Students explore the concept of civilian cost to armed warfare. They explore the role of the military, civilians and of press coverage during armed conflicts, creating posters illustrating their research on post-WW II military conflicts.

Young scholars examine the reasons for and origins of the Veterans Day holiday. They define key vocabulary terms, read and discuss the article "The Origins of Veterans Day," conduct research and complete a worksheet, and create a class...

Students explore reading comprehension strategies. In this character development and reading comprehension lesson, students brainstorm common traits of "heroes." Students read Heroes, then identify the personal conflicts the story...

What do the homecoming experiences of soldiers who fought in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan reveal about the politics and culture of the US during the time period of each war? Young historians view The Way We Get By, which tells...

The intricate craft of narrative writing can make a happy story feel exuberant or a sad story feel devastating. With 42 extensive lessons that include poignant discussion questions, standards-aligned self-reflections, engaging writing...

Seventh graders examine the conflict in Vietnam.  In this American History instructional activity, 7th graders analyze various pictures on the conflict.  Students discuss their findings and feelings about the conflict in...

Students examine maps of Lebanon, Vietnam and Nigeria, discuss relationship between ethnicity, land and conflict, review material from case studies, complete comparison chart, and write essays comparing two of the case studies.

Students examine art to view the Vietnam War. Using Quyen Truong's work, they discover that the suffering in Vietnam did not end when American troops left the region. They write a reflective paper to respond to the images in the art....

Students complete webquest to research Vietnam. They use a map to locate Vietnam. They research the climate, flora, fauna and tourism.

Students examine the major conflicts of the 20th century. After watching a video, they discuss the various types of technology and how they were used in World War I. They watch excerpts from films covering different wars and view them...

Students discover characteristics of Pop Art through slides and discussion of the 60's era and produce a pop art portrait of themselves using Clarisworks paint program and Hyperstudio.

Learners examine journalism in extreme conditions. In this war-zone journalism lesson plan, students research media coverage of Vietnam, Grenada, the Gulf War, and military actions in Somalia and Kosovo. Learners compare coverage in...

Before Woodstock, there was Newport. Get plugged in to the social changes of the 1960s with a lesson that looks at Bob Dylan's performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival as a symbol of the radical changes that marked the era.

Before beginning The Things They Carried, class members are asked to use a KWHL chart to record what they know about war, what they want to know, and where they might find answers to their questions. Groups then research...

Learners examine reasons for going to war. In this foreign policy lesson, students analyze the reasons the U.S. entered the the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the...

Students research the Constitution and the War Powers Act in order to determine what the powers of the government are in times of conflict. They answer a series of questions then write a legal brief either supporting or condemning the...

Students read three case studies to focus on how the United States dealt with foreign policy issues. In groups, they read about the decision to drop the atomic bomb, the commitment of troops to Vietnam and wwhether to send troops to...

Students reflect on the events that lead up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early 1960s.  In this history lesson plan, students explore the conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union revolving around missiles in...

"Love it or leave it." "You're either for us or against us." Rhetoric and it's polarizing effects are the focus of a lesson that uses John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry as an exemplar. Groups examine primary source documents,...

Students create character using their knowledge from one of the civil war case countries. They create resume and cover letter for character to apply to a UN agency, and conduct research to create presentation that matches the character...

Middle schoolers consider how technology changed the world of war. In this world history lesson, students research 20th century world conflicts and then compose essays that feature the how technology changed the way that wars were fought.

Young scholars explore the concept of nation building. In this diplomacy lesson, students research America's nation building efforts in Somalia, Haiti, the Balkans, Guatemala, Cuba, Vietnam, and Grenada. Young scholars share their...

To gain an understanding of the treatment of African American soldiers during World War I, class members watch an excerpt from the History Detectives film, Our Colored Heroes, and then examine three recruitment posters from that...

The role of women before and during the American Revolution changed dramatically. To gain an understanding of these changes, middle schoolers analyze primary source documents, including letters from women that supported the patriot cause...