Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Village Days

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students research the tribes of American Indians in Virginia and settled, agricultural tribes in other regions of America. They explain how geography and climate influenced the way various Indian tribes lived, and evaluate the impact of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Famous African Americans ABC Book

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners investigate the concept of a biography by using famous African Americans for a subject. Each student is assigned one biography and conducts research in order to complete an ABC book for the class that is used for display...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Virtual Winter Count

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learn more about the North American Plains Indian tribes and their unusual methods of recording historical events. Learners examine the winter count, a custom by which these groups illustrated information after each winter passed. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Putting History in its Place

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Examine ways in which historic places and landmarks represent significant themes and events in American history. Then create theme-based travel guides for related historic locations. This lesson requires informational reference materials...
PPT
Curated OER

Poverty Point: A Louisiana Treasure

For Teachers 5th
A well-done and informative presentation, this resource could be used to pique interest in Lousiana's history. This presentation about Poverty Point, a mound created by Native Americans, is a fascinating exploration of this topic. What...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ambassadors of Art

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Have your class create their own art exhibit. Learners study the exchange of artwork between the Louvre in Paris and two American art museums, and create an introductory exhibit featuring European and American art from the Renaissance...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Remembrance of Things Past

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Engage critical and social thinking by exploring the value of language and word choice. The class considers the article "The Silence of the Historic Present" and analyzes several presidential speeches. They engage in class...
Activity
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

WWII Position Paper

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
There are some historical events that may warrant greater reflection and more in-depth analysis, and the decision to intern Japanese-Americans in the United States during World War II, as well as to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lincoln Home National Historic Site: A Place of Growth and Memory

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the history of Lincoln's home.  In this American History lesson, 8th graders examine artifacts from his home to learn about his beliefs.  Students participate in a webquest on Lincoln's home. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African-American Civil War Soldiers Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this Civil War lesson, students examine the service of African Americans in the Civil War and consider their plight to secure the rights and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eisenhower National Historic Site

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students complete a variety of activities that go along with the study of and possible fieldtrip to the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, PA.
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Affrilachia

For Teachers 8th Standards
What makes a culture unique? Learners research life in the Appalachia region of the United States. Poetry, music, and oral history create Affrilachia, the term used to describe the lifestyle of the area. African-American mountain culture...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

We Have a Story to Tell: Native Peoples of the Chesapeake Region

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How did colonial settlement and the establishment of the United States affect Native Americans in the Chesapeake region? Your young historians will analyze contemporary and historical maps, read informational texts, and work in groups to...
Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

Then and Now

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The devastating changes happening to the Native American inhabitants of an island off the coast of Louisiana are the topic of an informational lesson. After scholars break into groups to explore particular topics, they come back together...
Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill: The Power of Symbols

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the $5,...
Lesson Plan
National History Day

“War Is Hell. We Know it Now.” American Soldiers in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Understanding the soldier's experiences during World War I sometimes takes a newscast. Learners see the importance of understanding multiple points of view with a newscast project surrounding the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Compare and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore daily life and its influences in the late 1700s for two families in different colonies- Delaware and Massachusetts by becoming historical detectives. After gathering information from artifacts to make inferences about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abigail Adams: Integrating Social Studies and Language Arts

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders increase reading strategies while learning about Abigail Adams and her role in history. In this Abigail Adams lesson, 3rd graders read about the American Revolution and Abigail Adams using all the balanced literacy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gather the Stones!

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Review how gristmills affected the lives of the Pennsylvania community. The class uses documents and pictures to explore the purpose of the gristmill. They simulate members of the community and write a paper about colonial forces...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

Separate is Not Equal: Fight for Desegregation

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Separate is not equal! An eye-opening lesson delves into the past to understand the fight for desegregation and how it impacted African American communities. Academics complete two one-hour lessons using documents, photographs, and...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

A New America: The Hart-Celler Immigration Act of 1965

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Many dream of coming to America, but few may enter. The lesson plan explores the Hart-Celler Immigration Act of 1965 and how it changed immigration policies in the United States. Academics learn how immigration quotas impacted Western...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

Us vs. Them: The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting lesson plan focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political cartoons, and...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

Resistance to School Desegregation: The Boston Busing Crisis

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Despite how it sounds, Boston's busing crisis wasn't a transportation problem. Academics address the problems faced by African Americans following school desegregation and the struggle to receive equal educational opportunities. Scholars...
Printables
Facing History and Ourselves

Choosing to Participate Posters

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
"A poster exhibit to encourage dialogue, engagement, respect, and participation in our communities..." This is a set of attractive posters that reference influential historical figures, such as George Washington and Albert Einstein, and...