Curated OER
Family Life
Learners investigate the lives of families in two different centuries. They compare the 1600's to the 1800's. Students write an essay about the differences and how they developed in history. Special attention is paid to the external...
Curated OER
The Olympics Return Home
Middle schoolers compare the ancient Olympic Games with the modern version of the event. They study the history of the Games and observe how they have changed through time.
Curated OER
Reconstruction and "All Men Are Created Equal"
Learners examine the time after the Civil War known as Reconstruction. In groups, they role play a Senate Subcommittee Hearing on Reconstruction in which some members are senators and others are witnesses. They share their ideas on how...
Curated OER
A Woman's Crusade: Dorothea Dix
Students examine the life and reform efforts of Dorothea Dix on behalf of people with disabilities. They also examine the role of women in the 1840s and 1850s. They discover different sources of examples of citizen's rights.
Curated OER
Keeping the Home Fires: The lives of Western women
Fourth graders explore the various trails that settlers took West from Missouri. They examine the reasons that people took these trails as well as the kind of people who made the journeys. They examine the Oregon, the Mormon, the Santa...
Curated OER
Maya Lin - Artist, Architect, Environmentalist
Sixth graders explore the life of Maya Lin and analyze the impact of her architectural philosophy on her work. They trace the history of the Vietnam Memorial from its conception by Maya Lin, to the present day. A time line is created of...
Curated OER
Brucemore Mansion
Students take a closer look at Brucemore Mansion. In this Iowa history instructional activity, students research what life was like at the mansion during the Gilded Age and through history. Students also research the responsibilities of...
Syracuse University
American Industrial Revolution
While the Industrial Revolution may have fueled America's rise to the top of world markets, the child laborers often faced dangerous conditions. Using primary source images and other information, scholars consider what these children...
Historical Thinking Matters
Rosa Parks: 5 Day Lesson
What led to the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and how might historians approach this question differently? This rich series of lessons includes a short introductory video clip, analysis of six primary source documents, and...
Curated OER
Speak Out!
Learners are introduced to Yvonne Ranier's "Trio A" dance and investigate how to express concern over social issues through choreography. They research important issues from the 1960's, choreograph and perform original dances.
Curated OER
The Ashcan School of Artists
Complete with explanations and many examples of relevant paintings, this presentation takes students through the characteristics of the Ashcan School of Artists. The slides include works by artists such as Everett Shinn, John Sloan, and...
Curated OER
It's Not Just a Man's World
Young scholars demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process. They summarize information learned from their assigned text. They identify ways in which the actions of particular individuals influence...
Curated OER
Crazy Quilts
Students research women's roles in agriculture's history and how they have changed. They create a paper "crazy quilt" using a variety of colors and pattersn to help them explain the role of quilts in women's history.
Curated OER
Trials and Triumphs of Modern Feminism
Students read primary documents to launch a discussion about the role of American women throughout the 1970s-1980s.
Curated OER
People of the West
Sixth graders research and identify key facts about men and women of the Westward Movement. They assess the events and reasons that motivated people to move west, hardships they faced and their contributions to the nation. Each student...
Curated OER
Las Vegas Mormon Fort
Young scholars use maps, readings, letters, photos and drawings to identify why Mormons came to the Las Vegas area and what they hoped to accomplish by establishing an outpost. They consider the roles of early women pioneers and outline...
Curated OER
Quilting Connections
Students research online an influential woman, then create on the computer a quilt block with text and graphics. Quilt blocks are then printed and combined to form a quilt of connections.
Curated OER
How Are Boundaries Made, Kept, Broken?
Students examine the different perspectives of Igbo women. They simulate a silent debate in response to the question, "Is the Igbo society sexist?" They write their response to the question and exchange papers with their partner as the...
Curated OER
Memorial Day Fun
Young scholars research Memorial Day and complete activities about the day. In this Memorial Day lesson, students discuss the definition of the word 'memorial' to understand its meaning. Young scholars create flags for the day and listen...
Curated OER
Baga Drum
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson plan, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design...
Curated OER
National Security - Japanese Internment
Tenth graders investigate the balance between national security and individual rights using the Japanese American internment camps during World War II as the setting. The lesson incorporates photographs from the Manzanar camp in...
Curated OER
Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Connection
Students read information about Mary Cassatt and study examples of her Impressionist art. In this art history lesson, students read about the life and art of Mary Cassatt. Students then study her art 'Little Girl in a Blue Armchair.'...
National First Ladies' Library
A Settlement House Hall of Fame
Young scholars identify, interpret and define a great deal about the Settlement House Movement of the Progressive Era, as well as about the women who were largely responsible for bringing the movement to life. They also research the life...
Curated OER
Zimbabwe
Students explore the hardships being faced by the people in Zimbabwe. For this World History lesson, students research the challenges of Zimbabwe, such as hunger, poverty, low life expectancy and political controversy. Upon...