Curated OER
The Immigrant Experience In America
Students study immigration, Ellis Island, and tenement life from 1890 to 1924. Each student create an identity of an immigrant and write an essay in the first person. Essays describe what they found when they arrived in New York City.
Curated OER
Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition: Corridos
Students create and perform Corridos which are oral tradition ballads. In this Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition lesson, students interview family members using a predetermined list of questions. In addition, students...
Curated OER
Planning an Escape
Students plan their escape as though they were an 18th century slave. For this slavery history lesson, students use the Internet to research runaway slaves, then create a plan for escape in the form of a short story or journal entry.
Curated OER
Our Unique Legacy of Giving
Middle schoolers view The Gift of All, a Community of Givers. In this philanthropic activity, students discuss the gifts of philanthropists they've seen. Middle schoolers research and write a two page paper with four bullet points....
Curated OER
Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story - The Birth of Soul
Learners analyze various kinds of music. In this music lesson plan, students listen to music clips to determine the kind of music each clip is then they participate in a class discussion about the music and prepare a presentation.
iCivics
Drafting Board: Military Intervention
Should countries use their militaries to stop humanitarian crises in other countries? Learners make claims, organize their reasoning, and provide evidence for their arguments with this rich resource.
iCivics
Drafting Board: Electoral College
Should the president of the United States be voted by the Electoral College or the popular vote? Your young historians will consider the pros and cons of the Electoral College, and make an argument using reasons and evidence provided in...
iCivics
Drafting Board: Community Service
Should schools impose community service graduation requirements? In the final lesson of the Drafting Board series, learners solidify their practice of crafting an argument supported by sound reason and evidence.
Curated OER
"In God We Trust": The Camden Man Who Put the Missing Motto on the Dollar Bill
Here is a fascintating lesson which relates how the motto "In God We Trust" came to appear on all US currency. It turns out that a man from Arkansas came up with the idea and petioned his congressman and President Eisenhower himself to...
Denver Art Museum
Tea Gathering Quick-Write
Japanese tea gatherings are the inspiration for a great activity. Learners are provided with an image of a tea caddy made for thick tea and asked to describe what they notice and what that might mean. This leads into a larger activity...
Curated OER
African Americans in the Maritime Trades
Students explore Civil Rights by analyzing U.S. history. In this African American workforce lesson, students discuss the history of African Americans in Baltimore and the need for steady work that formed. Students define vocabulary terms...
Curated OER
A Picture is Worth...
Students use their photo analysis skills to gain an understanding of what pioneer life in Canada may have been like by examining historical photos. Students are then given an opportunity to present their findings to the class in a...
Curated OER
Japanese Festival Mask Making
Students learn about Japanese culture and make a mask. In this lesson about Japanese mask-making, students use research and art to explore the Japanese culture. Students research Japanese masks. Students design their own Japanese mask....
Curated OER
Metaphorical Gold: Mining the Gold Rush for Stories
Young scholars complete a history and research lesson plan about the Gold Rush using selections from Jack London. In this Gold rush research lesson plan, students research the Klondike/Alaska Gold Rush and use details from the history in...
Curated OER
Jim Thorpe: The Greatest Athlete of the Century
Students discuss what makes a sports legend. In this Jim Thorpe activity students analyze both the triumphs and tragedies of Jim Thorpe's sports career. Students then write a letter persuading their representative to name Jim Thorpe the...
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history lesson, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on YouTube about the...
Curated OER
International Dance Day: Reading and Activities for ELD
A brief passage about International Dance Day, April 29, is accompanied by an array of language activities based in sound ELD practice: cloze exercise, phrase matching, word jumble, multiple choice, sequencing, interview, group...
Curated OER
Brochure Writing
Have your budding authors evaluate various writing styles found in informational brochures. They look for effective writing, compare and contrast styles, and create an assessment.
Curated OER
Whose Buffalo?
Seventh graders examine how the Plains Indians vied with white commercial buffalo hunters for the millions of Great Plains buffalo. They create an illustrated broadside supporting the interests of either the Indians or the commercial...
Curated OER
The Iroquois Nation
Learners explore the culture of the Iroquois in order to write a new version of Cinderella. In this lesson on the traditions and life of the Iroquois, students engage in several activities, 8 different center and conduct research to gain...
Curated OER
Meet The Artist
Students investigate art history by researching a particular artist. In this biographical lesson, students are given a brief summary of a artist's life and are assigned to create a report on the person. Students create an outline based...
Curated OER
Analyze Your Handwriting
Students explore the science of graphology. In this graphology activity, students analyze a writing sample using the letter slope, line slope, and pressure to determine the personality characteristics of the writer. Students also analyze...
Curated OER
Put Your Face on the Map
Students investigate topography and contour lines by examining a human face. In this mapping instructional activity, students create a plaster cast of a face and create a map of the contours of the face one centimeter at a time....
Curated OER
The Words that Surround Us
Students investigate writing that we read daily by analyzing advertisements and articles. In this language arts lesson plan, students discuss the images and writing they see daily, where it comes from, and what it represents. Students...