Students examine how the Inca communicated over large distances. They locate the Inca Empire on a map, define key vocabulary terms, play the game, 'telephone,' and create a quipu to show the year they were born.

Often forgotten and written off as the model minority, Americans with heritage in Asia and the Pacific Islands have played an essential role in American history, including Congress. Budding historians reclaim history by researching the...

Students study the Aztecs and Incas. In this Aztecs and Incas lesson plan, students discover their similiarities and differences and how the Spainards defeated both. Students create a picture book about one of these empires.

Students create a study guide on colonization of North America. In this American Colonization lesson, students complete a chart of explorers and their conquests. Students complete a crossword puzzle using explorer facts. Students read...

Students view a video called Battling Beyond the Borders about the Spanish-American War. They discuss the role of newspapers in the war and then analyze political cartoons of the time, writing explanatory sentences about them.

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...

Fourth graders recognize and can describe the settlers of Early America. In this American colonies instructional activity, 4th graders research using primary and secondary sources, Native Americans, Europeans, and African Americans...

Young scholars examine the role of women in Mesoamerica. They watch segments of the Discovery video "Mesoamerica: The History of Central America". After conducting further research pertaining to specific Mayan women, they write...

Students, after reading Chapter 1 in the book, "First Encounters Between Spain and the Americas: Two Worlds Meet," design and create a map of the Aztec Empire at the time of the first contract with the Spanish. They create the map from...

Study and compare multiple aspects of both Aztec and Inca civilizations. Young historians explain how each of the empires came to be, and how they were both defeated by the Spanish. The resource starts out as a good lesson, but is...

Students explore the concept of political cartoons. In this political cartoons lesson, students examine political cartoons from different time periods in American history and respond to questions regarding them.

High schoolers examine the political and religious factors that influenced English, Spanish, French, and Dutch colonization of the Americas, and the economic characteristics of the early Spanish and Portuguese empires in the Americas.

During the Industrial and commercial expansion of the United States, war broke out between America and the Philippines. Explore conflict, American Imperialism, and political cartoons with this creative project. Learners view the film,...

Young scholars explore how the Inca communicated across the bast stretches of their mountain realm.

Fourth graders become familiar with the explorations of Hernando DeSoto. In this DeSoto lesson, 4th graders recognize the routes and territories of DeSoto's explorations. Students use primary and secondary sources and research to answer...

Students read a reprinted article from USA Today. In this metacognition lesson, students complete a worksheet about their thoughts while they are reading.

Students examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Students conduct research regarding a particular explorer and create foldables...

Eleventh graders use a map and locate and define the Caribbean region and then work in groups to read the passage and timeline. The groups' reader will read the passage aloud and the recorder makes a list of why colonists used slave...

Students complete a variety of activities that go along with the study of and possible fieldtrip to Urca de Lima and San Pedro wreck sites in St. Lucie and Monroe Counties in Florida. They discuss the importance of preserving such wrech...

Fourth graders discuss the importance of Coronado's expedition through Texas and the trials his men endured during the journey. They view and discuss a map of Coronado's route, the effects of weather on the Great Plains, and Buffalo....

After a study of explorers in the Americas, students write poetry to show what they know about individual explorers. This lesson plan gives guidelines, ways to adapt the lesson, a graphic organizer, and scoring guide.