Curated OER
Life in Ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Learners study the ancient African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. They brainstorm what they know about ancient African kingdoms before investigating the trade and barter situations, and researching one of the kingdoms for an oral...
Center for Civic Education
Women's History Month Word Clouds
What a great idea for celebrating Women's History Month and discovering the amazing efforts that individuals have put forth on behalf of women's rights! Learners take a closer look at the speeches and other primary source documents of...
Curated OER
Breaking Barriers
Determine how African-Americans have broken barriers in this history lesson. Middle schoolers discuss the 15th Amendment and the American civil rights movement prior to analyzing Barack Obama's speech "A More Perfect Union," taking care...
Curated OER
Survey of the Louisiana Purchase in 1815
Students explore the survey of the Louisiana Purchase by creating their own surveying and mapping techniques such as natural maps, pace maps, and orienting. Other students then try to follow the maps.
Education World
Thanksgiving, More Than a Thank You: A WebQuest for Grades 3-6
Here's a thought-provoking and engaging lesson for your charges. It's a Webquest about Thanksgiving. Groups of learners research Thanksgiving customs, history, and experiences. They are assigned the task of renaming Thanksgiving in order...
Curated OER
U.S. History Timeline
Fifth graders complete a timeline activity in which they outline the events from explorations to the early Colonial era. In groups, they discover an overview of the events that lead up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. ...
Curated OER
U.S. History: Immigrant Scrapbooks
Students role-play as immigrants coming to America around the turn of the 19th century. They conduct Internet research and print out pictures to use in an immigrant scrapbook. Students write captions for the pictures and narratives to...
Curated OER
Immigration/Migration
Sixth graders investigate the immigration into America by researching Ellis Island. In this United States History lesson, 6th graders research the Internet to view photographs and find information about the immigration to Ellis Island....
Curated OER
U.S. History: Industrialization and Entrepreneurship
Eleventh graders investigate industrialization and explain how laissez-faire policies influenced entrepreneurship. On bubble maps, 11th graders locate causes of industrialization. In an activity/demonstration, students role-play as...
Curated OER
"An Eye For An Eye, A Tooth For A Tooth"
Sixth graders debate their reactions to two different historical documents about managing a society. In this U.S. history lesson, 6th graders read two articles on codes and laws from different time periods and debate their...
Curated OER
Who Was Sacagawea?
Explore famous women in U.S. history by creating a Venn Diagram, The focus of this Sacagawea biography lesson is for students to discuss the triumphs and contributions of Sacagawea's life and compare her to an average 21st century woman....
Curated OER
Tibet and the U.S.
Students examine the relationship between Tibet and the United States. They explore the political relationship between the two countries. Students identify geographical features and political boundaries of the Tibetan and Chinese regions.
Curated OER
The Declaration Versus The Communist Manifesto
Upper graders put their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution to the test when they are asked to mark which of several statements are from either the Constitution or the Communist Manifesto. A class discussion follows. Use this resource as...
Curated OER
The Rise of U.S. Business and Industry
Eleventh graders focus on the rise of American business and industry and how it led into the response by labor forces that helped to shape the present situation of United States business, government, and working conditions.
Curated OER
The Beginnings of Constitutional Government
Students examine excerpts of Thomas Paine's Common Sense. In this early American history activity, students read Paine's pamphlet and analyze the information according the rubric provided.
Curated OER
Buying, Selling, and Trading in Antebellum South Carolina
Students research the role of general stores in the development of communities. In this South Carolina history lesson, students study the economic development of early U.S. communities. Students write essays and create advertisements...
Curated OER
Harvesting the River Lesson Plan: Taking an Oral History
Students practice researching history through oral traditions. In this U.S. History lesson plan, students examine an online exhibit titled Harvesting the River, in which students interview someone from the story. Students...
Curated OER
Put a Woman on a Stamp
Students nominate a woman to appear on a postage stamp. They explore the contributions of American women. Explain to students that the U.S. Postal Service issues 25 to 40 new commemorative stamps each year.
Curated OER
What Portraits Reveal
Students examine how portraits can tell us more about people of the past than just what they looked like. They compare three portraits of U.S. Presidents, analyze portraits of Americans from the Revolutionary War, and write a report on...
Center for History Education
To What Extent Were Women's Contributions to World War II Industries Valued?
Women rose to the challenge when the nation's war effort called them—but were sent home when the GIs came back from World War II. Young historians consider whether the United States valued women's contributions during the war using a...
National Constitution Center
Fourth of July (Grades 3-5)
Bring history to life for your young scholars with a Fourth of July lesson series. After a class reading of the Declaration of Independence, students translate this pivotal document into layman's terms before working in small...
Curated OER
Culture Regions of the U.S.
Students identify the location of different cultural groups within the United States (agricultural, retirement, urban, etc.) They map these areas and analyze the correlation between the landscape of a given region and the type of...
Curated OER
Family History
Eighth graders examine immigration patterns. In this family history lesson, 8th graders investigate their own family histories and then compare and contrast immigration patterns of their class to national immigration patterns between...
Curated OER
History Telling
Tenth graders examine the different parts of history that make up people's lives. In this American History instructional activity, 10th graders explore how historians learn about events that happened in the past by looking at...