Young scholars explore immigrants and immigration to the United States. They define and explain their definition of the term pilgrim. Students evaluate the goals of their ancestors as they arrived in America. Young scholars research and...

Students interview a family member about their heritage. They listen to and record part of their family's oral history. Students also create and label a family tree going back a minimum of two generations and compare and contrast...

Students examine Seventeen Magazine's America's Sweetheart contest and one of their finalists by reading about Sunia Arif and what made Seventeen choose her. Students then write a 300-word essay about what would make them or someone they...

The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...

Fifth graders research patterns of immigration in America during the years of 1870-1920 using the Ellis Island website. They answer discussion questions, conduct Internet research on their own ancestors, and answer questions about the...

Fifth graders answer questions such as: Where does my family come from? What was it like for my ancestors to grow up as America developed? What differences in society were present then? What was similar to today? students conduct...

What is in a name? Eager historians trace the geographical history of places in the United States with Spanish names. Using a worksheet activity, clues, and web research developed in conjunction with the PBS "Latinos in America" series,...

The 2016-2017 protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) motivated Camille Seaman to create "We Are Still Here," a photo essay featuring portraits of contemporary Native Americans who protested the pipeline. This eight-page...

Young scholars connect the symbols from the design of the United States Mint Fifty State Quarters Program to our country's history in this five-lesson unit. The culture, unique heritage, and geography of the individual states are probed.

Eighth graders apply their knowledge of North American history from the mid 1600's through the mid 1700's to a role-playing scenario. In small groups they plan, write, and perform a dramatic skit of a group that was affected by events in...

Students explore aspects of the Vietnam War and how it relates to the heritage of America. In an attempt to understand the level of involvement, students analyze statistics from the Vietnam war. Students watch a video, read a book, and...

Students explore sites are about the culture and life of the people of Latin America and Latin Americans in the United States. There is information about Latin American music, dance, art, and heritage.

Learners analyze images and music of common rituals in America with those of other countries. They use worksheets to compare and contrast the events.

Students explore their own culture and the culture of their classmates.

Eighth graders investigate reasons large numbers of people immigrated to the U.S. They identify hardships and risks involved in coming to America and identify the affects immigration has had on the traditions and cultures in the...

Students, after viewing the video "Tell About the South," discuss and analyze Jean Toomer's mixed heritage and how it affected his artistic voice. They evaluate how the character Toomer was an excellent example of America's melting pot....

Students explore American freedom, unity, progress, and responsibility. In this American history instructional activity, students discuss what it means to be an American as they reflect on contributions of noteworthy Americans and write...

Fourth graders examine the musical traditions that immigrants bring to the United States. They discuss the concept of home, complete the "My Home" worksheet, participate in a class discussion, and write a letter to a fourth grade...

A three-part lesson gives light to the Unites States expansion from the view of Texans, New Mexicans, and Californians. Through videos and written activities, scholars work collaboratively to research specific individuals and their...

Students identify what Tchaikovsky's personality was like and what kind of school he attended first. Then they identify and research what was happening in Russian politics during his lifetime. Students also identify who the composer was...

How do barns serve as a window to a community's past? Here are a series of lessons on the symbolism and historical context of barns throughout American history. Topics include community-building, in-depth primary and secondary...

Students read Patricia Polacco's Mrs. Katz and Tush before comparing Jewish heritage with Black history using a Venn Diagram. They complete the diagram either as a whole group or in a small group setting. Next, they sample the Jewish...

Students work in groups to create a book for a museum setting that introduces the tall ship, the Newport, to the public. They conduct research on maritime heritage and examine the responsibilities accociated with sailing.

Learners examine waves of Jewish immigration during three time periods and analyze a variety of primary sources, including letters, memoirs, and laws, to gain insight into both the American immigrant experience and American society...