How significant was the Cold War during the 20th century? After reading and analyzing speeches by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, learners consider the historical context of foreign policy decisions made during the Cold...

The Election of 1912: an election with four competitive opponents. Pupils get to know the candidates with informative reading passages that provide context to the election. Then, the class engages in a debate and answers questions as one...

Explore the origin of political parties in the United States. Learners work in groups to read and analyze copies of the "Report on Manufactures" written by Alexander Hamilton. Then, they complete a worksheet comparing the Federalists to...

What stories can a desk paperweight and picture frame possibly tell us about the president of the United States? Pupils are transported to the desk of President John F. Kennedy through an engaging interactive site. The guide offers...

Not all news in a newspaper comes in the form of a traditional article; photographs, charts, and even editorial cartoons help spread important information, too. A civics-based unit describes the parts of the newspaper as tools for...

Students examine the life and achievements of Colin Powell. After reading an article, they discuss the role of the Secretary of State. In groups, they evaluate his successes in different regions throughout the world. They reflect on the...

In this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 12 multiple choice questions about The Education of Henry Adams. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

Young historians use the prompts on a worksheet to analyze President Roosevelt's "Day of Infamy" speech. They identify the intended audience for the speech, the devices FDR used to persuade his audience, the responses promoted, and the...

In this literature worksheet, students respond to 12 short answer and essay questions about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the...

Discover a little bit about Thomas Jefferson in a brief reading passage. Learners then answer a set of multiple choice comprehension questions.

Young scholars discover the history of WWII by investigating the Nazis. For this World History lesson, students identify the Rhineland, the Treaty of Versailles, and how Nazis broke the agreement.  Young scholars read transcripts of...

Learners research the political aspects of the U.S. position in the Middle East, considering, for example, Truman's position in view of the 1948 presidential election. They examine a telegram sent by the Secretary of State, George C....

FDR's December 7, 1941 address to the nation is the focus of a reading comprehension exercise that asks middle schoolers to read an excerpt from the Pearl Harbor speech and determine the president's purpose.

How are linking verbs and action verbs different? First, study the definitions and examples of each (at the top of the first page). Then, assess the comprehension skills of your class by having them complete the 20-question practice...

Study opposing viewpoints with this lesson, which examines President Bush's September 2004 address at the United Nations. Middle schoolers study the text of the address, and then stage formal debates arguing for or against the reasons to...

Students analyze key components of a portrait and relate the elements to the historical context. In this lesson students evaluate the "Emancipation Proclamation" and it's significance.

Students assess how point of view can change a story. In this content area reading instructional activity, students read about the Battle of the Little Bighorn from three different sources. Students answer questions based upon their...

Who were Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton? High schoolers examine the character traits of these historical figures and watch the video, The Duel. Hamilton vs. Burr: An Event that Changed History (available from PBS), to gain...

Students consider Senate leadership by examining specific positions and staging a mock legislative session. They write reflective essays considering the inner workings of the Senate.

In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read an article about 19th century American presidents. They answer ten multiple choice questions about the article. Each question asks students to identify one of four presidents; Van...

High schoolers identify specific passages in the Monroe Doctrine to events in early U.S. diplomacy.

Commas are helpful for separating names of cities from states, setting off interjections, and listing items in a series. Practice the many uses of commas with a set of grammar exercises designed for both elementary and middle school...

In need of a really good lesson that incorporates literature, art, and cultural themes? After hearing a traditional Chinese folktale and discussing cultural themes and symbolism, learners create original illustrations for the story. This...

For this English worksheet, students read "UN Secretary-General Announces Female Deputy," and then respond to 9 short answer, 19 matching and 8 true or false questions about the selection.