University of Chicago
Using Artifacts for Clues About Identity
Learn about the ancient Near East through a close examination of ancient artifacts. Lead your class into analysis by first observing an artifact as a class. Pupils can then work in pairs to analyze the other artifacts and compile a list...
Curated OER
Treasure Tales
Create an artifact kit to engage your young learners. Then, assign small groups a section of chapter three. They will identify the main idea and three supporting details for their section. Then, they select one artifact from the kit that...
Curated OER
The ABC's of Artifacts
Students create their own ABC book about artifacts. In this artifact lesson, students read ABC History Mystery and review the artifacts pictured in the book. They create their own ABC book with each student working on a letter.
Curated OER
How to "Read" an Artifact
Middle schoolers discuss the types of information they can get from artifacts. In groups, they practice "reading" artifacts and determining their usage. They use inferences to test against official information about certain pieces. ...
Curated OER
Treasure Chest
Students explore Chicago in the fur-trading era. In this Chicago instructional activity, students discover what life what like during this time. Students read an historical fiction story about life in the fur-trade era. Students view...
Curated OER
Traveler's Trunk
Learners analyze and interpret artifacts from the 1920s and explore the Great Migration. In this 1920s history lesson, students review background information about the Great Migration and use artifacts to study history of Chicago....
Curated OER
"L" Stands for Elevated
Students play a trivia game to learn more about the Chicago public transportation system. In this transportation lesson plan, students also create an "L" car, and write advertising slogans for Chicago's elevated trains.
Curated OER
The Museum Idea
Students evaluate and record the various types of museum careers. In this The Museum Idea lesson, students create a bicentennial time capsule, design a Museum of me, and make a classroom mini museum. In addition students visit a local...
Curated OER
Celebrating Modernism at the A Century of Progress World's Fair
Students examine aesthetic movement known as modernism, discover why organizers chose modernism as World Fair's design pattern, interpret photographs of modernist fair buildings and identify artifacts that reflect modernist ideas, and...
Curated OER
African American Life in the Nineteenth Century
Students read about the life and work of John and Mary Jones. Using primary source documents, they draw conclusions about their role in the abolistionist movement. They also examine artifacts from their lives and analyze their portrait...
Curated OER
Traveler's in Time
Students analyze artifacts to become familiar with the Great Migration. In this migration lesson plan, students read an article and answer comprehension questions. Students role play a migration scenario using an artifact to help...
Art Institute of Chicago
African Myths and Stories
Young historians discover African stories associated with a royal altar tusk from the Kingdom of Benin in Nigeria, read myths illustrated on the tusk, and write a story about the life of an oba using figures depicted on the tusk.
Curated OER
The Golden Spike
Students investigate modern transportation in the 19th century by examining artifacts. In this U.S. history lesson, students read the story Joseph's Railroad Dreams, and discuss the Golden Spike used in the first transcontinental...
Curated OER
Tall Tales: Reconstructing A Personal Tell
Sixth graders discover the ways archaeologists examine artifacts and where they are found. After being introduced to new vocabulary, they use artifacts from their own lives and discover what could be told about their life from them. ...
Curated OER
Meet Hannah the Weaver
Students analyze primary and secondary sources to explore slavery and emancipation, and write letter or diary entry from point of view of slave Hannah Harris or plantation owner Robert Carter. Students then dramatize their creative...
University of Chicago
Ancient Egyptians and Death
What archaeological evidence remains of ancient Egyptian burial and mortuary practices, and what can this information tell us about ancient Egyptian society?
Curated OER
John and Mary Jones and the Importance of Oral History
Students examine the role of John and Mary Jones in the abolitionist movement. Using primary source documents, they discover the importance of an oral history and take notes on the Jones' role. They write a summary of the data to...
Curated OER
Working on the Railroad
Students plan a trip on the railroad. In this railroad creation and implementation lesson, students listen to the song "Working on the Railroad", make a map of where the track was laid and discuss the geographical challenges. Students...
Curated OER
The First Farmers
Students investigate how constant irrigation, with repeated evaporation of water eventually ruined farm land in southern Mesopotamia. They discuss the development of irrigation.
Curated OER
Indiana Jones: Quiz 93
In this Indiana Jones worksheet, students answer multiple choice questions about details of the movie Indiana Jones. Students complete 12 questions total.
Curated OER
Visit a Mesopotamian House
Students compare the homes of people who lived in ancient Mesopotamia to their own and explore how climate, natural resources, and cultural differences may have influenced the differences. The house plan can be obtained from the wed site.
Curated OER
Writing Places American Communities
Students interview a member of the community and write a piece of poetry using the voice of the interviewee.
Curated OER
You are Invited to a Virtual Dinner
Students create place settings for a dinner to celebrate the school's diversity. They invite older members of the community to join. They discuss culture during the dinner.