Seventh graders study the ideologies of life, values, love, peace and struggle of African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans as citizens of the United States. Authors and artists are used as tools to open the eyes of the students...

Seventh graders explore the democratic republic principles of U.S. government. In this U.S. government instructional activity, 7th graders compare and contrast the governments of ancient Athens,the Roman Republic, and the United States...

Seventh graders examine how to be active participants in their local, state, or federal governments. They create a powerpoint presentation and write a letter to one of their governmental representatives about a problem and solution of...

Students complete a unit on the three branches of government. They compare/contrast the three branches of government, write a letter or e-mail to an executive in the Federal Government, and develop outlines for historical documents.

Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the American Revolution based on the novel, 'Johnny Tremain.' They define key vocabulary terms, develop a timeline, write a report on a colonial craft, make a colonial flag, and create a...

Eighth graders complete an Interdisciplinary Unit on the Muckrakers and the Progressive Movement. Students describe life in America and how Progressive Reformers changed it. identify specific problems and propose solutions. Students...

Students pretend to be Chinese and European immigrants, and U.S. citizens, as they explore immigration in California in the first half of the 20th Century.

Students examine the general concept of representative democracy, and compare/contrast the American representative democracy to the monarchical system. They research the role of legislative bodies in serving the government, particularly...

Students read an article about sending care packages to soldiers in the United States military. Using the internet, they research the role of the USO and discuss their findings with the class. They find a local organization...

Students explore a state, create a travel plan for visiting that state, write postcards from an imaginary trip there, and research selected points of interest in that state.

You won't just get a instructional activity when you click on this resource. As you click on the related resources located to the left of the screen, you'll find, a professional development video, teacher/student notes, lesson plan,...

Learners study the Civil War. They conduct research in order to find out more information about the Battle of Corydon. Using this information, they create accurate props and sets for a play about this battle. They perform the play in...

Engage your scholars by having them create "magic lantern shows" inspired by the film Dr. Toer's Amazing Magic Lantern Show: A Different View of Emancipation. As they study the South's Reconstruction through primary...

Eighth graders research how many voters actually vote in the U.S. and nine other nations. They create a spreadsheet using this information and write a persuasive essay.

Students explore democratic practices in China. In this global studies lesson, students compare and contrast democratic values of the Chinese government with the American government. Students read provided articles and conduct their...

Young scholars review the procedures for selecting a new Supreme Court Justice. In groups, they determine which questions the nominee should be asked and practice asking the questions with a classmate. They watch the confirmation...

Students explore the foundations of "new societies" such as those created by figures like Jefferson &  Ghandi, The evaluate the differences between what was intended and the actual reality of these societies including where the...

Learners evaluate impact of immigration on America's economy and culture, research information about people of various countries of origin, and share findings with classmates through collages, posters, handouts, or skits.

Eighth graders explore the truck driving profession and ways they use to communicate. In this truck driving activity, 8th graders visit websites and use Twitter and podcasts to track a trucker's progress travelling through the United...

Students examine immigration into the United States. They identify the rights and responsbilities of being a citizen of this country. They create a new verse to be included in the National Anthem.

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...

Students choose two photographs and explain how they illustrate traditional Native American culture. They discuss how traditional Native American culture has been affected by two specific actions of the United States Government, (they...

Students examine the rate of institutional racism in the United States. Individually, they write in their journals about how they can make better choices and increase their self-esteem. Using historical documents, they identify the...

Students participate in different activities and discussions to analyze the energy crisis in the United States and other parts of the world. In groups, they research the availability of fossil fuels and the possible alternatives. Using...