Eleventh graders view photographs of the Japanese society being interned in camps during World War II in the United States. In groups, they read and discuss Executive Order 9066 and try to determine what group they are trying to focus...

Epics, like the Odyssey, were told over the span of several days and drew quite a crowd. Before starting the famous work with your class, review this presentation to gain some insight into the structure and history of epic poems. 

Khaled Hosseini’s video “Using Real People and Events” motivates learners to reflect on their own experiences and to use those experiences as the basis of a graphic novel that expresses a universal truth. The richly detailed plan...

During or after reading Catch-22, have your high school scholars complete this research project. First they'll brainstorm a list of people they might like to research, then they'll dive into your library's resources! There are...

Readers of Neal Shusterman's young adult science fiction novel, Unwind, record what they know, what they want to know, how the will find answers to the questions, on a KWHL chart.

For 13 days, the United States stood on the edge of nuclear War. The Soviet Arms buildup in Cuba is the focus of an activity that asks groups to analyze how the governmental role each of John F. Kennedy's advisors played went on to...

For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...

Fifth graders explore world history by reading historical fiction. In this World War II lesson, 5th graders read the story My Secret War and identify the importance of fiction when analyzing history. Students answer study questions about...

Fifth graders explore poems of African Americans. They research a famous African American, write a report, create a timeline of events in African American history, create a map of the New World, and research Molly Walsh. After...

Tenth graders study "A Sound of Hammering," which is a letter written by a former soldier after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II.

Students examine the major conflicts of the 20th century. After watching a video, they discuss the various types of technology and how they were used in World War I. They watch excerpts from films covering different wars and view them...

Students explore the questionable acquisition of priceless artworks gained as spoils of World War II. They become investigators and reporters looking into the matter of ownership of the world's greatest art.

Students discuss the decision after World War II of Japan's to follow a policy of pacifism. After reading an article, they identify the ways Japan is strengthening its military. They watch a video to discover how their Constitution was...

Students investigate themes of justice and rights while reading the novel Farewell to Manzanar. They research contemporary civil rights issues and write reports. They also research the background of internment camps during World War II.

Students explore the music soldiers listen to before and after battle. They attempt to develop an understanding of the role music plays in this conflict. They create their own lyrics to attempt to construct a pro-war and anti-war song.

Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...

In this historical connections worksheet, students jot down, from ten different pages from the novel Number The Stars, what has and is occurring that are part of the history of Denmark during World War I.

Young scholars investigate WWII by researching Adolf Hitler. In this dictator biographical lesson, students identify the role Adolf Hitler played in the self destruction of Germany by reading secret transcripts from German leaders. Young...

Students write a modified "foreign policy" between their own high school and a rival school in the conference. They describe the significance of a foreign policy from the World War II era.

Making inferences about what you read is an important skill for both elementary, middle, and high school learners. Focusing on events which occurred during World War II, they answer a series of questions related to what we can infer as...

Learners read a variety of novels and watch clips of films through which they begin to feel empathy for cultures and countries occupied by foreign countries. They have the option of studying the Sino-Japanese Wars or the Russo-Japanese...

Ninth graders explore empires by researching Japan's history. In this Japanese research lesson, 9th graders discuss the history of Japan and the elements of World War II that caused Japan to become an enemy of the United States. Students...

Learners draw a self-portrait in pencil with shading.  In this Holocaust lesson, students discover Hitler's idea of art and compare it to the art of the Jews during the Holocaust period.  Learners discuss reasons the art of the...