High school pupils research online to complete a family tree and explore their ancestry. They view a sketch of a family tree, and brainstorm questions to ask their parents about their heritage. They also diagram their own family tree. In...

Students explore prehistoric times by completing web activities in class. In this human ancestry instructional activity, students identify the archaeological discovery of the "Lucy" skeleton and what it meant for science. Students...

Here is a nicely designed lesson on ancestry and family history. In it, learners read an article entitled, "Where Were Your Ancestors in 1871?" Then, they make up a series of questions to profile their family and their community 100...

Tenth graders explore the self through a study of autobiographies. By writing daily in their journals, they improve their writing skills and write reflection pieces at the end of the year. Through a series of writing assignments, 10th...

Third graders are introduced to the concept of ancestry. Using their own family, they gather information related to the family roots. In groups, they locate the countries on a map and discuss the concept of migration. They identify...

The history of the northern states' involvement in the slave trade is not widely known. This resource uses the PBS documentary, Traces of the Trade, and the nonfiction book, Children of the New England Slave Trade, to examine this aspect...

Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...

Understanding a text can be a very interesting task. Fourth graders read a passage describing the origin of an Aboriginal myth. They answer 11 comprehension questions that require them to pull key details, use context, and think...

Here is a two-part lesson that introduces learners to genealogy by having them create family trees, and map the movements of their ancestors. While this resource is designed for kids who live in Arkansas, it certainly can be adapted for...

One of the most striking pieces of evidence for Darwin's Evolution of Species was his observations of finches and how their beaks differed from island to island, depending on their primary food sources. So what would happen to the theory...

Apostrophes are important when indicating ownership. Have third graders rewrite several sentences to include possessive apostrophes, both singular and plural. A great addition to a proofreading unit or a warm-up grammar activity.

This compelling plan based on the letters in the book Dear Miss Breed engages readers in learning what it was like for Japanese Americans following the attacks at Pearl Harbor. After reading the letters, young scholars will...

Help your class create collective poetry following a simple, engaging model from Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org). Each young poet writes five things on an index card: sayings from others, favorite sound, favorite place, favorite...

Discuss life in the 1930s in relation to the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, then do a cross-media analysis. Here you'll find background information on film maker John Ford, writer John Steinbeck, and 1930s America. You can compare the...

Take a look at Horace's "Ode 1.5" from Carmina in depth with an analysis worksheet. Included on the first page is the original Latin version of the verses as well as a literal translation. Pupils respond to questions relating to sounds,...

The Civil War is undoubtedly a part of America's history, but could it be part of your pupils' history as well? Middle schoolers conduct research to discover a connection between their ancestors and the American Civil War. Whether...

A brief introductory presentation illustrates many images from Gary Paulsen's Hatchet. From berries to black bears, young readers take a quick trip through Alaska during a class reading unit.

Foster's Rule? Allopatric speciation? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation, class members use Venn diagrams to compare endemic species on the Channel Islands with mainland related species. They then create a...

What does it mean to stream a program? How do you know if you're watching a mash-up? If you don't know these words, reach for your handy Merriam-Webster dictionary, because they're there! A series of fill-in-the-blank questions...

Being a historian requires serious sleuthing. They examine primary source documents and look for evidence, for clues that reveal who wrote the document, when, and why. After watching two historians model the process, young history...

Students explore history is not as a listing of dates, wars, and leaders but as the story of real people whose lives were impacted by the events of their time. They complete a pedigree chart and tape record a family member.

In this Touching Spirit Bear comprehension check worksheet, students respond to seventeen short answer questions covering chapters nineteen and twenty of Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen in order to help them better understand the...

In this online interactive English vocabulary skills worksheet, high schoolers answer 10 matching questions which require them to fill in the blanks in 10 sentences. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

A fun and challenging way of using word roots to increase learners' vocabulary, this crossword puzzle provides 12 clues to vocabulary words containing the word roots cern, jur, and leg. In order to complete the puzzle, they must supply...