Roughing It in the Backwoods

To better understand the Indian Removal Act of 1830, class members examine primary source documents including letters written by Alabama governors and the Cherokee chiefs. The lesson is part of a unit on the expansion of the United...

Challenge class members with an architectural resource that asks them to use a variety of skills to answer multiple choice questions as well as several essay prompts about the streets and house fronts of ancient Athens. One question asks...

Life in the great, wide-open spaces of the West! Scholars analyze the reasons behind the vast movement to the Great Plains after the passing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Homestead Act. Using photographic, document, map, video, and...

Using primary source documents, pupils consider how the United States' democratic story has evolved over time. A second essay question examines the role of geography in history, and multiple-choice questions sharpen test-taking skills.

How successful has American foreign policy been in the past? Pupils consider the question as part of a state examination in American history. Other prompts include a document analysis and essay of important civil rights cases decided by...

Do you ever give your class the "teacher look"? Without saying a word, they become silent and engaged (hopefully). How do they know what you're thinking? Explore the concept of nonverbal communication and how it relates to our mirror...

Is the modern American identity an outgrowth of European civilization, or is it a unique result of westward expansion? Frederick Jackson Turner's The Significance of the Frontier in American History raises an important question about the...

The lesson guides young academics through the steps in producing a 10-page research paper on any topic in American history. Historians begin by formulating a thesis and gathering resources, then move on to creating an outline, and end...

Jonathan Edwards' "Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God" and Anne Bradstreet's "Upon the Burning of Our House" provide learners with an opportunity to develop their close reading skills. Groups identify the figurative language and appeals...

Middle or high schoolers write an essay using a minimum of three sources. Use this plan to specifically addresses the topic, "How I Will Change the World", but the instructional strategies and procedures allow for a topic of your...