Center for History Education
Colonial Tea Parties
Most people know of the Boston Tea Party, but it was only one of similar protests throughout the colonies. Using a case study from Maryland, learners explore primary sources, including images and newspaper accounts of similar tea...
College Board
2015 AP® United States History Free-Response Questions
How do preservationists and conservationists differ? How did the Founding Fathers come to understand the American Revolution? Learners explore the queries and more using authentic College Board materials to prep for upcoming exams.
PBS
Thomas Paine: Writer and Revolutionary
Is the pen really mightier than the sword? Scholars analyze the impact Thomas Paine's book Common Sense had on the American Revolution. Video clips and primary sources investigate the role Paine had on dissent in the colonies....
Curated OER
The Settlement of New England
A thorough exploration of the Puritan Migration and settlement of Plymouth, this presentation is sure to engage your young historians with its clear maps and historical documents. The presentation differentiates the philosophies of...
Curated OER
Our Political Beginnings: Ch 1
Quiz your middle schoolers on the political beginnings of American government. They will answer 5 matching and 5 multiple choice questions. Great as a quiz, homework, or comprehension questions.
Curated OER
Revolutionary Boston
Learners annotate core maps to explain either the political or the military situation in the British North American colonies, using Boston as a case study. They explain the British military strategy for suppressing the rebellion in Boston.
Curated OER
Colonial Living: A Look at the Arts, Crafts, History, and Literature of Early Americans
Sixth graders examine the different aspects of life in Colonial America. At home, they make traditional colonial recipes to share with the class. In groups, they read a book about the purpose and act of quilting and create their own...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Volume 1 - A History of the United States: Precolonial to the 1800s
Volume One of the 299-page Core Knowledge History of the United States covers events from the Precolonial Period to the 1800s.
Core Knowledge Foundation
A History of the United States
This 262-page Core Knowledge teacher guide presents an overview of the two-volume History of the United States program designed for middle schoolers. The guide includes information about the learning strategies used, a pacing guide, the...
EngageNY
Peer Critique: Historical Accuracy of Ideas and Vocabulary
Promote collaboration in the classroom with a historical fiction instructional activity. Fourth graders partner up and read the other's narrative to give feedback on vocabulary choice and the accuracy of historical information. After...
EngageNY
Writing to Inform: Colonial Trades
Fourth graders who are studying life in colonial America engage in an instructional activity that has them create a "Help Wanted" ad that would have been written by a master craftsperson from back in the day. They utilize a graphic...
EngageNY
Documenting Research: Sorting and Recording Information About the Wheelwright
Fourth graders practice using a graphic organizer to record their notes and answer text-dependent questions while supplying evidence of how they found their answer. They focus on a machine called the wheelright, which was commonly...
EngageNY
Synthesizing Research: How Colonists Were Interdependent
Following the formative assessment of this unit, young scholars present the information they gathered on their specific colonial trade to the rest of the class. Working in groups, learners create posters describing the particular job...
National First Ladies' Library
The Education of Abigail Adams
Young scholars read the biography of Abigail Smith Adams from the First Ladies Library web site. They work in small groups to write a description of her education. Students discuss their findings, and extend this to the education of...
Curated OER
A Whole New World
Students examine a timeline of a sequence of events displaying how the colonies were founded. They analyze Jamestown and Plymouth recruitment posters, write journal entries, and play a Jeopardy game with questions about the colonies.
Curated OER
The Role of African Slaves on South Carolina Rice Plantations
Fourth graders investigate the role of African American slaves in rice plantations. In this slave life instructional activity, 4th graders discuss the products produced in the 13 colonies. Students discuss the importance of rice to South...
Curated OER
Boycotting Baubles of Britain
Students examine the role of British commodities in the Revolutionary War. In this American Revolution lesson, students discover the British commodities that colonists needed and investigate the success of the boycotting campaigns by...
Curated OER
Lesson 2: Using Common Sense
Tenth graders explore the impact of Thomas Paine on the American Revolution. In this colonial America lesson, 10th graders analyze Common Sense and then paraphrase selected excerpts of the pamphlet. Students also respond to discussion...
Curated OER
Meet American History Scavenger Hunt
Learners answer questions about US history by visiting web links to find the answers. They write their answers on a worksheet. Students who get finished early go back to the web sites they liked the best and take a virtual tour.
Curated OER
Revolutionary Tea Parties and the Reasons for Revolution
Students identify tea party protests other than the Boston Tea Party, state some possible reasons behind the tea protests, and explain the connection between the Boston Tea Party, other tea parties, and events that preceded and followed...
Read Works
American Government Preamble to the United States Constitution
Observe Constitution Day with a instructional activity that delves deep into the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars read a short informational text then answer 10 questions—short answer and multiple...
EngageNY
Taking Notes Using a Graphic Organizer: Inferring About Work and Play in Colonial America
What was life like in colonial America? Follow this lesson and your pupils will find out what people in colonial times did for work and for fun. Ask learners to compare and contrast the two texts and explain what the reading helped them...
EngageNY
Taking Notes Using a Graphic Organizer: Inferring About the Importance of Religion in Colonial America
Improve class understanding of colonial times by reading an informational text and filling out the accompanying graphic organizer. Class members work with a partner to read, take notes, make inferences, and synthesize information.The...
K12 Reader
Conflict Over North American Lands
Readers are introduced to some of the conflicts that arose over land and resources in the Americas in a two-part cross-curricular comprehension worksheet that asks kids to study the article and then to use information provided to...