The Great Fire by Jim Murphy provides the text for a study of the Chicago fire of 1871. The plan is designed as a close reading activity so that all learners have the same background information require for writing. Richly detailed, the...

Students consider the advantages and disadvantages of eyewitness accounts as records of history. They research several accounts of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and then compare and contrast each version to arrive at a final picture.

After studying the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, teach your students some fire safety tips and techniques with this important PowerPoint. Not only does this presentation include tips, but it has facts about fire that are important to know...

Students research the Great Chicago Fire and create a reader's theater presentation that describes the experiences of survivors.

Learners examine documents describing the experiences of survivors of the Great Chicago Fire, and write condolence letters.

Students compare and contrast the experiences of two survivors of the Great Fire of Chicago using a Venn Diagram.

Young scholars research the causes of the Great Fire of Chicago and draw conclusion as to the most probable cause and preventative actions that could have minimized the damage.

Students, in groups, create a historical fiction story of a Great Chicago Fire survivor by writing a survival narrative.

Young scholars, in groups, explore the Great Chicago Fire. They decide which moment from the fire is significant and create a story corner.

Scholars determine statements as fact or opinion in a practice page consisting of two reading passages followed by multiple choice and short answer questions. Fact and opinion passages detail information about Chicago and Ethiopia. 

Second graders explore what life in the Chicago area was like hundreds of years ago. They discuss how settlers impacted the environment, and why there are no longer herds of buffalo in the Chicago area today. They read an article and...

What do a girl in foster care and a 91-year-old widow have in common? A crossword puzzle related to Orphan Train highlights some of the similarities the two characters share in the book. The puzzle pulls out key details from the novel to...

Students dramatized the O'Leary hearing regarding the Chicago fire using the transcript from the original hearings as a script.

In this Fact Monster search engine activity, students access the Internet to a specific search engine to find the answers to five questions with multiple choice answers.

Students write a persuasive letter asking James Cameron to choose their disaster for his next movie.

Students become familiar with the art and architecture and history of the Chicago World's Fair.  In this public arts project lesson, students compare and contrast fine art and public art through a study of the exhibits at the...

The most famous American disasters - natural and otherwise - of the late 19th and early 20th century are the focus of this presentation. Detailing the 1865 sinking of the USS Saldana, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and the Influenza...

Students examine the role of John and Mary Jones in the abolitionist movement. Using primary source documents, they discover the importance of an oral history and take notes on the Jones' role. They write a summary of the data to...

Before the implementation of tenure in 1886, female teachers were sometimes fired for wearing pants or staying out too late at night. Scholars research the debate topic to decide if teachers should get tenure. They review the history of...

This lesson enables teachers to use blues music to explore the history of African Americans in the 20th century. By studying the content of blues songs, students can learn about the experiences and struggles of the working-class...

Learners study the Miller-Urey Experiment including its history and criticism.  In this origins of life lesson students repeat this experiment to see how it works.

Students view a film about the fall of Peru's president. They develop possible solutions for governments to follow when dealing with terrorism. They work together to research civil liberty limitations put in place during war. They...

Seventh graders read a newspaper account of "Grady the Silo Cow" and complete news-writing activities. In this news-writing lesson, 7th graders read the newspaper account about the cow. Students examine newspapers and work in groups to...