ESL Library
Beginner Level Thanksgiving ESL Lesson Plan
Thanksgiving is a cherished tradition in the United States and Canada. Introduce the beginnings of the Thanksgiving celebration with a resource that features reading comprehension activities, vocabulary exercises, and a short writing...
Curated OER
Exploring Life in Jamestown Settlement
Third graders locate Jamestown settlement on a historical timeline and research colonial life. They name a restaurant, identify who their potential customers might be and prepare a typical colonial menu.
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A Cultural Study of Arkansas and Saline County for Eleventh Grade Non-College American Literature
Eleventh graders divide into research groups and select a topic to pursue from a list that ranged from historical sites to local ghost stories to the nearby aluminum plant.
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The Original Layout of the Town of Deerfield
Eleventh graders explain that elements of the early settlement of Deerfield can still be seen in the town layout and in some of the early 18th century houses which survive. They read and analyze historical maps and analyze a drawing of...
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What Really Happened?
Learners read about the settlers in one of the first American colonies. They brainstorm ideas about what they think happened to the settlers. They write their version of what happened at Roanoke Island Colony.
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Foundations
Students investigate the history of literature in America by looking at the types of genres first read in the United States. They look at the foundations of how the original colonists had the intention of transmitting religious and moral...
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The Inventions and Effects of the Industrial Revolution
Learners understand that the Industrial Revolution began in England, spreading to the rest of Western Europe and the United States and with it came an increased demand for raw materials from the Americans, Asia, and Africa.
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Diplomatic Misunderstandings: Indian Treaties and the Black Hawk War
Students examine and discuss the U.S./Native American treaty process of the early 19th century. They write essays describing the events behind the 1804 and 1816 treaties, and their assessment of U.S. diplomatic interactions with the...
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Lonesome Linda
Students analyze the create of Loma Linda. In this Western expansion activity, students look at the development of a resort in the desert and how a town is begun.
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Pushing the Boundaries: The Pioneer Spirit
Eleventh graders recognize how social reform occurred at the turn of the century. Through a debate, 11th graders determine advantages and drawbacks of traveling west using original sources and descriptions of the attitudes, beliefs, and...
ESL Holiday Lessons
Thanksgiving
Near Thanksgiving, learners complete activities surrounding the holiday. Some of the activities include a passage, matching phrases, fill in the blanks, correct word choosing, multiple choice, sequencing, unscramble the sentences, write...
California Historical Society
Understanding California
Here is a beautiful handout through which learners can explore the history of California, from the earliest Europeans to visit the Golden State up through its experiences during the Great Depression and position in the modern world.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Conservation, Preservation, and the National Parks
Going green? Scholars investigate the creation of the US National Park program. Through diary entries as well as expert testimony, they synthesize information and analyze the need for conservation and preservation. Finally, they display...
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The Proclamation of 1763
Pupils consider the impact of the Proclamation of 1763. In this colonial America lesson plan, students determine the how the proclamation affected the British Crown, the colonists, and the Indians and present their findings to the class.
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Learning Landscapes
Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...
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Wisconsin
In this Wisconsin state history worksheet, 4th graders read two pages of information about Wisconsin then complete 10 true and false questions.
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Pumpkins . . . Not Just Part of Halloween
Students study the pumpkin. In this pumpkin lesson, students participate in different activities that explain the history of pumpkins and how pumpkins develop and grow, read "The Great Pumpkin Story" and answer comprehensive questions...
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Woodland Indians
Third graders research Woodland Indians. In this Woodland Indian lesson, 3rd graders have a classroom discussion and write facts about the Miami Indian group. They write a narrative from the perspective of an Indian child.
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Immigration Unit
Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...
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Forward, Into the Past!
Students, during a (virtual) visit to a burial ground, think about the past by viewing tombstones as primary sources. They explain how the attitudes of Deerfield residents toward death and burial evolved from 1780-1880.
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Sew, You Want To Quilt?
Young scholars become familiar with the achievements of the artist Faith Ringgold. They take notice of the patterns in their environment. They connect the mathematical concept of patterns to create a class quilt.
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Slave Auctions in South Carolina
Students examine primary sources in the form of auction records, create frequency charts, graphs and diagrams that they analyze to anwer questions followed by the writing of a paper that demonstrates their comprehension of the lesson.
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Low-country Rice Planting and Cooking
Eighth graders compare the use of rice in the 1700s to the modern use of rice. In this activity examining the importance of rice in US history, 8th graders learn about the role of rice in the early 1700s and compare the use of rice in...
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ELLIS ISLAND: THE EARLY DAYS
In this reading comprehension activity about the history of Ellis Island, learners are given a 7-paragraph essay to read and 5 follow-up multiple-choice questions to answer.