PBS
Written in Stone
Students explore history through a tour of a local cemetery. Students investigate tombstones for historical information, make stone rubbings, and use this secondary source reference to obtain primary sources.
Curated OER
Take Only Photos and Leave Only Bubbles: Learn About American History from a Sunken Spanish Galleon
Students simulate the research process of investigating a shipwreck. In small groups, they conduct Internet research, and develop and write a proposal for excavation of the archaeological site.
Curated OER
The Torah Tells...
Students extract and interpret information about the Torah text to draw conclusions about ancient Hebrew life. In this Torah lesson plan students research facts and complete worksheets about the Torah. Then as a class the students form a...
Curated OER
The Titanic Disaster
Seventh graders explore the titanic disaster. In this geography lesson, 7th graders research basic facts about the Titanic. Students create Titanic scrapbooks.
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Egyptian Fairy Tale
Learners explore ancient Egyptian culture and government. In this social studies lesson plan, students compare the legal system from ancient Egypt to our current American legal system. Links are included for web searching Egypt and the...
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Artifacts
Students learn that articles used by a culture reveal much about life and people's values. They learn the Japanese word to identify some artifacts and some simple games using Japanese toys.
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Ghana Artifacts
Students study to artifacts from Ghana and discuss how these aid in understanding the civilization.
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Artifact Ethics
Fourth graders examine their own values and beliefs about archaeological site protection and evaluate possible actions they might take regarding site and artifact protection.
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Classifying Artifacts
Middle schoolers examine pictures of pottery and classify them. They work together to create a list of characteristics for each piece. They share their findings with the class.
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Immigration and Urban Life
Fifth graders research the impact of immigration. For this social studies lesson, 5th graders discuss how immigration affected the economy. Students discuss the living and working conditions of immigrants in the 1800s.
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Ecuadorian Highlands Lesson
Indigenous peoples resided in the highlands of Ecuador as far back as 5,000 B.C. To learn about the lives of these people, class pairs research the farming and the building methods, the arts and crafts, and the beliefs of the early...
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Teaching with Poster Art: World War I Posters
Learners interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this World War I lesson, students examine World War I posters. Learners investigate the use of propaganda strategies in the posters and discuss the visual metaphors.
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Sam Houston for President...Again
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.
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Immigration Connections: The Squamish Nation and Bainbridge Island Filipino Americans
High schoolers explore ancestry and immigration. In this Canadian immigration lesson, students interview their family members to identify their cultural history. They compose an essay that compares Filipino immigration stories to those...
Curated OER
The Power of the Image: Understanding Symbols in Buddhist Art
Students discuss symbolism in art, examine various images of compassion in Buddhist tradition, analyzing components of the concept, and then produce their own images of compassion through art.
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World War I
Eleventh graders investigate propaganda used during World War I. In this World War I instructional activity, 10th graders examine propaganda from the war and analyze war posters. Students then create their own propaganda posters on...
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Classic Columns
Sixth graders present a PowerPoint presentation on Greek columns. They realize that Greek culture is centered around religion. Students create a model of one of the columns. Also they find examples of Greek architecture in major Greek...
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Arkansas Architectural Styles
Students investigate the various architectural styles of Arkansas. They read a handout, complete a worksheet, view images of architectural styles, and take photos and write descriptions of five style elements they observe in their...
University of Chicago
Ancient Egyptians and Death
What archaeological evidence remains of ancient Egyptian burial and mortuary practices, and what can this information tell us about ancient Egyptian society?
Curated OER
Abenakis Before Contact: Different Worlds Meet
Students study the lives of the Abenaki before contact with Europeans and how their lives changed after contact with the Europeans.
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Comparing Cultures
Students examine the nature of culture, and compare/contrast various cultures and their artifacts and ceremonies. They develop a class list of artifacts, complete a worksheet, and create a poster or diorama describing an object that is...
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Native American Living Museum
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on Native Americans. They analyze Native American cultures, create a Native American artifact for a Living Museum, and develop a tour of the museum using a digital camera and a Powerpoint...
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Homer's Odyssey:The Original Incredible Journey
Students study Greek culture, particularly as it relates to Homer's Odyssey. They examine how human activities shape the earth's surface and identify forces that influence a culture's beliefs and traditions. They determine that...
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The Mystery of the Shoe Box
Sixth graders do the work of historians. In this world history activity, 6th graders examine the artifacts and handouts in mystery boxes that their teachers prepare. Students collaborate to solve the mystery of their assigned boxes as...