Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Theories of Crime and Punishment

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine goals of two major theories of punishment, Utilitarian Theory and Retributive Theory, develop opinions about ethics and effectiveness of both theories, define legal duties of prosecutors and public defenders, and discuss...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

End of World War II and the Beginning of the Cold War

For Teachers 8th - 11th
In this end of World War II and Cold War study guide worksheet, students fill in the blanks in a 6-paragraph passage with the appropriate words to complete the sentences regarding the time period.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Declaration of War Against Japan and Just War Theory

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the attack on Pearl Harbor and how it changed the history of the United States. After watching a video from "The War", they discuss the characteristics of a "just war" and identify the laws in international warfare. ...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Crack the Case: History's Toughest Mysteries

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Young sleuths don their trench coats, tip their fedoras, and grab their notepads to investigate one of four famous unsolved mysteries. After examining multiple primary and secondary sources related to their cold case, they propose a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Freedom by the Fireside: The Legacy of FDR's "Four Freedoms" Speech

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students read and analyze Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union Address. They listen to recordings of speeches by F.D.R., answer discussion questions, and participate in a debate.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Walk a Quote: A Lesson Based Upon the Sugihara Story

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders gather information on the history of anti-Semitism and Judaism. Using texts from a variety of sources, they analyze the role of rescue and resistance in children's books. They discuss the child's point of view and reflect...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The End of WWII and The Beginning of the Cold War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In this end of World War II and Cold War study guide worksheet, students fill in 44 blanks in a passage with the appropriate words to complete the sentences regarding the time period.
Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...
Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Genetics and the Master Race

For Teachers 7th Standards
How did the beginnings of genetic research influence the Nazi party? A thorough, engaging unit incorporates the work of Gregor Mendel, the study of inherited traits, and the use of racism and discrimination during the Holocaust.
Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Military Advisers in Vietnam: 1963

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How did the beginning of the Vietnam War factor into the Cold War with the Soviet Union? As part of a study of American involvement in Vietnam, class members read a letter address to President Kennedy and his response in which...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adolf Hitler

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore facts about Hitler's life and the historical events that occurred in that time, his view of history, his theory of race and his political goals. They explore his use of anti-Semitism to advance his career and consolidate...
PPT
Curated OER

La Belle Époque [1871-1914]:

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Progress through various aspects of the  "The Beautiful Era" in this presentation. Political, technological, and scientific contexts surround the time of innovation and change in the world landscape. The short length of this slide...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Communism?

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore Communism. They explore Communism's roots in economics and discuss the spread of Communism in the Eastern Hemisphere. They evaluate a Communistic and a Capitalistic society. Students reflect upon the positives...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Presidential Power

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders describe the power of the President. In this Constitution activity students reflect on the power given to the president of the United States by the wording in the Constitution. Students give their opinion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"I've Been Working on the Railroad" - Federal Land Grants and the Construction of the Illinois Central Railroad in Mid-nineteenth Century Illinois

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders, in groups, design a self-sufficient community. Groups present the communities they've designed. They compare and contrast the communities presented. They research the theories of Johann Heinrich von Thunen online and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Death Penalty

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine how people are punished in the American justice system. In groups, they identify the four different theories of punishment and how it is used in the justice system. They use the internet to read arguments for and against...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vietnam: A Divided Nation

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine events leading up to and during the Vietnam War. They research assigned topics utilizing interviews, Powerpoint presentations, timelines, and collages in their presentations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

WWII Newspaper Using the Team Interview Model

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students interact with each other to conduct interviews after conducting meaningful research about the era of World War II. The interview is conducted in a group and then can be presented to another group or the whole class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Primary Documents: The President and African Americans

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the efforts of the federal government to address discrimination in the U.S. before and after WWII. They read and discuss two executive orders, complete a worksheet, and answer discussion questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heart Mountain Relocation Center

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine several primary source documents related to the Japanese internment camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming. They write an essay about Heart Mountain and explore the concept of restitution to Japanese-Americans.
Worksheet
The New York Times

The Cold War: Crossword

For Students 8th - 11th
This crossword puzzle focuses on clues related to The Cold War. It also has unrelated clues that would be a challenge to middle schoolers, but should be manageable to secondary students; particularly juniors taking US history. There are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students work in groups to do a document analyxix of several documents. Students view the Martin Luther King speech, "I Have a Dream." They discuss the Battle of Saratoge. Students give a personal view of the reason the Declaration of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Do You Shop?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine shopping patterns in another community to develop a hypothesis on why there are more opportunities for goods and services in some neighborhoods while others lack these goods and services.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the development of the U.S. government. They examine the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence, develop a class translation of the preamble to the Constitution, create a flow chart,...