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Coney Island: The Great Escape
Students use primary documents and film to explore the role of Coney Island recreation for New Yorker's at the beginning of the 20th century. They compare the lives of the people in their research to their own.
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"Disapproved": Censorship of Film in Pennsylvania
Students analyze primary source documents of the 1920s to find the roots of film censorship and understand Pennsylvania's leadership in this movement. They analyze government censorship documents that banned a film in Pennsylvania and...
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Native Americans of Rockland County
Students comprehend Native American cultures through the use of both secondary and primary sources. They explore and investigate Native Americans in New York State. Students are shown some old Indian arrowheads and they are challenged...
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Stating Your Case: Writing Thesis Statements Effectively
As a writer, if you have a weak introductory paragraph or thesis statement, you might lose your audience! Have your middle and high schoolers practice writing introductory paragraphs that include clear thesis statements in response to...
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Nomadic and Sedentary Tribes in Kansas
Seventh graders compare and contrast sedentary and nomadic tribe life. In this Native American culture lesson plan, 7th graders research primary documents about the Osage and Kiowa tribes. Students create a series of illustrations to be...
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Colonial America
Eleventh graders study the Salem Witch Trials and the different theories for the hysteria. In this American History channel, 11th graders explore primary source documents to understand the stories of various people involved in the...
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150 Years of Abolition in Pennsylvania
High schoolers study the struggle for abolition in Pennsylvania starting with the Quakers first protest through the burning of Pennsylvania Hall. They conduct research using primary source documents.
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Treaty Trail: Crossing the Bitterroot Mountains
Students examine art and primary documents that depicts the Native Americans' crossing of Washington's Bitterroot Mountains to arrive at the Spokane Council. Students investigate and compare maps and other historical materials determine...
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Daily Life in the Fur Trade: Communications & Resourcefulness
Student complete a number of activities using computer based resources and primary sources to research the fur trade. They answer questions using the computer research.
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Al Capone Does My Shirts
Students are introduced to the novel "Al Capone Does My Shirts". Using primary source documents, they identify the unique geographical differences between where they live and the setting in the novel. They complete a Venn diagram...
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Westward Ho
Students examine primary sources regarding Western migration. In this Manifest Destiny lesson, students determine why the pioneers moved west and what the trip was like as they examine sources and write journals based on their findings.
University of Wisconsin
Analyzing Presidential Campaign Propaganda
Campaign propaganda has evolved from 1952 through the presidential election of 2008. A social studies activity prompts class members to analyze the devices used in ads and political cartoons, noting strategies they believe would work to...
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Monsoon Winds to the "Land of Gold"
Students recognize environmental factors that influenced maritime trade routes and the establishment of major trading centers in classical times. They evaluate perceptions of the ancient world through ancient maps and primary source...
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Service Projects in the Dominican Republic
High schoolers read primary source documents and identify several kinds of service projects conducted by Peace Corps Volunteers; young scholars identify criteria used by the Peace Corps for conducting service projects for the common good.
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Service Projects in the Dominican Republic
Students look into how Peace Corps Volunteers have provided community assistance in the Dominican Republic. They read primary source documents and be able to identify several kinds of service projects conducted by Peace Corps Volunteers.
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Student Newspaper Project
Writing teaches us so much. One can identify the many characteristics of a newspaper, use the Internet to gather information, and communicate with others. Primary students create a class newspaper for publishing and dispersal.
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Clues From the Past: Daily Life
Students discover the ways different cultures gathered and made food. In groups, they read excerpts from primary sources about the food people in Mesopotamia liked to eat. They work together to make a batch of goat stew and a loaf of bread.
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New Deal Programs: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Students research New Deal programs. In this Great Depression lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the effects of the depression and how WPA programs and other New Deal programs impacted people's...
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The Depletion of the Buffalo
Seventh graders consider different cultural viewpoints. In this Kansas history lesson, 7th graders examine the depletion of buffalo as a contention point between Native American and European settlers. Students read diary entries to gain...
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The Progressive Era
Eighth graders utilize the SOAP method to analyze a work of art and relate it to what they know about the Progressive Era and the reasons why cities changed and the ways in which cities changed during the end of the 19th century. They...
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Lattimer Massacre: What's Beneath the Surface?
Middle schoolers research the growth of unions due to issues related to the Lattimer Massacre. They research primary source documents and create posters, skits and role plays.
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Commemorations Across Cultures
Young scholars explore how different cultures commemorate people and events. They research how commemorations are created through music, painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, and poetry. In collaborative, students create a...
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Making the Case for Progressive Constitutional Changes in Connecticut
Students take a closer look at Constitutional Amendments. In this Progressive Era lesson, students discover how the amendment process works and then examine 4 amendments proposed during the era in Connecticut. Students research primary...
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Dwellings Around the Globe
Young scholars explore dwellings around the globe and conduct collaborative research on cliff dwellings, igloos, longhouses, and yurts. They then explore how different dwellings reflect environmental and cultural conditions, and they...