Knife River: Early Village Life on the Plains

Eleventh graders investigate slave life on the Mount Vernon Plantation. In this slavery instructional activity, 11th graders examine photographs of and documents about George Washington's home as they participate in classroom station...

Have you ever considered the role rivers play in everyday life? Pupils investigate the Nile River during the days of Ancient Egypt. They use maps, stories, and data to understand how the Nile influenced the Egyptians.

Robert Hass's article "Rivers and Stories" underscores the importance of rivers in the development of civilization and the importance of reclaiming supposedly dead rivers and implementing policies that protect river health. Groups...

Scholars must react to the ecosystems of a river. They use inquiry-based learning along with maps and visuals to better understand the impact of rivers on everyday life. To finish, they create final written projects and presentations. 

High schoolers trace the characteristics and history of the Great Plains as portrayed in literature and art from the time of the Conquistadors through the early 20th century. They write letters exploring the viewpoints of Native...

Fifth graders examine life on westward trails. In this Westward Expansion lesson, 5th graders analyze primary sources available from the Library of Congress that complement their reading of Pioneer Girl by Andrea Warren.

Fifth graders examine photographs from the Library of Congress website. In this American Revolution lesson, 5th graders analyze the photographs and documents from the era and determine their impact on the war.

Bring history to life with this collection of hands-on early explorer activities. From creating a flip book about the Vikings' exploration of North America to a reader's theater performance about Christopher Columbus' search for the...

Students study scanning and skimming techniques. In this research skills activity, students use the research techniques on print literature about the Mississippi River. Students prepare book talks on the literature they read.

Eleventh graders examine the settlement and life on the western plains. Applying role-playing techniques, they discover the importance of railroads in the settlement of the west while also evaluating the daily lives of the homesteaders....