Curated OER
The Search for the Northwest Passage
Third graders listen to lectures and research the motivations and history of the Spanish, French and English explorers searching for the Northwest Passage to India. They trace routes on maps and consider how these explorers helped shaped...
Curated OER
An International Menu
Students research etymologies using dictionaries. They explore the diverse origins of the common foods they eat after making a list of their favorite foods.
Curated OER
The British Empire – Where the Sun Never Set
Students read an article on the British Empire. In this ESL lesson, students explore the British Empire from the 1600's, then work in small groups to complete several activities that reinforce the information learned in the reading.
Curated OER
Native American
Students investigate how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples. They comprehend that Europeans had misconceptions about Native American literacy...
Curated OER
Shipwreck Mystery
Students draw inferences about a shipwreck. In this marine archaeologist instructional activity, students examine historical and archaeological data to draw inferences about the age and identity of shipwrecks.
Curated OER
Ship of the Line
Students discover boats by researching 18th century ships. In this Naval history lesson, students identify and describe the different components of an 18th century naval ship after researching information on the Internet. Students...
Japan Society
Popular Culture and Japan’s Gross National Cool
From Manga to Godzilla and Pokemon, Japanese pop culture has been taking the globe by storm. This phenomenon is called "soft power." Learners will examine the differences between hard and soft power, as well as learn the historical and...
University of California
The Vietnam War (1945 – 1975)
Have you ever wanted to do something so perfectly you wound up not doing it well at all? Young historians use primary and secondary documents to analyze the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. The issues surrounding the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 1: The United States Confronts Great Britain, 1793–1796
After the Revolutionary War, the success of the United States was far from guaranteed. Foreign powers coveted the new land, and Great Britain challenged American sovereignty. Learners consider the challenges facing the new nation using...
Library of Congress
George Washington: First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen
Does the lens of history portray George Washington as a good leader? A three-lesson unit looks at Washington's early military career as the commander of the Virginia Regiment, his role in the fight for independence from England, and his...
Hildegard Center for the Arts
Mardi Gras Masks
Laissez les bons temps rouler! Create your own festive Mardi Gras masks with a lesson that provides background information on the celebration and instructions about constructing the masks.
Curated OER
Native People of the Caribbean
Eleventh graders use a map and locate and define the Caribbean region and then work in groups to read the passage and timeline. The groups' reader will read the passage aloud and the recorder makes a list of why colonists used slave...
Curated OER
Lewis and clark...and Jodie, Freddi, and Samantha
Students practice descriptive language when one student describes an object to another student who cannot see it. They guess what the object is and relate the experience to that of the Lewis and Clark expeditionary journals.
Curated OER
George Washington: First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this George Washington instructional activity, students research the details of Washington's military successes, his role at the Constitutional...
Curated OER
The West "The People": The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Fourth graders become familiar with the conditions facing the members of the Expedition in the early 1800's, as well as the causes and consequences of the Expedition. They describe the conditions of the land in the 1800's and during the...
Curated OER
Taking Up Arms and the Challenge of Slavery in the Revolutionary Era
Students examine a series of documents which discuss the contradiction in the Americans' rhetoric about slavery. They act as members of designated Committees of Correspondence in the five different colonies, communicating their...
Curated OER
Pontiac's War
Students interpret primary sources concerning Pontiac's Rebellion. They are able to explain the motives behind the attack on the British. Students predict possible outcomes of Pontiac's Rebllion.
Curated OER
Comparing Foundations of Democracy
Students examine democratic values. In this democratic ideologies lesson, students discuss individual rights and rights of the group. Students also discuss the implications of the priorities made in democratic societies regarding rights.
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Ninth graders examine the goals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and identify the present day cities, towns, rivers, and regions that are on the route of the expedition. They complete an online WebQuest, recreating the route of the...
Curated OER
Missouri
In this Missouri worksheet, students read a detailed 2 page history of the state. Students answer ten true and false questions about the passage.
Curated OER
Maine
For this Maine reading comprehension worksheet, students read a 2-page selection regarding the state and they answer 10 true or false questions pertaining to the selection.
Curated OER
Massacre or Street Fight? A Study of Images Relating to the Boston Massacre
Fifth graders examine how the merchants of the city allowed the economy to flourish. Using primary sources, they discover how international trade helped to develop the United States. They also identify the role of Elias Hasket Derby, a...