Curated OER
INTERPRETING THE EFFECTS OF THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR ON US CITIZENS.
Students write an article about some aspect of American life during the war. -Examples include: Food, Travel, Weapons, Communication, Maps, Leadership. Each group of three will then be responsible for posting their article to the class...
Curated OER
American Revolution: Attempting to Resolve Disputes by Communication
Young scholars study conflicts over taxation. In this American Revolution lesson, students research the taxes imposed on the colonists by the British and determine how the colonists attempted to abolish the taxes through non-violent...
Curated OER
Famous Americans
Young scholars investigate famous Americans. In this American history and research lesson, students choose a famous American to research, collect information from a variety of sources, and create a related PowerPoint presentation.
Curated OER
What is An American?
Students consider American values. In this individual responsibility lesson, students discuss democratic ideals that the nation was founded on and participate in an activity that requires them to create "What is an American?" collages...
Curated OER
Japanese American Baseball in the Camps
Students study Japanese American internment camps. In this American history lesson, students compare and contrast the camp internees' experiences with with team sports-related challenges students have encountered. Students discuss team...
Curated OER
American Revolution (And What if There Had Not Been One?)
Eighth graders create scenes that might have existed if the American Revolution had not taken place. They use information they have gathered to plan, produce, and present a variety of products from the perspective of a British citizen in...
Curated OER
Color Your Community
Eighth graders identify the self as an individual and as a member of a diverse local and global community. They recognize roles and responsibilities of being a family, school, or community member and the interrelationship of roles and...
Curated OER
"Hello, I Am Deborah Sampson"
Fifth graders learn the role played by individuals during the American Revolutionary War.
Curated OER
Obstacles to Perseverance
What does it mean to persevere. Young historians review the definition of perseverance then brainstorm a list of obstacles colonists and revolutionaries had to overcome during the American Revolution. Using this list, they identify...
Annenberg Foundation
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...
Mr. Nussbaum
Abraham Lincoln Reading Comprehension—The Middle Years (Part 3)
How did Abraham Lincoln begin to change the minds of American citizens? Join him in his quest with a reading passage about Lincoln's experiences as a congressman and public denouncement of slavery. The resource contains reading...
iCivics
Taxation
A paycheck stub can offer loads of information on the taxes American citizens pay. This resource not only includes analysis of a stub as an activity, but also provides a wealth of informative reading material on such topics as the...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Why Don’t More People in the U.S. Vote?
To vote or not to vote, that is the question. Secondary scholars explore voter turnout in the United States. The resource uses informational text, group discussion, and a worksheet to help academics understand hindrances to voting...
Smithsonian Institution
Racism and Removal: Japanese Incarceration During World War II
During World War II people saw how far the government's control would go, but it was at the expense of its citizens. The resource brings the conditions of Japanese American internment camps to light using primary documents. Scholars...
Kids Voting USA
Kids Voting USA: K-2 Classroom Activities
Address both social studies and critical reading skills with a resource dedicated to the voting process, the American democracy, and the ability to evaluate information in order to develop a stance on an issue. Each themed activity...
Curated OER
Political and Cultural Road to the American Revolution
Learners examine the Declaration of Independence. For this Revolutionary War lesson plan, students use primary sources to analyze how the creation of the Declaration of Independence lead to the development of the United States as an...
Curated OER
My Country 'Tis of Thee with American Symbols
Students study the various patriotic symbols which represent America. They choose one, research its history, and write a report about it. They make a drawing of the symbol and use the drawing in a PowerPoint presentation for the rest of...
Curated OER
Rights and Responsibilities
Students focus on the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen as they develop a T-chart and discuss the topic.
Curated OER
Mexican American Labor in the U.S.
Students research the history of immigration, particularly from the perspective of Mexicans and Mexican Americans. In this Mexican American labor lesson, students research questions from the perspective of an assigned group. Students...
Curated OER
The All-American Slurp
Explore Chinese culture and customs with your class and allow them time to connect and compare their own experiences with experiences of character a from the short story The All-American Slurp. They create a short presentation on some...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: John Q. Public
John Q. Public was a notable cartoon representation of the average American; but how accurate was this portrayal? Emergent analysts consider several topical points as they take a critical look into a cartoon portrayal of the American...
Teaching for Change
A Documents-Based Lesson on the Voting Rights Act
How did the Voting Rights Act affect the daily lives of American citizens? A document-based lesson developed by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating committee (SNCC) presents a case study of the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on...
Carolina K-12
Turn of the Century Immigration
In an engaging simulation, class members imagine immigrating to the United States in the late nineteenth century and arriving at Ellis Island. They then write creative journal entries about their experience and chart their journeys.
Newspaper Association of America
Using the Newspaper to Teach the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment
Of all the amendments found in The Bill of Rights, the First Amendment contains some of the most important freedoms for American citizens. A unit plan on the First Amendment features interactive lesson plans designed to teach about those...