Curated OER
Under Construction
Students examine the concept of 'nation building,' focusing on outcomes of U.S. involvement in nation building efforts in Afghanistan, past and present attempts at nation building and how the U.S. should proceed in the war against...
Curated OER
The Cold War Era 1949-1989: What Really Happened
This novel approach to a discussion of the Cold War can be a way to introduce the topic in your classroom. The presentation is supposed to be played in conjunction with the song "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel. It features lists...
Curated OER
ACLU
Is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) good for America? The informative website is a one-stop shop for ACLU debate resources. Scholars read about the topics surrounding the issue, including free speech, national security, and...
Curated OER
Firestorms: The Bombing of Civilians in World War II: War, Ethics, Guernica, Precision Bombing
Young scholars explore the history, rationale and ethics of civilian bombing in times of war. They consider war strategy, the laws and conventions of war and international implications.
US National Archives
Eastern Europe 1939-45 — Berlin
The inevitability of World War II has arrived: Berlin has fallen. Young historians watch contemporaneous footage of the event, analyze primary source documents, and write a news report that details the roles of the Soviet, British,...
New York State Education Department
US History and Government Examination: August 2012
Just how far can the American government go during war time? With primary source documents, learners consider the effects on restrictions of freedom of speech, the detention of American citizens of Japanese descent, and the Patriot Act...
Curated OER
The Object Is Objectivity
Students search for and read articles about the initial United States strike on Afghanistan from non-U.S. news sources, then describe the journalists' perspectives and reflect on how difficult it might be to maintain an objective wartime...
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The Power Of Words
Students respond, in writing and in discussions, to statements of various world leaders about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. They keep quotation scrapbooks, responding to various quotations about the...
Curated OER
Kabul's Troubles
Students investigate the many political changes that Afghanistan has endured over the past century in order to better assess the impact of the recent fleeing of the Taliban from the capital of Kabul.
Smithsonian Institution
Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers
The Civil War, a war that divided a nation. Comparing and contrasting the Confederate and Union soldiers is not always an easy task, but the eighth of 15 resources makes it easy to teach the concepts. Exercises include watching videos in...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Analyzing Political Campaign Commercials
Imagine a lesson that models for learners how to separate facts from opinions. How to detect bias. How to evaluate a source of information. How to identify propaganda. Although designed for middle schoolers, the activities in this packet...
Curated OER
Taming Terrorism
Students explore different organizations working to stop terrorism. They examine international summits and their recommendations. They participate in a debate about the effectiveness of the measures proposed.
Curated OER
The Holocaust
Tenth graders reflect on the effects of the Holocaust and the events leading up to World War II. In this World History lesson, 10th graders complete several activities, including a WebQuest, that analyze the Holocaust and its...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Recession Puts our Patients to the Test
Cartoons for the classroom has put out another great worksheet intended to get upper graders thinking. They analyze a political cartoon regarding economic recovery and President Obama. Three great discussion questions and a web link make...
Beverly Hills High School
French Revolution Word Bank
Vive la résistance! Provide young historians with a list of important people and events during the French Revolution and Napoleonic periods.
Curated OER
A Passport to WWII and the Holocaust
Students explore the Holocaust. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research Hitler's rise to power, the terror of concentration camps, and World War II. Students read The Diary of Anne Frank , listen to a Holocaust survivor, and...
Curated OER
The age of majority: How old is old enough?
High schoolers research on the Web and in books the "age of majority" in general and how it applies in their particular states. Explore, too, "emancipation" and whether this is another way for teens to earn additional rights. Students...
Curated OER
Challenges to the Concert System
A panoramic view of the European revolutions of the 19th century ties these slides together, which feature paintings and maps to illustrate the effects of each revolution. Details and information about the Greek, Belgian, French, and...
Curated OER
Can Peace Prevail?
Students examine terrorist attacks in Amman, Jordan, and consider how events like these affect the global war against terrorism. They write reflective pieces exploring their own opinions about terrorism and the state of current affairs...
Curated OER
Life on the American Homefront
Seventh graders examine the conditions of the homefront during World War II. Using propaganda, they discuss its role and how it affected people who viewed it. They identify the role citizens played during the war and create their own...
Curated OER
Saddam Hussein and Modern Iraq
Take your class through a moment in modern history in this presentation, which details the rise of Saddam Hussein and the dynamics between Iraq and its neighbors during the Persian Gulf War and the current Iraq war. Though slightly...
Curated OER
A Balancing Act
Young scholars compare and contrast the response to Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the response to terrorism in the U.S. since Sept. 11, 2001. They conduct Internet research, complete a worksheet, and develop a plan based on their own ideas...
Curated OER
Defining Terrorism
Students explore the debate over legitimate and illegitimate uses of force and differentiate between terrorists and freedom fighters. They read articles, participate in class discussion and write an essay with their observations.
Curated OER
Terrorism: How Have Other Countries Handled It? How Should We?
Students explore the questions of security. In this terrorism lesson plan, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of methods countries have used to combat terrorism. Students respond to discussion...