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The Circulatory System Part 1: The Heart
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Other Resource Types ( 25,463 )
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Angel Island Immigrant Journeys
Young historians study the Angel Island Immigration Station with activities examining primary and secondary source materials, maps, and websites. The unit begins with individuals creating a map of Angel Island, labeling sites on the...
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A President's Vision: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Young historians, prompted by questions on worksheets, practice analyzing primary source documents (an editorial cartoon, letters, and excerpts from one of Roosevelt’s fireside chats) related to the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt....
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Community Based Projects - Family Trees
Project-Based Learning Community Projects. Engage students in meaningful projects that impact their community!
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Ancient Civilizations: Crash Course History
Never before have ancient civilizations been so clearly described in such succinct video segments...and here are six of them for your World History students! Persians, Greeks, Buddhists, Romans, and more! Watch as John Green delves into...
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Describing Egypt Virtual Tours
Save money. Avoid long flights and massive crowds. Virtual tours of some of Egypt's most famous await in a collection that permits viewers to explore the tombs and temples of pharaohs, gods, and goddesses of ancient Egypt. WebVR with...
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Echoes & Reflections: Teaching the Holocaust, Inspiring the Classroom
A collection includes 11 units designed to help instructors consider the complexities of teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides. The lessons provide students with accurate information and sensitive instruction as they examine...
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Elections: Polling, Debates, Voting, and the Final Countdown
Election season is a great opportunity to hone critical thinking skills in the classroom. Teach young citizens about the ins and outs of the American political system, provide information about current and historical presidential...
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Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress
The three lessons in the “Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (AAPI) in Congress” module are designed to help young historians understand the important role Americans with heritage in Asia and the Pacific Islands have played in American...
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Becoming Us
The mission statement of the National Museum of American History’s Becoming US: Teaching Immigration and Migration History in the 21st Century series is to provide “educational resources for high school teachers and students to learn...
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Becoming Us: Resistance
The three case studies in the Becoming Us: Resistance unit module look at the individuals and groups who have resisted the antidemocratic forces of inequality and oppression. The Fighting For Freedom resource has young historians...
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Becoming Us: Belonging
The Becoming Us: Belonging module examines how the American ideal of shared identity has been challenged by fear and insecurity. The first of three case studies focus on the deportation of Mexican American citizens during the Great...
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Becoming Us: Policy
Studying the laws and policies enacted to restrict or reform immigration, including or excluding certain groups of people, is essential to understanding the complicated history of immigration in our nation's democracy. Three case studies...
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Becoming Us: Education
The Becoming Us: Education module examines the history of the fight for racial justice and educational equity today. The first case study looks at the re-segregation of American schools, while the second explores the resistance to school...
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Becoming Us: Borderlands
Three case studies make up a unit the looks at the power contentions and exchanges in the borderlands that have shaped the United States. The first case study focuses on creating the US southern border and the experiences of people...
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Electoral College Lesson Packet
The Constitutional Rights Foundation presents two lessons about the Electoral College. The first has scholars examine a text that provides background information about the Electoral College. Then class members engage in a role play...
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A Black History Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts provide students with an opportunity to develop their internet skills while they learn about famous African Americans. Included are four scavenger hunts, one each for grades 1-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. Researchers search the...
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Civil War: Activity Pack
The three lessons in the Civil War: Activity Pack collection provide young history detectives with an opportunity to examine artifacts the reveal African-American involvement in the United States Civil War. They watch videos to learn...
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Family History: Activity Pack
Young history detectives investigate their family history through interviews, genealogical research, and family artifacts and heirlooms. They research family members who stood up for their beliefs, examine family treasures to discover...
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Economic Lowdown Podcast Series
Accepting a cow as payment for a car is not udder-ly ridiculous. A collection of 21 podcasts provide high schoolers with the lowdown on economics. Topics covered include economics, banking, monetary policy, and the role the Federal...
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Women's History: Activity Pack
A three-lesson collection from PBS’s History Detective series has young historians investigating women's contributions to American history. Young sleuths search for clues in artifacts, images, and videos. They hold a mock convention,...
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Judicial Learning Center: Landmark Cases
Five fact-filled lessons look at landmark Supreme Court Cases. Young scholars begin their study by examining the importance of these cases, key terms necessary for studying the court cases, and the relationship between court cases and...
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Judicial Learning Center: How Courts Work
Six informational and easy-to-understand resources detail how the United States’ courts work. The collection provides young legal scholars with a detailed overview of the differences between civil and criminal trials, outlines the role...
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Judicial Learning Center: Organization of the Federal Courts
Six lessons cover the Organization of the Federal Courts. Lesson one helps those studying criminologies distinguish between the role of federal courts and state courts.
The second explores the structure of the lower levels of the...
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Judicial Learning Center: The Role of the Federal Courts
Informational, interesting, and easy-to-understand, the five resources in the Role of the Federal Courts collection provide an overview of the historical context, important principles, and content of the US Constitution regarding the...
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Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Excerpts from Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s documentary series provide young historians with insight into the struggles the country faced in the years after the Civil war. Viewers learn about the...
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The Constitutional Convention of 1787
By 1786, it became apparent to many American founders that there were serious problems with the Articles of Confederation. A three-lesson unit focuses on the debates that lead to the 1787 Constitution Convention, as well as the...
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Alexis de Tocqueville on the Tyranny of the Majority
The writings of a French diplomat and political philosopher, Alexis de Tocqueville, offer young scholars much to think about. In the three-lesson unit, class members examine Tocqueville’s arguments about the power of the majority and...
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The Diplomacy Challenge
A seven-lesson unit module offers high schoolers an opportunity to investigate the role diplomats play in an interconnected world. Acting as Early Modern era (1450-1750) diplomats, groups negotiate treaties to further the interests of...
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The Birth of an American Empire
A four-lesson unit focuses on American foreign policy in the late 1800s. Young historians examine primary source documents, conduct a WebQuest, and use a timeline activity to reflect on the impact of American imperialism in Cuba, Puerto...
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Teaching 'The New Jim Crow'
Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow is the anchor text in a 10-lesson unit that looks at some of the issues of race and justice in American society and how issues have changed over time. High schoolers look at the history of race and...
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Civil War: A "Terrible Swift Sword"
A three-lesson unit looks at the United States Civil War. In the first lesson, high schoolers analyze primary source materials to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and Confederate armies at the beginning of the war. The...
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Freedom Is Coming: Songs of Freedom, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad
Young historians examine song lyrics and slave narratives to uncover the realities of life for enslaved people. The six-lesson unit looks at the way enslaved people used music to provide hope, as well as to fight against oppression....
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The Reconstruction Era and The Fragility of Democracy
Seven lessons examine the Reconstruction Era that followed the United States Civil War. The series of detailed lessons provide background information on the era, teaching strategies, videos, and primary source materials.
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Black Americans in Congress
Seven lessons make up a unit on African-Americans who served in the United States Congress from 1870 to 2007. Young historians read contextual essays, engage in activities, examine primary source images, and artifacts to gain an...
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A President's Vision
A seven-resource curriculum set presents primary source materials that permits young historians to examine the programs and initiatives advanced by Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt,...
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A President's Vision: Thomas Jefferson
Former president, Thomas Jefferson, is the focus of seven lessons that challenge pupils to analyze primary source documents associated with his presidency. Pupils perform a close reading of several messages to Congress and an excerpt of...
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A President's Vision: Theodore Roosevelt
Teach young historians how to analyze primary source documents, including speeches and editorial cartoons with a collection of worksheets. The six resources in this collection focus on documents associated with the presidency of Theodore...
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A President's Vision: Ronald Reagan
The programs of Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, are the focus of seven worksheets that teach young historians how to analyze primary source documents—including a poster, excerpts from speeches, and political...
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A President's Vision: George Washington
Worksheets guide 21st-century learners through an examination of primary source documents related to the presidency of George Washington. The worksheets in the collection allow students to identify the context, meaning, and significance...
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A President's Vision: Lyndon B. Johnson
The 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 are all statues pushed by Lyndon Baines Johnson. Presdient Johnson also established programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start. Young...
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A President's Vision: Abraham Lincoln
A seven-resource collection of worksheets ask students to examine letters written by Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, as well as an excerpt from the diary of a Union soldier. After a careful reading of these primary sources, class...
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World Population History
Six lessons challenge 21st-century learners to interpret maps, analyze real-world data sets, and use technology such as GIS to understand key global issues. The lessons, which can be used sequentially as a unit or individually, are...
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Learn About the Dreyfus Affair
Innocent man or traitor to France? That is the question addressed in a five-lesson unit that looks at multiple interpretations of the Dreyfus Affair. As young historians examine primary sources, they also consider the bias that history...
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COVID-19 Science Lessons
A pair of presentations from National Geographic examine the science of viruses, the history of worldwide pandemics, and society's response to the COVID-19 crisis. Students first learn about the various types of viruses that exist before...
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How Diseases Spread
Investigate the spread of infectious disease with this interdisciplinary set of high school health lessons. Young scholars start by learning about the mechanisms of disease transmission and the different methods of prevention before...
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Center for Civic Education: Black History Month
Six lesson plans in the Black History Month collection introduce middle and high schoolers to nonviolent actions as a means to resist oppression and encourage reform. Lessons look at the Children’s March, music, and citizenship schools...
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America from Scratch
What if the people of the United States started over and, knowing what we know now about how things are working, redesigned the government created by the founding fathers? That's the central premise of the 11 resources in the American...
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Ben Across the Curriculum: High School
Benjamin Franklin: The man, the scientist, the inventor, the statesman, the legend. A 10-lesson collection introduces high schoolers to the many facets of Franklin’s character. Although developed for the International Traveling...
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What Makes Democracy Work?
Eight lessons make up a collection designed to help high schoolers make sense of an election year. Class members learn about voting rights, the importance of a free press, and civic participation. The focus is on the 2020 presidential...
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History Blueprint: The Cold War (US History)
In this well-organized and inquiry-based collection, high schoolers examine primary and secondary source documents and video clips in preparation for an investigation into the Cold War. Scholars analyze its beginnings, the global impact...
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History Blueprint: The Civil War
Northerners, Southerners, and abolitionists all had a different perspective on the American Civil War. To understand these different points of view, class members analyze primary documents including speeches by Abraham Lincoln, the...
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Women in Congress
Designed to be used in conjunction with the Women in Congress publication, seven lesson plans look at the women pioneers who served in congress from 1917 to 2006. The collection includes essays, photographs, artifacts, and quotations.
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Teaching With Laurel Grove School
The Laurel Grove school was established by freedmen and freedwomen after the United States Civil War. The school is now a museum and offers this collection of six lessons that use primary and secondary source materials to tell the story...
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Anticommunism in Postwar America, 1945–1954: Witch Hunt or Red Menace?
From allies to enemies—the post-World War II period saw a dramatic shift in the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. A three-lesson collection examines the turbulent period and the rise of the anti-communist...
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The American War for Independence
Imagine the chances of a ragtag militia taking on the disciplined army and the majestic navy of the world’s largest empire. What were the colonialists thinking and what were their chances of success? Using primary source documents and an...
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Judicial Learning Center: Student Center
A collection of 22 interactive resources provides learners with information about the United States federal courts. The pages are divided into five sections: The role of the federal courts; The organization of the federal courts; How the...
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Energy of a Nation: Immigrants in America
Immigration and immigration reform are hot button topics, now more than they have been. The Energy of a Nation curriculum is designed to dispel myths about immigrants, build empathy, and provide up-to-date facts. The 13 lessons in the...
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Standing Up for Democracy
The mission of the Standing Up for Democracy unit is to bring about “a more humane, just, and compassionate society rooted in democratic values.” These 16 lessons, built on a foundation of mutual respect, tolerance, and participation,...
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2020 Election Lesson Plans
With all the hyperbole of an election year, it can be difficult to find the facts, just the facts about candidates, issues, and ballot measures. Young political scientists, with the help of 21 resources from a nonpartisan, information...
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The Crisis of American Diplomacy, 1793–1808
The tangled web of the United States’ diplomatic alliances and foreign policy during the French Revolution comes under scrutiny in a three-resource collection. Young historians examine how Great Britain and France challenged both the...
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American Diplomacy in World War II
The “Grand Alliance” between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union was established during World War II to counter the aggression of German and Japan. A four-resource collection looks at the differences in the members’...
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National Constitution Center: Hall Pass Videos
The National Constitution Center offers this collection of informative and entertaining videos intended to start conversations and develop critical thinking skills. Viewers learn about the rights granted by the constitution, about the...
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Peacebuilding Toolkit for Educators - High School Edition
Established by Congress, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is a nonpartisan institution whose goal is to "increase the nation's capacity to manage international conflict without violence." The 15 USIP resources in the...
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Crash Course: Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is a whole new, fast growing field of law. The basic ideas is that non-physical property or a novel idea can be owned owned. The seven-episode collection defines intellectual property, and covers the complexity of...
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60 Second Adventures in Economics
To regulate or not to regulate? To spend or save? A collection of six animated videos examines some of the great dilemmas of economics, including the conflicting theories of Adam Smith, William Phillips, and John Maynard Keyes. The short...
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The Fed Explained
Animated videos, colorful graphics, and catchy examples help young economists gain an understanding of the Federal Reserve and its role in the Reserve System. The nine resources in the collection cover such basic economic concepts as...
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American Battle Monuments Commission Interactives
A collection of 14 resources celebrate the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces overseas during World War I and World War II. Young historians use Interactive timelines to follow events as they unfolded and maps to track...
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Women's History Month: Grades 9-12
Wonder Women! In 1987 Congress proclaimed March Women's History Month. The resources in this collection celebrate the extraordinary achievements of women in all fields of endeavor.
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James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President
James Madison, fourth president of the United States serving from 1809-1817, is the focus of a four-lesson collection that provides high schoolers with the information they need to understand why Madison is considered "The Father of the...
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Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: The Genocide of the Armenians
Used with the PBS film The Armenian Genocide (Two Cats Productions), the eight lessons in this collection teach high schoolers about the Armenian Genocide. Students use primary and secondary sources to research the history of the Ottoman...
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The Price of Freedom: Americans at War Lessons
Designed for teachers, a 15-lesson collection curated by the Smithsonian, examines how wars have impacted American society. Each resource includes a lesson plan, background information, a materials list, maps, images, and worksheets. An...
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The Price of Freedom: Americans at War Printable Exhibition
The Price of Freedom: Americans at War is a collection of 13 resources from a printable exhibition curated by the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Each resource begins with a summary and a table of contents. The resources...
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Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement 1954-1985
The four resources in this collection look at the strategy of non-violence as a response to injustice. High schoolers study the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 70s and its leaders, investigate examples of injustice and protest...
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Emmett Till: A Series of Four Lessons
A four-lesson collection, designed to be used with the film, The Murder of Emmett Till, provides the historical context viewers need to understand the implications for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 70s as well as today's...
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Equality & Human Rights Commission: Secondary Lesson Plans
A collection of 12 instructional activities helps young people develop the five core social and emotional learning competencies identified by CASEL. Videos, slides, activities, games, news articles, and discussions target life skills. In...
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Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice
Social justice is the theme of a 12-lesson unit that uses photographs to focus students' attention on and expand their understanding of current social issues facing society. Class members learn how to closely examine an image, and to...
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Economic Lowdown Video Series
Designed for high school and college-level classes, a collection of 12 resources covers topics in economics, banking, and monetary policy. Students investigate supply curves, the law of demand, market equilibrium, and the labor market....
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WE Are Innovators: High School Resources
The five lessons in a collection from WE are Innovators encourages high schoolers to go where scientists have not gone before. They read articles and watch videos to gather information and then use an innovative mindset and their...
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Introduction to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the focus of a two-lesson collection that investigates the rights the document guarantees and groups whose rights have been violated. The unit concludes with individuals selecting one...
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Introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Introduce high schoolers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a four-lesson collection. Class members watch videos, examine illustrations from the book We Are All Born Free, create a visual display promoting human rights,...
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Sacred Stories of Native Americans
A Native America in the Classroom collection provides six videos and support materials about indigenous peoples who lived throughout North, Central, and South America. Young historians are introduced to Incan and Hopi origin stories, a...
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How the Federal Courts Work
Walk students step-by-step through the judicial process with a three-lesson collection that examines how the federal courts interpret and apply the laws of the United States. Young legal scholars examine case studies, engage in...
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Organization of the Federal Courts
A three-lesson collection explores the federal and state court systems, as well as criminal and civil court systems. Along the way, high schoolers consider the qualifications necessary to serve in high-federal offices, and why courts...
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iCivics: Mini Media Literacy Library
Designed for the high school classroom, the mini-lessons in this collection combine studies of the United States government with news literacy skills. Each lesson includes a civics reading, a news literacy feature, and a news literacy...
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COVID-19: History and Geography of a Pandemic
Here's a must-have collection! In the first lesson, which is history centered, students compare the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 to the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918. On day two, researchers consider the role geography plays in the...
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The Civil Rights Movement: Grades 9-12
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, with its sit-ins, boycotts, and marches, became a model of using civil disobedience to affect change. This collection of unit plans, lesson plans, interactives, videos, and activities...
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Lunar New Year
Although often called Chinese New Year, Chinese people refer to this holiday as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. People in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam also have traditions associated...
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Black History Month
Celebrate Black History Month with a collection that offers informative articles, lesson plans, presentations, worksheets, and a variety of activities that highlight famous African Americans. Whether you teach elementary, junior, or high...
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September 11th
September 11, 2001, is another day that will live in infamy. The resources in this collection not only examine the events of that day, but also the repercussions and the tributes.
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Constitution Day/Citizenship Day
Searching for materials to use in your celebrations of Constitution Day/Citizenship Day? Look no further. The lesson plans, activities, and videos in this collection will help you meet the requirement that all educational institutions...
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Autumn in High School
Why do days grow shorter in the fall? Why do the shorter days cause leaves to change color and fall from trees? What does Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 have to do with any of this? No matter the subject area, you'll find lessons to engage...
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The Spanish-American War
If you are looking for curriculum on the Spanish-American War, you just hit the jackpot! Find three options for teaching either a one, three, or five-day lessons. Learners consider why the United States invaded Cuba, and use primary...
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High Schoolers Get Involved
Looking for ways to integrate meaningful community service and service learning opportunities into your curriculum? Check out the suggestions in this collection designed for high schoolers. Included are articles, lesson plans,...
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Literacy in History/Social Studies: 11-12th Grade ELA Common Core
Analyzing primary and secondary source materials requires a special set of skills. Readers must be able to identify the central ideas in a text, to cite evidence to support their analysis, and to evaluate the arguments put forth in a...
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Christopher Columbus Day
Who was Christopher Columbus? What was his part in the Great Age of Exploration? Was he an explorer or an exploiter? Bring the debate to your class with this collection of materials.
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Presidential Inaugurations: "I Do Solemnly Swear"
Every four years, American citizens choose a new leader. Sometimes the incoming president is an incumbent who has served before; other times, Inauguration Day serves as the first moments of a new era and administration. From these...
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Investigating Immigration Issues
The issues surrounding U.S. immigration, both authorized and unauthorized, are many and complex. The 11 resources in this collection provide high schoolers with an opportunity to investigate various point of view concerning the...
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Teaching Children with Autism—Content Area Resources
Browse a collection designed to meet the needs of scholars with autism in kindergarten through 12th grade. Here, you'll find a variety of resources—lesson plans, printables, activities, worksheets, and an app—spanning a range of content...
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Teaching and Learning About Autism
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately "1 in 88 American children are on the autism spectrum." The teacher guides and other professional development materials in this collection offer information...
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Strategies for Teaching Reading in the Content Areas
Teaching reading in the content areas presents its own set of challenges and requires its own set of skills. Learning how to preview a text, how to analyze headings and graphics, topics and subtopics, to recognize claims and evidence...
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Facing Ferguson: News Literacy in a Digital Age
The reporting, both in professional news sources and on social media, of the events surrounding the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri provides 21st Century learners with an opportunity of consider how social media can...
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A Job Fit for a King—Martin Luther King, Jr.
The third Monday in January marks the day that we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the legacy he left behind. His leadership and commitment to the civil rights movement will never be forgotten. Celebrate his achievements,...
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Ancient Rome
Veritas nunquam perit. The timeless truths and lessons learned from the ancient Romans can be found in a collection that not only looks at the art and architecture, the cultural happenings, and the political structure, but also traces...
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Celebrate Kwanzaa!
Celebrated from December 26 through January 1, the Kwanzaa festival recognizes the traditions and cultural heritage of African Americans. Designed for classroom celebrations of Kwanzaa, this collection of lesson plans, activities,...
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Veterans Day
Veterans Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day. The resources in this collection are designed to pay tribute to the history of this holiday and to honor the sacrifices of those who serve.
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Museum of Tolerance: Teaching Tolerance
How do you teach classes to recognize and confront intolerance? To recognize their preconceptions and commit to change? The materials in this collection, prepared by the Museum of Tolerance, are designed to achieve these goals. Whether...
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Empowering Democracy
How do you prepare your students to become informed and involved citizens? You could check out the ideas in this collection of materials from the non-profit Classroom Law Project.
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Caucus 101
Want to get your students, their parents, and your community involved in the democratic process? Although designed for Iowans, you don't have to be from that state nor does it need to be an election year to benefit from the resources in...
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Political Systems
Designed for social studies classes, this collection of lessons examine both the history and the current state of US government institutions, policies, and economic programs.
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Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952-2016
What better way to develop an awareness of the power of presidential campaigns ads than by analyzing them? The resources in this collection ask class members to develop criteria for evaluating effective ads, and to examine the claims,...
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Changes in a Democratic Society
Democracies are not static. To learn more about how the United States form of democratic government has changed over time, class members examine primary and secondary sources, including works of art, and reflect on what these sources...
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The European Union
What is the European Union and why was it formed? The six resources in this collection provide background information about the formation of the Union, its members, and the programs it has developed to foster peace and unity.
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Digital Citizenship 101
Guide your highschoolers through the basics of becoming responsible digital citizens using this four-lesson unit. Find discussion questions and relevant issues teenagers face when entering into the digital world.
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Chase the Race in School
What is voting? How do I vote? Why should I vote? Who do I vote for? These are all important questions that first time, or even veteran voters might ask themselves as election season approaches them. Here is a collection that examines...
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Practical Money Skills: Decisions and Goals
Equip teenagers with the knowledge they need to make well-founded and well-rounded financial decision, both now and in their economic future.
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Fig. 1 by Univ. of California - Psychology
Nature, nurture, or hot wired? Journey into the brain with University of California researchers as they search for answers to age-old questions about personality, morality, behavior, and, of course, love.
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The Civil War: A Country Divided
Study one of the bloodiest and most formative periods of time in American history with a collection of videos, worksheets, lesson plans, and apps. The collection would work for middle school or high school classrooms and range in...
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Thou Shalt Not Be a Bystander
If we do not learn about the ways evil was allowed to perpetuate tragedy in our past, we are doomed to repeat those fateful mistakes. Educate high schoolers with a collection about the Holocaust and WWII, which includes lessons, project...
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The Iron Curtain
The period between the end of World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall represented a tense, antagonistic relationship between the Soviet Union and the rest of the world, particularly the U.S. Explore the Cold War dynamics and details...
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The American Revolution: Give Me Liberty
More than fireworks, barbeques, or sunny picnic afternoons, the Fourth of July marks a formative and important time in American history. Learn more about the key figures in the American Revolution with a collection of lesson plans, which...
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Using your voice Is a Political Choice - Amanda Gorman
New ReviewNational Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman delineates her reasons for claiming that all poetry is political. The video captures the poet's passion and commitment to speaking up and speaking out. It is a must-have resource.
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The Birth of an Icon: Learning and Performing the Origins of the Drum Set and Early Jazz Drumming in New Orleans, Louisiana
New ReviewBass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic lesson introduces young musicians to...
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Amanda Gorman Reads Inauguration Poem, 'The Hill We Climb'
New ReviewFollowing 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...
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MLK: Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech in Oslo, Norway, 1964
New ReviewA 12-minute video takes viewers to Oslo Norway in 1964 to see Martin Luther King's Nobel Peace Price acceptance speech.
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The Paradise Papers: A Lesson in Investigative Journalism
The Paradise Papers, a year-long research project from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) exposed how political leaders, business people, and wealthy individuals used offshore entities to avoid taxes and hide...
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Historical Presidential Campaign Announcement Analysis
Using the announcements of presidential candidacies, pupils consider how contenders make their initial arguments to the public. A worksheet helps structure collaborative work to analyze 10 video clips. Writing prompts allow for extension...
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Becoming US President
It's that time of year, and the year. Once again the race is on for the White House. It's important that young voters, and would-be voters, understand the process for becoming the United States President. Class members research the...
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The Challenge of Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias makes it difficult to overcome our preconceived notions of others. That's the big idea in a lesson that teaches learners strategies to recognize and question their biases.
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Transcending Single Stories
The focus of the second lesson in the Standing Up for Democracy unit is on the power of assumptions based on a single experience or point of view. Class members begin by journaling about assumptions others make about their identity based...
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Mary Church Terrell | Unladylike2020
Catalytic events wake people up. For Mary Church Terrell the lynching of her friend Thomas Moss lead to her involvement in the catalytic events of suffrage, anti-lynching, and desegregation. Learn more about this amazing woman and her...
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Who, Me? Biased?: Understanding Implicit Bias
A 10-page interactive explains different facets of implicit bias, demonstrates how implicit bias works, and how people can counteract its effects. The interactive tools permit users to save their information in "My Work" folders, to take...
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Do Politics Make Us Irrational?
Teaching scholars about the concept of partisan-based cognitive dissonance is essential now more than ever. A short video explains how partisanship works and often causes irrational responses.
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Tone Analysis Through Music and Nonfiction: Watch Your Tone
Identifying the tone of a piece of writing or the author's attitude toward the subject matter can be difficult for learners. Simplify the process with a lesson that begins with skits, moves to songs and their lyrics, and then to passages...
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Teaching American History for All
Although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X both work for equal rights, social change, and political empowerment, their approaches were radically different. To better understand these contrasts, class members compare King's "I...
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Character vs. Society in The Invisible Man
Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is difficult to read and difficult to teach. The novel is so highly regarded that it is one of most often listed as an option for the AP Literature and Composition exam. The materials in this packet from PBS...
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Ugly History: Japanese American Incarceration Camps
When Aki Kurose was 16 years old, her family was forced to relocate from their home in Seattle with other Japanese Americans. The government feared that despite their loyalty to the United States, they were operating on behalf of the...
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Jewish Resistance
Resistance to the Holocaust took on many forms. Learners explore the passive and active resistance of Jewish people who continued their practices and observances, as well as organized resistance against the evils of the Nazis. An...
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The "Final Solution"
Nazi policies shifted from deportation and imprisonment to extermination of the Jewish people in death camps in the "Final Solution." Learners examine photos of artifacts, read poetry written by survivors, analyze testimony from...
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Freedom’s Ring: King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech was the clarion call for the modern Civil Rights Movement. Using the immortal words of King, an animated screen allows pupils to hear his words delivered to the March on Washington in...
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Survivors and Liberators
The end was just the beginning. The period immediately after the end of World War II and the Holocaust is often called "The Return to Life" as survivors looked to reunite and recreate broken families and shattered lives. A two-lesson...
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Nazi Germany
The Holocaust was an evolution of anti-Semitism, scapegoating, and targeted violence against Jews with Nazi policies. A resource unpacks the escalation in violence, along with the erosion of democratic institutions, during the 1930s....
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The Children and Legacies Beyond the Holocaust
Using video testimony, primary source documents that detail international agreements, and structured discussions, learners consider the precarious position of children during the Holocaust and other international conflicts, and how to...
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Rescuers and Non-Jewish Resistance
What does it mean to be a rescuer during the time of the Holocaust? Learners consider the role of those who resisted the Nazi invasions, including hiding Jewish people, throughout Europe. Activities include listening to the testimony of...
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The Ghettos
Young historians examine primary sources, including diaries, poems, and photographs, to consider the conditions in the ghettos and how they fit into the escalation of the Third Reich's plot against the Jewish people.
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Studying The Holocaust
While many young scholars are familiar with the Holocaust, they may not understand the specific history that led to the unprecedented atrocity. The first lesson in the unit helps teachers gauge their pupils' background knowledge. A...
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The White House
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...
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Satisfaction Please! (Part 3)
Understanding the US government's role proves very important in the American economy, especially for consumers. Scholars learn about how varying government agencies help them when facing an issue. The third and final resource in the...
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Satisfaction Please! (Part 2)
Simply understanding consumer rights may not help people solve their problems. Understanding who to turn to becomes key in many different scenarios. Teach the value of various organizations that fight for consumer rights through...
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Timeline of the Holocaust
An interactive timeline uses images, videos, primary source documents, and links to informational text to chronicle the history of the Holocaust from 1933-1945.
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The World Wars
Contemporaneously known as The Great War, World War I had never seen its match on the global stage—until World War II. An engaging set of resources designed to extend a viewing of the History Channel's The World Wars features discussion...
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Principles of Microeconomics: Scarcity and Social Provisioning
There’s no such thing as a free economics course, but here's a resource that is as close as you can get. Drawing on the expertise of a textbook, augmented by input from higher education economics instructors, a helpful eBook presents a...
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The Haudenosaunee Legendary Founding
While many young historians would say the United States' form of democracy is the longest living, the confederacy established by Hiawatha and the Haudenosaunee is America's precursor. The activity set, complete with a beautifully...
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Inca Origins
Origin stories aren't just for comic books. Learners explore the Inca origin story and compare it to other familiar creation myths with an installment of the Native American Stories series. An easy-to-use lesson plan includes an...
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Life In The Tomb - WW1 Author Stratis Myrivilis
Most learners likely are not familiar with Statis Myrivilis or his anti-war writings, but his works spur scholars to debate over the role of protest literature in wartime. While the video does situate Myrivilis within the context of the...
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A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway
While many can identify Ernest Hemingway's famous works, they may be unaware of his service during World War I and how that affected his literary contributions. An video details Hemingway's service in World War I and explains events and...
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A Gift of Corn to the Choctaw
A mysterious woman. A humble sharing of a meal. A generous gift. The universal value of generosity is threaded throughout a core Choctaw legend on why the tribe began to grow corn. Using part of the Native American Sacred Stories series,...
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Observing Human Rights Day
How much intervention is appropriate for America to take in cases of human rights violations? Class members ponder a question that has lingered since the birth of America with a series of primary sources that reflect the degree to which...
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Unit 9: The Panama Canal
Whose idea was it to build the Panama Canal? Why was the Isthmus of Panama chosen as the site? What were the challenges? To find the answers to these and other questions, young historians and geographers engage in a scavenger hunt,...
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Identity
Is identity defined by genes, cultural standards, personal feelings, a combination of these, or something else altogether? Scholars learn about the complex topic of identity with a presentation, a game, and with a series of discussions....
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Simulation on Northern Ireland: One Step at a Time - The Derry March and Prospects for Peace
Where does tradition fit in a divided community with violence on both sides? Scholars learn about the marches in Northern Ireland and the many issues surrounding them. They take on roles in the community and try to convince others of...
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The Search for Identity
Discover how writers express identity in their writing. Learners explore how issues of identity surface in the literature of minority writers. Scholars watch a video, read and discuss biographies, conduct research, engage in creative...
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Poetry of Liberation
How do writers use words to protest injustice, challenge the status quo, and shape their own identities? Individuals watch and discuss a video, read author biographies, write poetry and journals, develop a slideshow, and complete a...
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Becoming Visible
The television and interstate highways both came of age in 1950s America. Scholars use film, text, and discussion to explore how these and other cultural icons shaped the literature of the time. Pupils also create a family history...
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Southern Renaissance
How do authors use their writing as a means of responding to social and cultural change? Pupils watch a video, engage in discussion, read interesting author biographies, write an account of a typical day in a sharecropping family, and...
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Migrant Struggle
The American Dream is a goal that many pursue, but is it truly attainable for all people? An in-depth lesson explores the plight of migrants in twentieth-century America. The resource includes a video and author biographies and...
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Modernist Portraits
How did literature reflect people's attitudes in post-World War I America? A lesson explores the topic using a variety of activities. Individuals watch and respond to a video; read author biographies and engage in discussion; write...
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Rhythms in Poetry
Rhyme, rhythm, free verse, imagery: Do these words describe poetry, or jazz music? The answer is both! A resource explores these similarities as scholars watch a video, engage in discussion, read author biographies, write poetry and...
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Social Realism
Many American writers in the late nineteenth century wanted their writing to reflect real life. Individuals watch and discuss a video, read and explore author biographies, write a journal entry and a poem, and complete a multimedia...
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Regional Realism
How did writers capture and express the distinct voices of their characters in nineteenth-century texts? Individuals explore regional dialect in American literature. They watch a video, engage in discussion, read author biographies,...
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Slavery and Freedom
How do nineteenth-century texts by African American and Native American writers contribute to the country's ideals of freedom and individuality? Learners explore the topic by watching and discussing a video, reading biographies, writing...
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Masculine Heroes
What were the driving forces behind American expansion in the nineteenth century, and what were its effects? Scholars watch a video, read biographies, engage in discussion, write journals and poetry, draw, and create a multimedia...
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Spirit of Nationalism
What were the virtues and values that helped form America? Pupils watch and discuss a video, read biographies of early Americans, chart the differences between early American religious movements, write journals and letters, draw, and...
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The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Lesson in Perspective
The geopolitical history of Palestine is fraught with conflict. To provide a perspective of ongoing conflicts, a presentation traces the historical background of the region from the fall of the Ottoman Empire after World War I to the...
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Teaching Guide: Exploring Little Women
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...
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Newspaper in the Classroom
Newspapers aren't only for reading—they're for learning skills, too! A journalism unit provides three lessons each for primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. Lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, and procedure, and...
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Utopian Promise
Scholars learn all about the Puritans in the third installment of a 16-part lesson series. After watching a video, they read and discuss biographies of Puritans and Quakers from American history, write journal entries and poetry, and...
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Exploring Borderlands
What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...
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Intelligence of Authentic Character - News Coverage and John Brown's Raid
The resource, a standalone, shows how news coverage of John Brown's Raid began when the event happened and how that reporting shaped perception in West Virginia history. The resource includes interesting anticipatory discussion...
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Stagecraft
The house lights dim, the curtain parts, lights slowly come up, revealing the stage. Before the actors appear, before a word is spoken, the audience is drawn in by the lighting, by the colors, by lines of the set, by the props, and...
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The Latin Rhythms of “Despacito”
When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...
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How the First State Constitutions Helped Build the U.S. Constitution
Did you know that the United States Constitution was adopted after many state constitutions were already in place? Young scholars examine facts about the influence of states through an informative and interesting resource. Groups then...
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Harriet Tubman and the End of Slavery
Harriet Tubman saved hundreds from slavery through what was called the Underground Railroad. Teach learners about her amazing accomplishments through the article that uses effective direct instruction. After reading, scholars break into...
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The Lincoln-Douglas Debates — Springboard to the White House
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates saw two primary political candidates debating seven different times about one of the most important social movements in United States history. Middle and high schoolers read an article that describes the...
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Sam Houston: A Study in Leadership
Learners read a short excerpt from a speech by Sam Houston and answer corresponding questions as well as engage in additional activities, including writing a persuasive essay and discussing topics in small groups. The resource helps lay...
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The Price of Freedom: Americans at War
An interactive resource covers all of the United States' most prominent and influential historic wars including the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the War of 1812, and the Korean War. Learners observe cause and effect as well as how violence...
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Conflicting Voices of the Mexican War
Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...
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Municipal Government: High School
Municipal government takes on many roles, not just the ones we are used to hearing about such as Parks and Recreation. Scholars delve into the topic to get a grasp on how the government system functions. They participate in readings,...
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If Men Were Angels: Teaching the Constitution With the Federalist Papers
Much like the methods of group work, the writers of the Federalist Papers worked together to advocate for their viewpoints against the anti-federalists. The resource enables learners to break into small groups and conduct research before...
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Students’ Response to 9/11—A Documentary Report
Young historians research the devastating attacks of 9/11 and use that information to script their own documentaries. The follow-up activity includes recording the documentary and conducting classmate interviews,
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The Soldier’s Experience—Vietnam versus World War I
The Vietnam War and World War I were two very important—and different—wars. To understand the differences, and similarities, class members watch videos, examine primary source documents, and then create a newscast that examines the...
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POWs
Why did Vietnam POWs and their families receive more media attention than POWs in previous wars? To answer this question, class members view artifacts, read articles, and engage in class discussion. Individuals then assume the voice of...
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Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.
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Battle of the Bulge: America Responds to a German Surprise
World War II and the Battle of the Bulge are the focus of a history resource. Exercises include analyzing images, writing letters in the mindset of a soldier, and even immersing oneself in a cold experience to better empathize with the...
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Changing Gender Roles on the Home Front
Many historians discuss how gender roles changed because of World War II, but how did this come to be? An informative resource challenges scholars to do some digging and research the information for themselves. They research how...
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The Story of the Federal Reserve System
Prevent the Federal Reserve System from becoming a dry topic for your middle and high schoolers by using an informative, engaging resource! The cartoon takes your class on a journey with aliens from the planet of Novus to observe the...
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Tribal Government: High School
Did you know there are 567 federally recognized American Indian and Native Alaskan tribes and villages in the United States alone? The resource helps break down the complexities of many different tribal societies to explain the concept...
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County Government: High School
Balancing a budget—the bane of many people's existence! Yet, its' something that must be done, especially in government systems. The resource, fourth in a seven-part series exploring local government, focuses on various exercises that...
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Washington’s Water
It's easy to forget about something as simple as water, a substance that is easily available to many in the world. However, understanding water management and the importance of a renewable resource system becomes clear in an informative,...
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Once Upon a Dime
The story of "Once Upon a Dime" starts like any other fairy tale, but it quickly becomes a story about the value of money and the economic system commonly used before it. Presented as a cartoon, the resource consists of dialogue between...
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Crusades and Culture in the Middle Ages
The Crusades sounds like a glamorous time period in the Middle Ages full of glory—but was it? Scholars find and review the truth of the Crusades' influence on the world through the resource. The study guides, separated individually by...