Curated OER
Lesson Three: Poem Pieces
Students read and analyze stanzas of Civil War poem, The Flags of Michigan, to get perspective on what life was like and how Americans viewed Civil War, rewrite stanzas in modern language, and share new versions of poem with classmates.
Curated OER
Twenty and Ten
Fourth graders examine moral choices faced by Gentiles during the Holocaust and the role of the rescuer.
Curated OER
Japanese-American Relocation
Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...
Curated OER
Identifying, Mapping, and Personifying Countries Involved in WWII
Get artsy with this WWII group activity, starting with a whole-class assignment. Create a map of Europe, Northern Africa, and the Pacific using geometric shapes cut from construction paper and placed on the floor. Consider splitting the...
Curated OER
Nos Creemos Americanos: Braceros in History and Song
Mexican folk songs offer an authentic look at WWII immigrant workers. This study of the U.S. Bracero Program sets historians up with context information so they can write their own corrido. The class reviews themes and formulas of...
Curated OER
A Day of Infamy:Analyzing FDR’s Pearl Harbor Address
In 1941 FDR spoke out on the events at Pearl Harbor. The class will get to analyze word choice, word meaning, author's craft and structure by analyzing an actual draft of this speech. They will look critically at the words used,...
Constitution Facts
U.S. Constitution Crossword Puzzles: Advanced #1
What do Boston Harbor, the Electoral College, and Chief Powhatan have in common? They all represent vital moments in American history—and they are all clues in a thorough and challenging crossword puzzle about the United States...
Scholastic
Dear Miss Breed
This compelling plan based on the letters in the book Dear Miss Breed engages readers in learning what it was like for Japanese Americans following the attacks at Pearl Harbor. After reading the letters, young scholars will...
Curated OER
Teaching About Genocide
Teaching children of any age about genocide or The Holocaust can be difficult, as the content is sensitive and often emotional. This academic article was written by an educator and is intended to help you consider multiple aspects of...
Curated OER
Oral History: Park City Museum
Bring U.S. history to your language arts class with this instructional activity. Middle schoolers complete an interview for an oral history project, and discuss the importance of oral histories - and how they embellish written accounts....
Curated OER
Hiroshima: The Cloze Procedure
What is a cloze passage? The first page of this resource details this procedure and its benefits. To determine if Hiroshima is an appropriate reading-level text for your class, have them read the first passage provided, and then give...
NPR
Journalism Lesson Plan
Honor women in journalism with an online exhibit called Women with a Deadline. Class members demonstrate their understanding of the topic in a final assessment by writing a newspaper article on the information they learned in...
Facing History and Ourselves
Decision-Making: Introduction to the Unit
Make your classroom a supportive and communicative place to be before beginning a unit on the Holocaust. Working together as a class, learners reflect on their previous experiences of classroom discussions before establishing a...
Curated OER
THE OCCUPATION OF KOREA BY JAPANESE IMPERIALIST FORCES
Young scholars read and respond to a history of Korea. For this occupation lesson, students work in groups to research the effects of Japanese occupation and create an illustrated timeline. Young scholars listen to a lecture and write an...
Prestwick House
A Separate Peace
John Knowles' A Separate Peace is the subject of a literary crossword puzzle that asks readers to identify key events and characters in this coming-of-age story.
Curated OER
Current Connections
Many of us read our history books and take each word as truth. Show learners that history can easily be altered depending on who writes it. Your class will watch a series of videos, read a first person testimony, and discuss the...
Curated OER
Introduction to The Diary of Anne Frank
Get a glimpse of Anne Frank's years in hiding with this activity, which introduces The Diary of Anne Frank. Readers complete a journal entry about how they would keep themselves occupied if they were forced into hiding (without personal...
Curated OER
Anne Frank Quiz
Some very detailed questions are included in this quiz such as, "Between what hours of the day on August 4th, 1944 did an SS car pull up at the annex to arrest members?" Other questions are not so complex and focus on relationships of...
Delegation of the European Union to the United States
Structure of Government within the EU
The political system of the European Union is historically unique and has been constantly evolving. To better understand the structure of the EU, class members compare the EU's branches to those of the United States Federal Government.
Curated OER
Degenerate Art
A successful unit on art includes the subjects, goals, and messages of the works that are studied.
State Bar of Texas
Tinker v. Des Moines
Freedom of speech allows anyone, even those in school, to say and do what they feel—right? The 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines serves as the backdrop for a study on First Amendment rights. Scholars use a short video along...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Debate in the United States over the League of Nations: Five Camps: From Voices of Consent to Voices of Dissent
Young scholars explore and discuss Woodrow Wilson's concepts for peace and the League of Nations. They understand efforts made to foster American support for the League and discuss the opposition shown in the Senate.
Curated OER
War and the Media Press Freedom vs. Military Censorship
Students analyze the relationship between war and media. In this media awareness lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on freedom of the press and military censorship. Students participate in an activity connected...
Curated OER
Fidel Castro: El Comandante
Students view a documentary on Fidel Castro. After nearly forty years of rule, he remains one of the most controversial political figures of the twentieth century. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and research the Cuban...