Curated OER
Cherokee Indians and the Trail of Tears
Young scholars investigate U.S. history by reading American Indian stories. In this Cherokee Indian lesson, students identify the cruelty inflicted towards Native Americans by the European settlers and the "trail of tears" that were...
Curated OER
Stamp Act: Virtual Representation vs. Actual Representation
Eleventh graders research and discuss the different points of view of colonists in terms of taxation, as well as how these viewpoints helped lead to the revolution.
Curated OER
Liberia and the U.S.: Historic Ties and Policy Decisions
Students discuss and analyze factors affecting U.S. foreign policy toward Liberia. They role-play various groups during 1900 who were concerned with the relationship between United States and Liberia as a "colony"
Smithsonian Institution
Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.
Curated OER
Presidents Picture Book
Students create a picture book of the U.S. presidents. They study general information about the U.S. presidents, write a sentence about each president, and create a picture book about the U.S. presidents.
Curated OER
Memorial Day Shoebox Parade
Learners examine the history of U.S. conflict and Memorial Day. They conduct research, develop a timeline of U.S. conflict, and create a shoebox Memorial Day parade to commemorate veterans and soldiers.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Guest-Worker Program
The U.S. Guest-Worker Program and the H-2A visa are the focus of a social studies activity. First, class members assume the role of advisors who must present the president with four proposals that would amend the visas given to...
Curated OER
Architecture and Democracy
Fifth graders contrast and compare ancient Greece to the U.S.A. In this Greek History lesson, 5th graders investigate the buildings and designs of ancient Greece, as well as their democracy and government. Students answer...
Curated OER
Town Meeting with Class
Students discover civic responsibility and the purpose of town meetings. In this U.S. Government lesson, students investigate how the government is involved with almost every decision made in a city, no matter how big or small....
Curated OER
Let Freedom Ring
Students go to the computer lab to engage in this thoughtful lesson plan on our national symbols. Students access the internet, and solve an on-line puzzle of a national symbol of freedom. The symbols are the Eagle, The Statue of...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights: Debating the Amendments
Students explore the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students participate in classroom debate regarding the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Students then vote for the amendments they would like...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights is a-Rockin
Young scholars explore the U.S. Constitution through music. For this Bill of Rights lesson, students discuss a hypothetical case regarding lyrics by Madonna and the historical Massachusetts Blue Laws. Young scholars use the Bill of...
Curated OER
Primary and Secondary Documents for Colonial Times
Students investigate the Colonial Era by completing a template on their computers. In this U.S. History lesson, students discuss the differences between primary and secondary sources and identify several different sources as one or...
Curated OER
Black History Stamps
Students explore the lives and contributions of the many black Americans who are honored on U.S. commemorative postage stamps, make a presentation that synthesizes information about a historical figure and time, and write a persuasive...
Curated OER
Pets are Popular with U.S. Presidents
Students discuss their pets and read about pets that have lived in the White House. In this current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with a vocabulary activity and pet survey, then the students read the...
Curated OER
Yankee Doodle... More than Just a Catchy Tune
Learners investigate the history of patriotic music and practice singing the tunes with classmates. In this U.S. History lesson, students examine lyrics of the traditional song "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and discuss the differing points...
Curated OER
U.S. Post Office Mural Walking Tour
Students discover a sense of community by examining Post Office murals located in cities and small towns throughout the United States. They explore the significance of the murals by contacting and communicating with local Postmasters....
Curated OER
Claiming Common Ground? The Civil War and the Preservation of Claiming Common Ground? The Civil War and the Preservation of George Washington's Mount Vernon
Middle schoolers explore how people viewed George Washington in the 19th Century. In this U.S. History lesson, students create a timeline of events during the Civil War, including government and court decisions. Following...
Curated OER
The Affects of Environment on Native American Culture
Young scholars research the culture of the Native Americans. In this U.S. History lesson plan, students are given the major geological areas where the Indians lived prior to the arrival of the Europeans, then they create a notebook...
Curated OER
Westward Expansion
Students explore the Westward Expansion Movement of U.S. history. In this Westward movement lesson, students use primary and secondary source documents research personal accounts of those who travelled west during the era....
Curated OER
Our Constitutional Amendments
Students analyze how the Bill of Rights affected people. For this U.S. History lesson, students research specific Amendments then prepare an oral report and visual presentation on one amendment to share with the class.
Curated OER
When Turtle Grew Feathers
Students explore the Choctaw Native American tribe. In this cross curriculum literacy and U.S. history lesson, students locate where the Choctaw Indians lived on a United States map. Students listen to When Turtle Grew...
Curated OER
Oral Assessment Plan
Students practice active listening skills. In this literacy and U.S. history lesson, students predict the hardships pioneers using the Mormon Trail might have faced. Students view the movie "Children of the Wagon Train," then...
Curated OER
Thanks Be To You
Students research U.S. history by completing a worksheet activity in class. In this historical figure lesson, students identify the contributions and risks taken by the former African-American leader Martin Luther King Jr. Students read...