Curated OER
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution: The American Revolution
The contributions of African-Americans to the American Revolution are the focus of this Social Studies and language arts lesson. After reading and discussing Linda Crotta Brennan’s The Black Regiment of the American Revolution, class...
Curated OER
Is Social Media a Trustworthy News Outlet?
Examine the role of social media in social and political uprisings. Pupils listen to NPR audio clips about social media and the Arab Spring and read an article that proposes the idea that revolution will not happen through social media....
Smithsonian Institution
Us vs. Them: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting instructional activity focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political...
DocsTeach
Analyzing a Petition about Slavery
Practice analyzing primary sources in a thought-provoking lesson on the impact of slavery. Young historians read a petition regarding the Fugitive Slave Law and answer a series of questions to understand the importance of the document....
DocsTeach
Indian Nations vs. Settlers on the American Frontier: 1786–1788
Once Americans won the Revolutionary War, their quest to gain land did not end. An interesting activity focuses on Americans' expansion into the frontier following the war and how it conflicted with Native Americans living in the area....
Curated OER
Reporting Live from the 20th Century!
Students read and write newspaper articles. In this newspaper article writing activity, students collect and share current news articles, examine how they are written, then choose an event from the 20th century and write their own news...
Curated OER
Italian Enemy Aliens During World War II: Evacuation from Prohibited Zones
Students read and discuss the Enemy Alien Evacuation Order. They perform research by reading newspaper articles from February 1942 as well as investigating available information on the Internet. Students work in groups to create a...
Curated OER
Found Poems
Students summarize articles found in the newspaper and use key concepts to write a poem. In this reading comprehension and writing instructional activity, students work with a partner to choose a current newspaper article. Key concepts...
Curated OER
Worksheet for Analysis of a Newspaper Article
In this primary source analysis activity, learners respond to 20 short answer questions that require them to analyze their selected newspaper articles.
Curated OER
Ancient Greece: Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Second graders explore world history by writing newspaper articles. In this Greek history lesson, 2nd graders investigate the geography and society of Ancient Greece by utilizing the Internet as a research tool. Students collaborate with...
National Endowment for the Humanities
“Read All About It”: Primary Source Reading in “Chronicling America”
Can investigative journalism become too sensationalistic and accusatory, or is it vital for the survival of a democracy? Middle schoolers analyze primary source documents from early 20th-century newspapers as well as Theodore Roosevelt's...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
What Would the Ladies Think? An Alabama Secession Story
Alabama voted to secede from the Union preceding the Civil War. What did women think of the decision? The activity uses letters and newspaper articles to explain women's views on the secession and how they participated in the celebration...
Stanford University
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was a conflict that raged on for months. Academics view a presentation and read text excerpts from newspaper articles to understand the events that turned the battle into a long conflict. The presentation also...
Digital Public Library of America
The Watsons Go To Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
A primary source set of photographs, videos, newspaper articles, and FBI reports provides insight into race relations during the 1960s, the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, and the murder of Emmitt Till. Designed to be used to...
Curated OER
Medieval Newspaper
Sixth graders create a Medieval newspaper. In this history lesson plan students work in groups to write portions of a Medieval newspaper. The articles are compiled to complete a newspaper. Extra or additional articles are also assigned...
Curated OER
The Camelot Times: Writing a Newspaper
Students create and publish a newspaper based on Arthurian literature and history. After completing a class read of "King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table," students work in groups to write an article based on their...
Curated OER
Carter as President and Ex-President
Students examine how Presidents are judged during their time in office as well as afterwards. They conduct and Internet search for Jimmy Carter's inaugural address and write a news story about his address. Once they have written an...
Curated OER
Diwali
In this Diwali worksheet, students complete activities such as read the passage, match the phrases, fill in the blanks, choose the correct word, multiple choice fill in, correct the spelling, put text in correct order, unscramble the...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Yellow Journalism
What role did yellow journalism play in bringing the United States into war with Spain? As part of their study of the Spanish-American War, class groups examine newspapers of the times and other texts and then produce their own...
Media Smarts
Fact versus Opinion
Part of a series aimed at breaking down cultural bias from the Canadian Media Awareness Network, this activity identifies where opinions do and don't belong in a newspaper. Pupils review handouts about the purpose of editorial comments...
Curated OER
Women in Afghanistan
Students investigate the role and status of women in Afghanistan. They listen to Laura Bush's radio address, complete a Webquest, explore various websites, answer discussion questions, and read newspaper articles about the status of...
Curated OER
Navajo Code Talkers
Learners investigate the Navajo Code Talkers and their role in World War II. They complete a Webquest, explore various websites, encode a short message, analyze maps, answer discussion questions, and read newspaper articles about secure...
Curated OER
Economic Crisis in Argentina
Learners investigate the history, people, and the economy of Argentina. They complete a Webquest, explore various websites, answer discussion questions, and identify and read newspaper articles about local businesses that export goods to...
Curated OER
King's Dream Revisited
Students investigate the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They complete a Webquest, listen to an excerpt from a speech, take an online quiz, answer discussion questions, and read newspaper articles about current...