Following in the tradition established by John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton, the Inauguration Ceremony of Joseph Biden  featured an Inauguration Poem. National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman's powerful recitation of her Inauguration...

Taking a guided tour through the White House would require extensive travel costs and an armed security escort—but a virtual tour only requires an Internet connection! A few clicks bring users through the historical corridors and rooms...

Get high school historians to step outside their own shoes by responding to JFK's inaugural address from the perspective of a civil rights activist, a soviet diplomat, or a Cuban exile. After a class discussion about the address, the...

One of the reasons presidential inaugural speeches are so inspiring is the way word choice reflects the historical context of the time. An interactive timeline invites learners to click on their president of choice and view the most...

Who or what do you miss? That's the question that launches an activity that asks writers to craft a paragraph filled with sensory details that shows how they feel. Next, they listen to Richard Blanco reading his poem, "Translation for...

National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb," featured at the 2021 inauguration of President Joseph Biden, is the focus of a six-page guide. The guide includes before reading, during reading, and after reading...

Should Juneteenth be recognized as a national holiday? To prepare to take a stance on this question, young historians first analyze the Emancipation Proclamation and compare it to Lincoln's first Inaugural Address. Scholars then read an...

Two poems by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman are spotlighted in a PBS lesson plan. Young scholars conduct a close reading and watch videos of Gorman reading her inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb" and "The Miracle of Morning."...

President Bill Clinton asked Maya Angelou to deliver a poem as part of his 1993 Inaugural Ceremony. Class members watch a clip of Angelou's presentation, do a close reading of the full text of the poem, and respond to discussion...

Traditionally, a United States President's Inaugural Address establishes the tone and vision for his presidency. It has stressed the goal to unify the country and bring the political parties together after what are often divisive...

An interesting lesson plan uses a hands-on-activity and group discussion to explore the 1864 presidential election and Lincoln's plans for ending the Civil War. Designed for high school, the resource also requires historians to...

An interesting unit explains the American presidency from the campaign trail all the way to the role of the president. Historians participate in discussions, create posters, conduct Internet research, and more to gain an understanding of...

The crisis at Fort Sumter and events related to criminology create an intriguing activity for high schoolers. When clicked on, each box goes into a different part of the event. It also includes the aftermath of the battle in American...

Speech, speech! Analyzing speeches is no easy task. High schoolers learn the important process of annotation as they work together to analyze Lincoln's inaugural address. Then groups of four work to annotate a second speech at a more...

Get the youngest American citizens involved in the presidential election and inauguration with a set of social studies activities. Focusing on the history of presidential inauguration ceremonies, learners draft their own poems, design...

Inauguration Day is January 20. Implement an entire week's worth of mini activities to help young historians become knowledgeable of the President's job, the executive branch, and the White House. The worksheets focus on research skills,...

Abraham Lincoln's words carried American democracy through one of its most tenuous and violent moments in the nation's short history. Explore an interactive timeline that places events of the 19th century in the context of Lincoln's...

Soon after the world entered the 21st century, George Walker Bush was sworn in as the 43rd president of the United States. With days of inspiration, terrorism, and cooperation ahead of him, President Bush addresses the country with a...

The theme of President William Jefferson Clinton's 1993 inaugural speech was renewal. Focusing on change for the future and peaceful diplomacy, the 42nd president of the United States addresses a hopeful nation nearing the turn of the...

President George Herbert Walker Bush, sworn in as the 41st president of the United States, addresses the nation on January 20, 1989. He connects patriotism with hard work, citizenship with compassion, and strength in both American...

A lesson on presidential inaugurations would not be complete without President Ronald Reagan's optimistic assessment of the democratic election system. Addressing the nation on the day of his first inaugural address, January 20, 1981,...

Richard Nixon, newly sworn in as the 37th president of the United States, reflects on the decades between his January 20, 1969 inaugural address and the beginning of the next millennium. Emphasizing the American dream, peace versus war,...

Rocked by the sudden assassination of their beloved President John F. Kennedy, the American people elected Lyndon B. Johnson to be the 36th president of the United States. President Johnson addresses his fellow citizens from the Capitol...

The strong, direct words of President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address provided a philosophical turning point to 20th century American democracy. For 13 poignant minutes, the 35th president cautioned his fellow citizens about showing...