastic
The Rise of Railroads: California
Railways are an integral part of the history of California. Using a timeline format, class members connect major historical events to the rise of the railroads and their impact on the state. Activities include a mix of independent and...
Scholastic
The Rise of Railroads: Illinois
Railways not only cross the US, but they are also intertwined with the history of America. Using a timeline format, individuals explore the connections between major events in American history—such as the Civil War—and the rise of the...
Curated OER
Mills of New Hampshire
Students locate mill sites on a New Hampshire map. They describe who worked in the mills and their working conditions. They examine the environmental impact of the mills and work together to find out more information about mills.
Curated OER
History of Change
Students research the history of Liberia to foster a better understanding of the current situation and reflect on the role of the United States as peacekeeper there.
Curated OER
Russian History, in an Eggshell
Students create Faberge-inspired art objects, depicting events in modern Russian history since Peter Carl Faberge's death in 1920. Students research the life of Peter Faberge. They write a short biography explaining how he became an...
Curated OER
Rome: City And Empire
Students explore the concept of municipal planning. In this community organization lesson, students research planned communities and then compare them to ancient Rome's organization. Students then plan their own communities and present...