Curated OER
Life Prior to Kristallnacht (1933-1938)
Young scholars research the way of life of the Jews before Kristallnacht. Using new vocabulary and resources, they discover how carefree life was before the days of discrimination and antisemitism. In groups, they create a timeline of...
Curated OER
The White Rose
Students explore the "White Rose" movement. In this Holocaust lesson, students create timelines and collages regarding "White Rose" events as they research the resistance movement in Nazi Germany.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Anne Frank: Writer
Students explore the writings of Anne Frank. They discuss how Anne did or did not change during her two years in the Secret Annex. Students take a stand on how much Anne has in common with contemporary young people.
Curated OER
Pictures from Korea: Shards of an Almost Forgotten Past
Students explore the Korean War through photography. In this Korean War lesson, students examine photographs taken by a soldier and respond to question about them.
Curated OER
Selling Warfare - Propaganda Posters
Students examine the use and purpose of propaganda posters during World War I. They work in groups to create a propaganda poster supporting a nation's war effort.
Curated OER
Voices at Whisper Bend
High schoolers examine life in Pennsylvania during and after World War II. Using primary source documents, they compare the unity of the United States during World War II and the Iraq War. They also discover how citizens adapt to the war...
Curated OER
Outo Rugged Shores: The Voyage of LST534
Students view a film about warships during World War II. They discover the job of a seaman and what impact veterens have on the world today. They also examine the lasting effects of the war.
Curated OER
Christmas Truce
Students research the Christmas truce during World War I. In this social studies lesson, students discuss World War I and the Christmas Truce. Students write a response about the truce.
Curated OER
Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People
Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...
Curated OER
The History of Ethanol in America
Sixth graders explore and examine the production of biofuels from the 1850's to the present. Included in their research is Henry Ford, ethanol, World War I and prohibition. They explain the importance of grains and grasses for the...
Curated OER
Graphic Novel Writing Workshop
Khaled Hosseini’s video “Using Real People and Events” motivates learners to reflect on their own experiences and to use those experiences as the basis of a graphic novel that expresses a universal truth. The richly detailed plan...
Museum of Tolerance
Developing Media Literacy
To protect young people from questionable content, many schools limit access. This resource suggests that because learners can so readily avail themselves to unrestricted Internet access, it is vital for 21st century...
Curated OER
Jewish and German Art
Students draw a self-portrait in pencil with shading. For this Holocaust lesson, students discover Hitler's idea of art and compare it to the art of the Jews during the Holocaust period. Students discuss reasons the art of...
Curated OER
My Secret War - The WWII Diary of Madeline Beck: Lesson 2
Fifth graders explore world history by reading historical fiction. In this World War II lesson, 5th graders read the story My Secret War and identify the importance of fiction when analyzing history. Students answer study questions about...
Curated OER
Nationalism and Conflict-Two Fronts, Two Perspectives!
Pupils 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 from...
Curated OER
Studying Japanese Internment with Primary Documents
Eleventh graders view photographs of the Japanese society being interned in camps during World War II in the United States. In groups, they read and discuss Executive Order 9066 and try to determine what group they are trying to focus...
Curated OER
"A Sound of Hammering"
Tenth graders study "A Sound of Hammering," which is a letter written by a former soldier after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II.
Curated OER
Land of the Rising Guns?
Students discuss the decision after World War II of Japan's to follow a policy of pacifism. After reading an article, they identify the ways Japan is strengthening its military. They watch a video to discover how their Constitution was...
Curated OER
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Lesson: Immigration
Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...
Curated OER
Writing A Foreign Policy
Learners write a modified "foreign policy" between their own high school and a rival school in the conference. They describe the significance of a foreign policy from the World War II era.
Curated OER
An Issue of Loyalty: Exploring the Treatment of Japanese Americans During World War II
Students consider the meaning of loyalty. They explore the history of Japanese in the United States. and consider the meaning of citizenship. They create a presentation for the class. It can be a poster, Power Point or other...
Curated OER
Number the Stars: Historical Connections
In this historical connections worksheet, students jot down, from ten different pages from the novel Number The Stars, what has and is occurring that are part of the history of Denmark during World War I.
Curated OER
Inference
Making inferences about what you read is an important skill for both elementary, middle, and high school learners. Focusing on events which occurred during World War II, they answer a series of questions related to what we can infer as...
Curated OER
The Japanese Empire: The Beginning
Ninth graders explore empires by researching Japan's history. In this Japanese research instructional activity, 9th graders discuss the history of Japan and the elements of World War II that caused Japan to become an enemy of the United...