Through detailed secondary source reading material and an interactive "true/false" activity, learners discover the depth and complexity of the executive branch in the United States government. Topics covered include executive...

Covering 23% of the continent and holding 64,900 cubic kilometers of water, the Great Artesian Basin is the primary source of water for much of inland Australia. Using detailed student worksheets, experiments, and case studies,...

Scholars use primary and secondary documents, as well as video evidence, to investigate the end of the Cold War.  After completing the final installment of an eight-part series, class members better understand the issues surrounding...

Fifth graders read My Secret War. In this social studies lesson, 5th graders discuss how United States citizens worked together to ensure success in the war. Students discuss primary and secondary sources. Students paraphrase.

Students identify the role of the museum as a cultural resource in the community. They use primary and secondary sources to evaluate institutional, and media influences on people and society in both historical and contemporary settings.

Fifth graders write a paragraph comparing their lives to the lives of a child working in South Carolina during the early 1900's. In this Industrial Revolution lesson plan, 5th graders explore primary and secondary sources to teach them...

Students examine the use of primary sources. They read and discuss excerpts from the "Diary of Anne Frank," write journal entries, identify examples of altruism from the book, write an essay, and complete a worksheet.

Eighth graders analyze documents and maps of Plainfield, CT from different time periods, then, working in a small group, create a map for a giventime.  For this Plainfield lesson, 8th graders read primary and secondary sources...

Students explore the concept of symbolism. In this social studies instructional activity, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the use of symbols in the past and the impact of symbols in today's culture.

What’s the difference between primary and secondary source materials? Here’s a handout, designed as a reference for learners, that does a good job of distinguishing between primary and secondary source materials and providing examples of...

What are the characteristics of a good research source? At the beginning of a research project, have your class brainstorm evaluative criteria for primary and secondary source material. They then use the generated list to guide their...

I don't get electricity jokes, watts so funny about them? The 13th in a series of presentations covers energy, motors, currents, generating electricity, calculating electrical energy cost, transformers, and batteries.

Students listen to a summary of the life of Mary Bethune. They read or listen to an excerpt from an interview with Mary Bethune. They discuss the differences between the transcript and the draft of the biography.

Islam is often discussed socio-politically rather than spiritually. Here, learners read about this religion from primary and secondary sources including the Quran and a world religions book. They learn key terms in the context of the...

Students conduct research in order to use primary and secondary sources. They interpret and analyze information from textbooks and nonfiction books for young adults, as well as reference materials, audio and media presentations, oral...

Fourth graders discover the political career of Sam Houston. In this Texas history lesson, 4th graders research primary resources and create a modern-day version of Sam Houston's political campaign of the 1840s.

Students define terms "robber baron" and "captain of industry," list positive and negative actions of one or more captains of industry/robber barons, and take and support stand as to whether particular financier/industrialist is or is...

Students examine African life during slavery on the Internet. In this slavery lesson plan, students use the Internet to research slavery and create a scrapbook. Students review pictures of slavery and label them as primary or secondary...

Fourth graders write about the forced Potawatomi migration. In this primary source lesson plan students are read journal entries from an emigrating party of Potawatomi Indians. Students reflect on the items the Indians might have taken...

Students investigate African Americans in aviation. In this primary resources lesson, students examine primary resources to research the history of African American in aviation. Students answer two research questions and write an essay...

Students explore the Missouri courts. In this primary sources lesson, students examine the Missouri court case Burden v. Hornsby as well as other primary documents and narratives relating to the case. Students analyze the case as they...

Learners become curators and museum reviewers for an online gallery using a selected group of primary sources on Mexican migrant workers. They share and reflect on their own and each other's ideas though participation in an on-line...

Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then analyze letters written home by the...

Students study the American immigration experience. In this Ellis Island lesson, students research primary documents from the immigration station, take a tour of the station, and then prepare and perform dramatic presentations based on...