Curated OER
Literature Study of the Civil War Era
Learn more about the Civil War. Young scholars will choose a novel based on the Civil War to learn more about the viewpoints of that time period. They will then discuss the roles of the members of a Literature Circle and then participate...
Museum of Tolerance
Family Tree Activity
Discover the family histories that make the classroom with a family tree activity. Scholars locate information about their family, construct a family tree, and work together to tally where family members are born.
Curated OER
An Inspiring Scene
In Guatemala, around AD 600-900, a vase was created. This vase is the inspiration for a lesson that incorporates expressive language skills, writing skills, and social studies. Children analyze the images on the vase and then choose one...
C-SPAN
Electoral College Pros/Cons and Alternatives
If every vote counts, why do we need the electoral college? Middle and high schoolers study the Constitutional precedent of the electoral college, as well as its place in historical and modern elections, with an engaging social studies...
Center for Civic Education
What Basic Ideas About Government Are Included in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Young historians explore the meaning of the Preamble to the US Constitution in this upper-elementary social studies lesson. Working with partners or in small groups, children discuss the purpose of government before reading and analyzing...
Lesson Snips
Lessons from the Holocaust
Connect global examples of attempted genocide with a well-designed social studies lesson. It includes an excellent informational text with background information on the Holocaust, as well as worksheets, book report guidelines, and...
Curated OER
Making a Living and Leisure Activities
Students investigate the economic and daily activities in a typical African community. They design and construct a small scale house, play an African board game, create African money, discuss vocabulary, and write an essay.
Appalachian State University
Glory: Motion Picture Study Guide
This is an excellent resource for teachers to use for incorporating the motion picture Glory into the classroom! Breaking down the film into particular noteworthy and telling scenes, the guide offers important considerations for...
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Balance the Books
There is a difference between profit and revenue, and it's up to your class to find out why. They each research the public accounting documents for their favorite company or brand. Then they use their findings to discuss the differences...
Curated OER
Social Change
Young scholars study a social issue involving gorillas, and work in groups to develop strategies to increase awareness of and problem solve a solution for the issue. They collect data using handheld computers and write a report.
Missouri Department of Elementary
Bursting Stereotypes
Balloons take on the role of stereotypes in an activity that asks high school freshman to generate a list of different adjectives that are frequently used to describe men and women. Then then attach a stereotypical label to a balloon and...
Carolina K-12
Doing Democracy
How do you explain democracy to a middle school classroom? A social studies resource breaks elections and the democratic process down for your class. Discussion questions, worksheets, activities that build critical thinking skills, and a...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Lesson 2
Students explore the beginning of Communism. In this World History instructional activity, students exhibit their knowledge of Communism and the Marshall Plan through completion of a map activity.
Curated OER
Multicultural Social Studies
Second graders read and discuss the book "Jalapeno Bagels" in order to explain the Mexican American culture.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Kite Venn Diagrams
Third graders, in pairs, complete Venn diagrams in the shape of kites displaying the attributes of a smoothly operating home and school. On the tailpieces they write roles and responsibilities for home and school. Once completed, 3rd...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Celebrate Your Culture
After a class discussion about celebrations and customs, class members draw pictures depicting special events from their family cultures. Next, they draw pictures of an event from a different culture and share their work with classmates.
Curated OER
Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Landscape Long Ago and Today
Combine a fantastic review of primary source analysis with a study of Captain John Smith's influence on the Chesapeake Bay region in the seventeenth century. Your young historians will use images, a primary source excerpt, and maps...
National Park Service
How Theodore Roosevelt Became a Leader: Childhood of an American President
The beginning of the 20th century began with a shock: the assassination of President McKinley. The man who would take his place—the youngest American to ever become president—led quite a life before stepping foot in the Oval Office. An...
Wish for the Future
Wish for the Future
What would be your class's ideal world 30 years in the future? What about 100 years? Use a series of activities to discuss globalization, sustainability, scientific contributions to society, and the global community of which your...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 1 - Grades 9-12
Archaeologists have discovered a cache of Native American relics. They want to preserve these relics by removing them from the rapidly eroding site to a lab where they can be studied. Native American traditions demand that the items...
Time Warp Trio
My Big Fat Greek Olympics
The Olympic Games are indeed a significant and far-reaching cultural component in our international community today, but from where do they originate? Where do our traditions stem from, and how do we choose the sports that constitute...
Santillana USA
Celebra Kwanzaa
¡Celebramos Kwanzaa! Celebrate Kwanzaa through the fictional story Celebra Kwanzaa con Botitas y sus gatitos to delightfully explain the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Dual language learners participate in reading and vocabulary...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 2 - Grades 4-6
Class members will dig this activity that has them trying their hand at recovering artifacts. Groups are assigned a section of a sandbox, carefully uncover the artifacts in their section, and then develop theories about who might...
Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc.
Roman World vs. Feudal World
Young historians compare the major features of the Roman and feudal worlds, such as religion, social hierarchy, and political tenets, using online resources and group discussion.