Curated OER
How Do Authors Use Imagery to Shape Their Writing?
Esther Forbes' award-winning Revolutionary War novel, Johnny Tremain and excerpts from Julie Otsuka's When the Emperor Was Divine are used to model how imagery brings alive the setting of a story. The young writers then craft their...
Teach Engineering
Acoustic Mirrors
Investigate sound waves with acoustic mirrors. Using audio software, groups make recordings of musical instruments, both with and without acoustic mirrors. They compare the recordings to see the effect of acoustic mirrors on sound...
iCivics
Wanted: A Just Right Government
What type of government did American colonists gain and seek after gaining their independence after the Revolutionary War? Here is instructional activity that will guide your young learners through the new nation's progression from the...
US Institute of Peace
Perspectives on Peace
Is peace simply the absence of war, or is there more to the story? Young social scientists define peace in the second installment of a 15-part series. Groups work together to explore cultural concepts of peace and the peacemaking process...
Curated OER
Brother Against Brother
Eighth graders read Across Five Aprils and correlate it to a unit on the Civil War. They culminate the unit by writing a a piece of historical fiction in the first person entitled "Brother Against Brother."
Curated OER
Selling Warfare - Propaganda Posters
Students examine the use and purpose of propaganda posters during World War I. They work in groups to create a propaganda poster supporting a nation's war effort.
Curated OER
Art and Patriotic Culture
Art forms, especially government-sponsored "poster art", very effectively conveyed specific cultural values during World War II. Understanding the role that visual images play in expressing issues and ideas is critical to developing...
Curated OER
WWII: On The Homefront and Abroad
Students explore World War II from the perspective of both the sides. They research the changes that occurred on the homefront during 1942-1944. Students prepare and conduct an interview with a local veteran or spouse of a veteran...
National First Ladies' Library
Are We There Yet?
Students study the wide-reaching effects of the Cold War, even to its involvement in domestic road construction. They research the National Defense Highway System (Eisenhower Highways) for information about the creation of the program,...
Curated OER
Lincoln, Patriotism and Protest
Eleventh graders explore arguments surrounding Abraham Lincoln's opposition to the Mexican War. They compare the arguments surrounding Lincoln's opposition to war with those surrounding war protestors during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
Curated OER
Nationalism and Conflict-Two Fronts, Two Perspectives!
Students examine the major conflicts of the 20th century. After watching a video, they discuss the various types of technology and how they were used in World War I. They watch excerpts from films covering different wars and view them...
Curated OER
Christmas Truce
Students research the Christmas truce during World War I. In this social studies lesson, students discuss World War I and the Christmas Truce. Students write a response about the truce.
Curated OER
Prairie Grove Battlefield
Students examine the battle of Prairie Grove and Arkansas's role in the Civil War. They discover the realities of war on the soldiers and civilians. They analyze historical documents for content.
Curated OER
Fireside Chats of Franklin D. Roosevelt
High schoolers view a film about Franklin D. Roosevelt and his fireside chats. THey identify political inferences in his speeches and how the media played an important role in the war. They answer questions to complete the instructional...
National First Ladies' Library
Dolley The Hero
Students engage in a instructional activity that focuses on the events of the War of 1812. They conduct research using a variety of resources that includes the internet. Students then find images on the internet and then draw one of the...
Curated OER
Historic Dates and Timeliner Unit
Eighth graders research a specific Civil War battle including important date, major events and outcomes of the battle. They use their notes and information to create a timeline of the battle using Timeliner software. Finally, they decide...
Curated OER
WW II Historical Pop-Up Page
Students research and chart events associated with World War II from 1935-1945 using a data retrieval chart in order to list in chronological order important dates and events with accuracy. Each student create a Historical Pop-Up Page.
Curated OER
ZIP: A One-Act Play
Students review amendments of the Constitution relating to due process. They discuss the Constitution in the case of Eberhard "Zip" Fuhr. They research the provisions of the WWII Alien Enemy Control Program. They determine how national...
Curated OER
Did WWI Make Your Country Happy or Mad?
For this World War I worksheet, students respond to 5 short answer questions regarding the effects of World War I on different countries. The questions are answered from different country's perspectives.
Curated OER
Skepticism Toward Government
Students explain how the media portrays certain events and its effects on public opinion of government. They focus on Watergate, the Vietnam War, and the Clinton impeachment. They write essays about skepticism promoted by the media.
Curated OER
Working Women of WWII: Primary Documents: The Editorial Cartoon
Students examine the role of women in the workplace during World War II. They identify social conflicts, view and analyze editorial cartoons, participate in a group discussion, and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
Fallout
Students view a short film about the results of dropping the atomic bomb at the end of World War II. They research controversies surrounding the use of the bomb and nuclear weapons. They write two editorials about the issue.
Curated OER
City Bound
Fifth graders identify the reasons for people migrating to cities after the Civil War. Using population data, they discover why populations in cities rose while rural populations fell during 1860 to 1900. They discuss the impact a...
Curated OER
Korean Comfort Women
Students examine the use of women as slaves by the Japanese military during World War II. Using the internet, they research the purpose of Korean comfort women and identify how the women have dealt with the exploitation. They share...