Students examine water management issues. In this environmental issues lesson, students watch a PBS video to develop an understanding of watershed, aquifers, and ground water. Students evaluate watershed issues in the Owens River Valley...

Students create brochures about the humor of Mark Twain. In this literature-analysis lesson plan, students read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and other short stories by Twain. Students write analytical paragraphs and...

Fourth graders write about slavery and freedom.  In this freed slaves instructional activity, 4th graders read historical information about free blacks during slavery and explore books, objects and slave narratives to learn...

Students relate the myth genre to history and culture.  In this myths lesson plan, students compare culture in the past and present.  Students answer critical thinking questions  and discuss the unique characteristics of...

Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this research skills instructional activity, students research the death of Meriwether Lewis using forensic evidence presented...

Fifth graders use the Internet to research a topic.  In this expeditions lesson, 5th graders answer questions about Lewis and Clark based on the movie they watched previously, use the Internet to research Lewis and Clark, write a...

Students choose a historical or present-day event to portray through photographs. They narrate this event with photographs and text to communicate its significance in history or our current daily lives.

Young scholars react to copies of leaflets dropped into Chechnya by Russian forces. After reading an article, they examine the historical and present conflicts in the area and answer discussion questions. In small groups, they trace...

Srtudents explore the folktale and folklore genres as well as the world of myths. They read myths and folktales to increase knowledge of world cultures and traditions and follow the writing process to create writing in different genres.

Students explore the reasons the United States became involved in World War I.  In this World History lesson, students research the reasons Woodrow Wilson made the decisions he did, prepare a debate and write a paper.

Seventh graders consider how the majority sometimes enforces unjust laws upon the minority. For this Indian Removal lesson, 7th graders research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and discuss its...

Students explore the historical importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. In this United States History lesson, students use the internet to research the specific events that were centered around the Emancipation Proclamation, then...

Young scholars study life in a coal patch town. In this American History instructional activity, students read material about life for coal miners and their families. They answer questions, create a poster, and complete a creative...

Students explore the effect that a particular culture can have on popular music. They develop their own music groups, each representing a style of music and a historical culture and perform their group's concert for the class.

Learners write a first-person narrative from the perspective of a runaway slave, or a historical character of the period, and present their story orally.

Students read and discuss background material on several key decisions that played a role in the Civil War including the Missouri Compromise, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dredd Scott Decision. They create a timeline and write an essay.

Students write a school lighting audit action plan from the data they collected in previous lessons. They develop a presentation that shows the results of the data and their recommendations. They present their action plan to their...

Students read several biographies of famous Americans and discuss the characteristics of a biography. Students collect biographical information on another person in the class and write a biography. Students research and create a...

Tenth graders research the multiple perspectives held by the participants in the trial relative to the conduct and outcome of the trial. Practice writing pertinent and penetrating interview questions for oral interviewing. Take a...

Ninth graders investigate the symbols and historical figures of the five main religions of the world. They participate in a class discussion, listen to a lecture and take notes, and write five Haikus, one about each major religion of...

Students complete a Webquest which investigates the chemistry in items such as shampoo. They research the Internet, perform a lab experiment, and write a scientific lab report with their findings. Upon completion of the activities, the...

Students identify and interpret some key figures and major events during the Cold War era, including the Korean War, Vietnam, Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the United States and China Cold War Relations. They also play...

High schoolers view film footage of the Ku Klux Klan in the U.S. in the early 1920s and examine how the actions of the KKK have been viewed by different strands of the civil rights movement. They watch the film and answer discussion...

Study history through photographs. In this visual arts and history lesson, students learn to analyze photographs to discover details about life during the Civil War era. Students write journal entries as if they are the African-American...