Smithsonian Institution
African American Pioneers in Aviation
Bessie Coleman. William Powell. Willa Brown. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. While these names may not be familiar to many Americans, they are African American pioneers in aviation history. Class members have an opportunity to research the...
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Indiana Courts: How Do They Work?
Students identify the branches of Indiana's judicial system and determine the differences between the different courts and different types of cases. Students create a flow chart showing how a court case works its way through the legal...
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Indiana Travel Guide
Fourth graders, after exploring and researching the state of Indiana, create a travel guide about the state of Indiana including its capital, major rivers, governors and two famous people from the state. They utilize a variety of art...
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Natives of Indiana
Fourth graders participate in discussions about the Native Peoples who inhabited what is now Indiana. In this Native American instructional activity, 4th graders discuss the social and cultural structures of these Native Americans. They...
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Native Americans
Fifth graders discover that different Native American groups had different ways of living because of their environment. They discuss with the teacher to learn that different environments have different food choices. They then research a...
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Indiana Travel Guide
Fourth graders share their information about their home state. In this research lesson plan, 4th graders use graphic organizers to make a travel guide about the state of Indiana. This lesson plan could be modified for use with any state,...
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The Ku Klux Klan In Indiana: 1920-1930
Students examine the role of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana from 1920-1930. They read an informational handout, define key vocabulary terms, conduct an interview with a parent or grandparent, write a family history, and role-play a scenario.
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Freedom and You
Students research the American Revolution. In this Revolutionary War instructional activity, students research facts about the American Revolution, write an expository essay, and peer edit for good content. The paper is suggested to be...
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American Indians
Fourth graders explore the American Indians and the music from their culture. They discuss the music of American Indians and compare that music with the music that we listen to today. Students create rainstick and perform their own...
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What's In a Name?
Students examine the origins of the names of U.S. states, focusing on names that were derived from Native American words. They are provided with lists of the names of the 50 states, and then research online or in library resources the...
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Gary's Changing Face
Students investigate the history of Gary, Indiana by looking at its history, demographics and points of interest. They create a timeline of important events in the city's history.
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CSI: Native America
Students discuss the murders of Native Americans in Indiana. In groups, they research and make drawings of the scene as if they were part of a CSI team. They complete any needed experiments to help them solve the crime and create a...
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The Finish Line
Students investigate the philanthropy of various cultural traditions. In this cultural education instructional activity, students read a handout about Native American, European American, and African American traditions and identify the...
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Global Geography of Economics: the Indiana Steel Industry
Students research and identify positive and negative effects of imported steel on the Indiana steel industry.
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The Role of the Media
Students participate in class discussion to investigate how media affects the ideas of Americans (specifically in politics) and then research events in political history to analyze how the media may have influenced the government's...
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The Civil War: On the Homefront
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson plan, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then analyze letters written home by...
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A Hoosier Perspective on the March to the Sea: The Diary of William Miller
Eighth graders take a closer look at Sherman's March to the Sea. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders analyze the diary entries of William Miller. Discussion questions are included with the entries. Students create illustrated...
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Hoosier Soldiers at Vicksburg
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers at the Battle of Vicksburg. In this American Civil War lesson plan, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the battle and then analyze letters...
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The Civil War—Why Hoosier Soldiers Fought
Eighth graders determine why Hoosier soldiers were willing to fight in the American Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then conduct research about...
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How Congress Works
Students describe role of the U.S. Congress in American government as set forth in the Constitution, and explain why the Framers created a Congress with a House and a Senate and gave them different roles.
American Battlefield Trust
Gettysburg Virtual Tour
Step into one of the most iconic battlefields of the American Civil War with an educational interactive resource. Young historians learn about key moments, locations, soldiers, and turning points in the battle with a clickable map and...
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Hoosier Soldiers and the Emancipation Proclamation
Eighth graders examine the impact of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation through the eyes of Indiana soldiers. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders read the proclamation and then students write essays that included letters...
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Roswell and the Civil War
Students consider the impact of the American Civil War on Georgia. In this Georgia history lesson, students discover Roswell's contributions to the Confederate effort and then create children's books that illustrate the destruction of...
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The Life of a Hoosier Soldier, based on the letters of Lt. John V. Hadley
Eighth graders take a closer look at the life of Union soldiers. For this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders read and analyze a series of letters from Lt. John Hadley to his fiancée. Students chart their findings from the letters on...