Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Religious Freedom

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine the religious issues of the early settlers in the New World and the current issue of separation of church and state. They discuss a list of colonial laws from the 1600s, participate in a class discussion, and in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writers and the Old South Myth

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners are introduced to authors of the South. In groups, they compare and contrast the pastoral and counter pastoral traditions present in some forms of Southern literature. They use a database to examine the covers of the books...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slavery in Virginia

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders assess primary sources to analyze the effects plantation life and slavery had on Colonial Virginia. They study the issues of slavery, rural life, movements, colonization and revolution. Each student makes predictions,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Case Studies in Journalistic Ethics No. 2

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Learners use texts on media ethics and various Web sites  to explore real world examples of media law issues. For this media ethics lesson, learners examine the Food Lion case using a transcript from the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Corps of Discovery

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students assess their knowledge of the Corps of Discovery through a written pretest, follow the journey of Lewis and Clark on the internet, record data on events, dates, places, people, animals, distance traveled, and geographic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Encyclopedia Expertise

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders, in groups, practice using the encyclopedia as a reference tool. They research animals today using the encyclopedia. Their job be to find three or more strange but true facts about the animal listed on their card.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time Travel

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders become familiar with the early explorers of our state. In addition, they conceptualize life during the 1800's in relation to their own personal histories and knowledge of 19th century events.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nigerian Elections Critical Analysis

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the recent history of Nigeria and determine how its history and geography have effect current events in the area. They look at the challenges facing Nigeria as a new democracy and a developing nation. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Democracy, A Basic Element In Our Society

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concept of freedom with the context of the First Amendment. They research and take notes looking for the connections between democracy and freedom. They complete a writing assessment that includes naming all of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Show Me Economics

For Teachers K
Students identify the penny as a copper coin worth 1 cent. They discover information found on the penny: President Lincoln's face, Lincoln Memorial, date, and location of minting.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Revolutionary War People and Events

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research events, institutions, and individuals that influenced history during the American Revolution. They create a four-frame cartoon depicting the information they have studied.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution and The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explore the Constitution and The Bill of Rights including the process of the Convention throgh a variety of websites that examine the framers, venets leading up to and after the convention games and more.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Election of 1800 and the Twelfth Amendment

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the election of 1800.  In this American Government instructional activity, 11th graders summarize the events that made the election controversial.  Students advocate for a candidate during a short role...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution and The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Studnets learn about The Constitution and The Bill of Rights through a series on Internet pages that include such things as the framers, court cases and games.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Spirit of Nationalism: Thomas Jefferson

For Students 9th - 10th
Arguably one of the most accomplished American in history, this brief biography features Thomas Jefferson and his written contributions to American literature. Click "Thomas Jefferson Activities" for related materials.
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Grolier: Thomas Jefferson

For Students 3rd - 8th
A thorough biography of one of the founding fathers of America, Thomas Jefferson.
Website
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: Thomas Jefferson (Spanish)

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief biography on Thomas Jefferson with pictures and links.
Primary
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: School Publishers: An Interview With Thomas Jefferson

For Students 3rd - 5th
"What do you think Thomas Jefferson was like as a person? What were his interests and hobbies? Where did he go to school? Imagine yourself as a reporter in 1826, about to interview Mr. Jefferson at Monticello, his home."
Lesson Plan
Library of Virginia

Virginia Memory: Constitution Day Activities: Elementary

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Who were Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Patrick Henry, and George Mason?
Interactive
Scholastic

Scholastic: Lewis and Clark

For Students 3rd - 5th
An interactive site that has students follow the Lewis and Clark's expedition. As they travel west, they are able to collect objects on their journey and put them in their specimen box. They also take notes on their specimens so they can...
Graphic
Curated OER

Grolier Online: Thomas Jefferson

For Students 3rd - 8th
A thorough biography of one of the founding fathers of America, Thomas Jefferson.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: A Biography of America: A New System of Government 1776 1826

For Students 9th - 10th
This module examines America's efforts to form a new government after the War for Independence and to draft the Constitution. Includes an interactive activity comparing Thomas Jefferson's and Alexander Hamilton's visions for America, a...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Montana: Give Me Liberty the Montana State Constitution

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Compare the meanings of "freedom" and "liberty." Learners watch a video about what liberty meant to Thomas Jefferson, then consider different definitions of the word "liberty" by analyzing founding documents of both the United States and...
Lesson Plan
US National Archives

National Archives: Lewis and Clark's Expedition to the Complex West

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore the land annexed in the Louisiana Purchase knowing that his area was already inhabited and politically complicated. Students will explore documents related to the purchase and use the map to...