Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Her stories: African American folktales, fairy tales, and true tales

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students discuss the illustration's allusion to the myth, Pandora's Box. Students locate instances of folk sayings or expressions that make these tales seem authentic to the reader. Students draw a Venn diagram comparing Catskinella and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matthew Henson

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Discuss the work of Matthew Henson, an African American who traveled to the North Pole with Robert Peary. After reading the story "Matthew Henson" by Maryann N. Weidt, learners answer questions by drawing inferences and conclusions,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Pray, Why Speakest Thou Thusly?"

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Examine popular language and slang and how they have changed over the course of American history. Conduct Internet research, use an online interactive Colonial House website to translate 17th century language into 21st century language,...
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

European Explorers

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
To compare how the Spanish, French, and English approached the exploration of North America, class groups examine primary source documents and become experts on one of four explorers: Francisco Coronado, Robert LaSalle, Samuel de...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploration of North America

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine some famous explorers who have helped to discover our country. They discuss explorers from three countries today. They are: Spain, Portugal, and England.
Lesson Plan
4
4
Smithsonian Institution

A Ticket to Philly—In 1769: Thinking about Cities, Then and Now

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
While cities had only a small fraction of the population in colonial America, they played a significant role in pre-revolutionary years, and this was certainly true for the largest city in the North American colonies: Philadelphia. Your...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Transportation and African-American Migration

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explore the means of transportation available in the 19th century and its role as both facilitator and enabler of the westward expansion. They create a project board illustrating their findings.
Lesson Plan
1
1
Smithsonian Institution

Conflicting Voices of the Mexican War

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whose Manifest Destiny?

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students examine the Westward expansion. In this North American settlers lesson, students will view a PowerPoint presentation and answer critical thinking questions. Students will write an essay that analyzes the impact of westward...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native Americans - People of the Plains

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore Plains Indians and practice computer skills by reading creation and migration stories on People of the Plains CD-ROM, and watching Plains video. Students examine village life of Plains Indians, and view different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

North American Cultures

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students take a closer look at the geographic theme of place. In this geography skills lesson, students research their city and create murals that highlight its history, residents, landmarks, and resources.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life of Harriet Tubman

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
A well-designed lesson teaches about the history of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and the issues of civil liberties. Young historians watch a video, access Internet resources, and engage in cooperative activities which should...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Three sisters Garden

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners understand that a three sisters garden is comprised of corn, beans and squash. In this three sisters garden lesson, students understand that Native Americans planted three sisters gardens and grow a three sisters garden....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Industrial Revolution in America: Exploring the Effects of the Heat Engine on the Growth of Cities

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the reasons for the growth of cities in North American. Using the internet, they research the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution and determine if the growth of cities is a sign of progress. They...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Slavery and the American Founding: The "Inconsistency Not to Be Excused"

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
High schoolers examine slavery in the revolutionary and colonial eras of the United States. In this slavery lesson, students investigate the presence of slavery in early America, the language of the Constitution, and the intent of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trey and Dave go to Africa: Music

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Trey from Phish and Dave from the Dave Mathews Band took a trip to Africa to explore music, culture, and history. Your class watches this episode from VH1's Music Studio to understand how African culture and music have influenced modern...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volunteering Requires Freedom of Choice

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore ways to volunteer. In this volunteerism and philanthropy lesson, students brainstorm how the early Americans benefited from philanthropy, then discuss how others benefit from our philanthropy and how we choose ways to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nomad Land

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars explore the migratory movements of animals as they monitor their own movements throughout the school day. Climatic and feeding conditions are examined as cues for the movement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (Civil War images) for examples of how soldiers are portrayed historically. They discuss what a hero is and why some individuals are heroes to certain groups while others are not.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First Fire : A Cherokee Animal Tale

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders discover movement through the telling of "The First Fire", a Cherokee tale. Small groups are given sections of the story to tell by creating dances. Music (live and recorded) adds to the final performance and assessment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies, Music, The Blues, Urbanization, and Technology

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Enable students to use the blues to explore urbanization, technology, and their effects on everyday life in the 20th century. Musicians were among the large number of people who, between 1914 and 1945, participated in the Great Migration...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Use of John Johnson's Life Story in Conjunction With Other Black Entrepreneurs as Role Models for Potential Black Businessmen

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students read an autobiography of John Johnson and discuss how he rose from poverty to be a successful businessman. After reading excerpts of other autobiographies, they brainstorm a list of characteristics of those who were successful...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

This Land is Whose Land?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Whose land is it, anyway? Young scholars debate the question using primary sources from a case where Maryland indigenous people petitioned for land rights after they lost their original tribal lands. An included chart helps organize...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Images of the New World

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how visual and literary images played an important role in the English colonization of Virginia. They analyze the importance of Thomas Harriot's Report on the subsequent development of English colonial plans for...

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