Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Study History through Journal Keeping

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Journal writing can be a fun way to bring history to life. Upper graders read a series of journals from the time of the westward expansion, specifically the pioneer journey along the Oregon Trail. They compose an ongoing journal from the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

For the Fun of It

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view pictures of Amelia Earhart and discuss the social and historical context of her life. They read excerpts of Earhart's autobiography "The Fun of It" and analyze her purpose in writing it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Louisa May Alcott: The Candle and the Mirror

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the life of Louisa May Alcott and create an outline of a biography of her life and times.  In this Louisa May Alcott lesson, students explore the Transcendentalist involvement in the abolitionist movement, relating...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life as An Early Orange Grower

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the early settlers of Florida. In this social studies lesson, students research the lives of early settlers and write a journal from the perspective of a young person whose family has an orange grove during the 1880s.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Westward Expansion

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the components of the Westward Movement in the United States. Understanding the past and the linkages it has to the present is the intended goal of this seventeen day unit.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Letters from Lincoln

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the childhood of Lincoln and pioneer life in early Indiana. Students respond to literature and write a story using historical fiction. Students explore the writings of President Lincoln and the pioneer community...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Westmoreland Trail

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the Westward expansion of the U.S. They play the computer game, Oregon Trail III, read primary source documents, conduct Internet research, write diary entries from the pioneer viewpoint, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneers On and Off the Prairie- Willa Cather and Mary Cassatt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the written work of Willa Cather and the impressionist art of Mary Cassatt. They describe parallels in the lives and work of both women and creat a Powerpoint presentation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life On The Oregon Trail

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students investigate the concept of the Oregon Trail. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The class divides into different groups to take a different aspect of the research. Then the groups present the findings to the...
Study Guide
Reed Novel Studies

Old Yeller: Novel Study

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Fred Gipson's Old Yeller tells of a stray yellow dog who becomes the best friend a boy could ever have. While reading the novel, learners complete sentences with new vocabulary words, answer comprehension questions, and create...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coming to Nova Scotia

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students discover the definition of a Pioneer, when the largest groups of people of African descent came to Nova Scotia, and what materials and resources were brought with them to establish a new life.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heritage: What A Sight!

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine the landmarks along the Pioneer Trail. They discover these landmarks were used as guides. They research the Pioneer Trail and present to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Floristic Relay

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify the role succession plays in the adaptation of our environment. Students identify pioneer and climax species and order habitats in succession. They recognize that different characteristics of species make them...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Western Expansion or Eastern Invasion?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read from their textbook a story about the pioneer settlement of the Western Frontier. They review the pioneer standpoint, but also discuss how the Homestead Act of 1862 affected Native Americans. They write another story...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The arly Suffragists

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore the suffragist movement through this futuristic activity about the loss and creation of a commemorative stamp to honor a women's Suffrage Pioneer. The activity takes us to 2080 and back to the 1800's to complete the tasks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adventure Writing: Oregon's Landscape as a Setting

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners identify geographical features of different regions encountered by migrants on the Oregon trail. Students research how the Oregon landscape may have affected life and 19th century westward migration. Learners write a narrative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lake Tahoe Then and Now

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate the differences in Lake Tahoe from the past to the present. In this geography lesson, students read the book Washoe Seasons of Life and identify the descriptions of the land and lake. Students create a Venn diagram...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Reading: Johnny Appleseed

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this Johnny Appleseed worksheet, students explore the life of this fictional character. Students read a passage and complete eight true false questions about what they just read.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mankind's Fascination With Flight

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students read various novels and articles about the contributions of the Wright Brothers. Individually, they are tested on their comprehension of the material and discuss. In groups, they research the role of the people in their life...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tall Tales

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the characteristics of tall tales and how exaggerations are used. They create a character that is larger than life, they brainstorm attributes for their character, before writing a Tall Tale. They plan out their story,...
Unit Plan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

One Land, Many Trails: English Language Development Lessons (Theme 5)

For Teachers 5th Standards
English is not the only subject that requires its own set of vocabulary words—geography does too! A series of language development lessons designed to be used with Theme 5: One Land, Many Trails helps introduce readers to key vocabulary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Heritage: Patchwork Quilting

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders read the book "The Quilt Story" and point out likenesses and differences in pioneer and modern times, as well as the importance of the quilt throughout the story. They work as one large group to create their own patchwork...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Centennial: A Day In The Life Of Children - Then And Now

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders compare and contrast the rules and responsibilities of children from today and in the past. In groups, they compare and contrast their daily lives with a child in history. After taking a field trip, they discuss how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration and American Life on African-Americans

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine how human migration started in Africa, and draw maps of Africa and place the names of the countries and capitals on the maps. They write essays on how Africans came to America.

Other popular searches