Curated OER
New D.C. Memorial to Honor Dr. King
Learners read and discuss a news article about a memorial being built in honor of Dr. King in Washington D.C. They develop a list of facts about Dr. King, complete a fill-in-the blank activity, answer article comprehension questions,...
Curated OER
National Turkey Off to Disneyland
Young scholars share their holiday traditions, then read about an American Thanksgiving custom. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the news article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, the...
Curated OER
King Campaigns in Birmingham
Eleventh graders discuss the contributions of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. For this civil rights movement lesson, 11th graders read Rev. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", answer questions about the letter, share their...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Cold War
Students examine the domino theory. In this cold war lesson, students watch a video about dominos and then get into groups that represent different nations. Students will then act out a mock simulation of the containment and domino theory.
Curated OER
Urban Growth in America
Students examine urban growth in America. For this urbanization lesson, students watch segments of the Discovery video "Urban Growth in America." Students conduct further research pertaining to the industrial revolution, New York City's...
Curated OER
Games Children Play
Help your middle schoolers recognize the similarities and differences between the games they play and those played by pioneer children. Using the Internet, they research a game of their choice and discover how it has evolved over time....
Curated OER
Bringing Animal Issues into the Classroom: César Chávez
Fifth graders get critical and political while they begin thinking about human and animal rights in relation to the US Constitution. This hand out includes answers to several questions regarding Cesar Chavez and his work to secure rights...
Museum of Tolerance
Documents That Shape Society
The Bill of Rights is a foundational document of American democracy, much like the Nuremberg Laws were a foundational document of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany. But that's where their similarities end. Engage high schoolers in a...
Curated OER
Anishinabe - Ojibwe - Chippewa: Culture of an Indian Nation
Young scholars investigate the American Indian tribe of the Chippewa. They identify the different names of the Anishinabe/Ojibwe/Chippewa nation, conduct a research project, explore various websites, and present their group research...
Described and Captioned Media Program
Malcolm X: Make It Plain, Part II
Track the transformation of Malcolm Little into Malcolm X and then into El Jajj Malik El-Shabazz with the second part of Make it Plain, a documentary on the famous civil rights activist. Viewers consider not only how events shaped and...
Curated OER
The Cold War Warrior Defending: The Moral Beacon of the World
Students identify President Reagan's domestic and foreign policy, describe America's attitude toward communism, list characteristics which endeared Reagan to the American people, and explain why some Americans spoke out against Reagan's...
Curated OER
Explore the Effects of Immigration
Students explore the effects of immigration on the immigrants and on society as a whole. They will record the experiences of specific immigrant groups using an E-sheet. Groups present a summary of what they learned about their ethnic...
Curated OER
The Revolutionary War: The Battle For Freedom
Eighth graders examine the events leading up to the Revolutionary War with a focus on the Boston Tea Party. Using the internet, they discover why the tea was dropped into the harbor by the colonists and research the Intolerable Acts. ...
Curated OER
American Indians
Eighth graders discuss their country of origin and form work groups based on their answers. In this American Indian lesson plan, 8th graders locate their country of origin to the lifestyle, products and living arrangements...
Curated OER
Meet the Reformers
Seventh graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this American reformers instructional activity, 7th graders research the accomplishments of selected reformers. Students then use the...
Curated OER
Our States, My State
Here is a very nice lesson on the shape of the United States, and the shapes of the individual states for your young geographers. They utilize worksheets embedded in the plan to color in a variety of states and to become familiar with...
Curated OER
Happy Endings: The Final Battle
Fifth graders explore all the myths of the battle of Yorktown. A variety of primary documents are viewed and analyzed for discussion. They become aware that what one sees and hears is not always as it seems in reality. Each group...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Driver’s Licenses And Unauthorized Immigrants
Should driver's licenses be granted to unauthorized immigrants? That is the question class members grapple with in a instructional activity that asks them to first read a fact sheet that details the arguments for and against...
Curated OER
Was the Stamp Act Fair?
Elementary and middle schoolers examine and evaluate different perspectives concerning events leading to the American Revolution. In this case, they hone in on the Stamp Act. They research controversial bills, laws, or events of the time...
Curated OER
National Marine Sanctuaries Shipwrecks
Junior oceanographers access the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Database and plot the locations of several shipwrecks. Shipwrecks are always an enthralling subject and this activity allows your learners to act as...
City University of New York
Presidential Elections and the Electoral College
To understand the controversy surrounding the US 2000 presidential election, class members investigate the rationale behind the Electoral Collage, the intimidation involved in the election of 1876, and the 2004 American League...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Rights of Migrants in the United States Lesson Plan: Fleeing for Your Life
A role-playing scenario has middle-schoolers imagining that they are refugees forced to flee their community and integrate into a new one. Then, some play the roles of members of the new community and the class brainstorms ideas about...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King Jr.: A Clothesline Timeline
Students use print and online resources to obtain information about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. They identify important events in King's life. They sequence lists of important events by date.