Trench art is a nontraditional art form created by soldiers in trenches during wartime. Artist Allison Smith connects her art to the American Revolution and the question: "What are you fighting for?" Kids examine her art, how it connects...

America: a nation that continues to change. Budding historians analyze primary sources to understand the key ideas of the American Revolution and how the country has changed over time. Scholars read text from the Declaration of...

Freedom for the few! An interesting lesson plan focuses on the Maryland Constitution and its lack of freedom for African Americans. Scholars examine the premise of freedom for all—which only extended to a limited few.  Academics...

Who does what? To develop an understanding of the balance of power between the US federal and state governments, class members research responsibilities in terms of legal systems, security issues, economic activities, lawmaking, and...

What were the virtues and values that helped form America? Pupils watch and discuss a video, read biographies of early Americans, chart the differences between early American religious movements, write journals and letters, draw, and...

Thomas Jefferson's letter to King George III, which evolved into the Declaration of Independence, is the subject of a two-part reading comprehension exercise that asks kids to first read the attached article, and then to respond to a...

Budding historians learn the process of preserving history in an interesting hands-on-activity. The resource walks academics through the process of restoring the Declaration of Independence. Individuals place a series of images in...

To sign or not to sign, that is the question. Scholars review the Declaration of Independence and discuss the Framers' decisions for signing the document. The activity uses primary text, a worksheet, and group discussion to help...

Verbs are deceptive and like to disguise themselves. Young linguists identify verbals, specifically gerunds, infinitives, and participles when analyzing the third stage of Carlotta's journey in the novel A Mighty Long Way. Bridge...

March your students off to war with this presentation, which provides details to the American Revolution such as important figures (Jefferson, Franklin, Henry), facts about the Declaration of Independence, and definitions of key terms. A...

Students practice connecting words into phrases. They use the Declaration of Independence to help them connect phrases.

Posing a guiding question about the inevitability of the American Revolution, the presentation guides students through the circumstances leading up to "The shot heard 'round the world" up to the Declaration of Independence. Teachers can...

What, if anything, makes a war "just"? This is an interesting and important question to explore with your class, and you can utilize an excellent lesson plan to support your group inquiry. The American Revolution and the War of 1812...

"Promises Denied," the second instructional activity in a unit that asks learners to consider the responsibilities individuals have to uphold human rights, looks at documents that illustrate the difficulty the US has had trying to live...

The Stamp Act, Paul Revere's ride, and the Boston Tea Party pushed American colonists to the tipping point that led to the American Revolution. Fifth graders research the key figures of the war, study the Declaration of Independence, and...

Marbury v. Madison is arguably the most important landmark case in the history of the Supreme Court. A fact-filled lesson provides background information about the case and two others related to the concept of judicial review. Scholars...

Students work in groups to do a document analyxix of several documents. Students view the Martin Luther King speech, "I Have a Dream." They discuss the Battle of Saratoge. Students give a personal view of the reason the Declaration of...

This presentation reviews some of the reasons that led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the start of the Revolutionary War. It provides a brief overview and images for events like the French and Indian War, the...

The courage of Las Mariposas, the Mirabal sisters, is the focus of a series of activities designed to accompany a reading of In the Time of the Butterflies that ask readers to consider what it means to be courageous. Beautifully crafted...

Get historians writing about the American Revolution using this short-answer activity! Three big-picture prompts are intended to guide deeper thinking and prepare students for later discussion and application. They consider the influence...

Fifth graders participate in a discussion about the Declaration of Independence.  In this Declaration of Independence lesson, 5th graders write imaginary stories in the voice of a member of the committee at Independence hall....

Learners read and discuss the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments. They discuss how the rights of the colonists and women were being violated. Students write about their own personal rights and how their rights...

Students examine the Declaration of Independence and its significance to American history. They read the document, identify America's grievances with Great Britain, and restate a part of the document in their own words.

Twelfth graders identify the key phrases of the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence and interpret the meaning of those key phrases. Students work in small groups to analyze the paragraphs and answering questions...