Curated OER
If I Were President
Children discuss voting and the presidency. They make a picture of what they would do as president and dictate a caption. The class then votes on the snack they would like to eat that day. This presents many wonderful learning...
Museum of the Moving Image
Playing on Emotions: Focus on Political Ads Featuring Children
Political ads are designed to play on viewers' emotions. The focus of this resource is on ads that feature children, either to establish the candidate as family friendly, or to create fear for children in the minds of viewers. Groups...
Curated OER
President Obama's Address to Students Across America
Students listen to President Obama's speech, and discuss its meaning. In this President Obama lesson students learn about the president, about how to deliver a speech, and the ways they can make a difference. They create posters, write...
Center for Civic Education
Orb and Effy Learn About Authority
Simplify the teaching of the US Constitution with this primary grade social studies lesson. While reading a fun story about an imaginary place called Bubble Land, children learn about the concept of authority and the importance of rules...
Curated OER
U.S. President: Facts
Students gather information from a chart. They become familiar with the names of the presidents of the United States. They complete a worksheet imbedded in this plan on the many facts associated with the Presidents.
C-SPAN
Presidential Birth Requirement
Every president of the United States must be a natural-born citizen, but the definition of natural-born is not as straightforward as it seems. Secondary scholars examine two points of view surrounding the constitutional requirement and...
Center for Civic Education
What Basic Ideas About Government Are Included in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Young historians explore the meaning of the Preamble to the US Constitution in this upper-elementary social studies lesson. Working with partners or in small groups, children discuss the purpose of government before reading and analyzing...
Curated OER
Religious Influence On US History
Eleventh graders explore the influence of religion on U.S. History. Using an internet database website, they research the religious affiliation of governors, Presidents and Vice-Presidents. Students write a paragraph explaining how...
Curated OER
Gilbert Stuart and Presdidential Portraits
Students read passages about the context of paintings for artist Gilbert Stuart. In this art history instructional activity, students study paintings by artist Gilbert Stuart and learn about the context of his art. Students then complete...
Curated OER
Post Civil War Reconstruction
Students analyze the process of Reconstruction after the Civil War. For this U.S. History lesson, students discuss specific details about Reconstruction with the class, then complete a worksheet with multiple activities reinforcing the...
Curated OER
Project Based Technology in Second Grade
The many activities in this resource serve to introduce second graders to the Macintosh computer and to various programs and their creative product options. They make sideshows using KidPix, practice using email with the Journey South...
Curated OER
Simple Symbols and American Children
Students are introduced to a variety of symbols representing the United States. As a class, they identify places in which they have seen the various symbols and discuss what they mean. To end the activity, they state the words from the...
Middle Tennessee State University
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? A Comparison in American Culture
As part of their study of the Progressive Era, class groups examine a 20th century version of "The Three Little Pigs" through a New Era lens and identify how ideals such as the value of hard work, creativity, and problem solving, etc.,...
Curated OER
Rules and Laws of the Community
Second graders recognize and identify the need for rules in school. They also discuss the importance of safety rules at school, home, and in the community. They illustrate a rule which they have learned in class, and write letters to the...
Curated OER
In The Words of Abraham Lincoln...
Students explore the words of Abraham Lincoln. For this Abraham Lincoln lesson, students analyze segments of "The Gettysburg Address," his annual address to Congress in 1862, and his letter to Mrs. Bixby. Students conduct further...
Curated OER
Boundary Crossing
Seventh graders explore the issues that arose as a result of boundary crossing. In this US History lesson, 7th graders research supreme court cases in regards to crossing boundaries. Students present their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Get to Know Your Bill of Rights
Sixth graders research and examine the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. They sequence events significant to this time period, read and discuss text, and in small groups prepare and present the...
Curated OER
Abigail Adams: Integrating Social Studies and Language Arts
Third graders increase reading strategies while learning about Abigail Adams and her role in history. In this Abigail Adams lesson plan, 3rd graders read about the American Revolution and Abigail Adams using all the balanced literacy...
Curated OER
Pearl Harbor vs September 11 Attack
Young scholars compare and contrast the events of the Pearl Harbor Attack and the attack on September 11, 2001 by examining the similarities and differences between these two events.
Curated OER
Honoring the Past
Students explore the beginnings of the United States and the freedoms we enjoy. They discover important events, people, monuments in Washington, D.C., and its history. Students investigate ways to honor and remember important people and...
Curated OER
White Man's Burden:The Expansionist/Anti-Imperialist Debate at the Turn of the Century
Students explore the roles of Expansionists and Anti-imperialists and take on the identity of a historical character to defend their position before a Senate committee. Roles of newsmen, senators, and futurists are also assumed in this...
Curated OER
Caldecott Medal Winners
Second graders identify Caldecott Medal winners. In this library media lesson, 2nd graders view an overhead transparency of Caldecott Medal winners from 1987-2004 and answer questions based on the data that is displayed.
Curated OER
Breaking News: School Bans Hugging and High Fives
Learners explore current events by analyzing a news article in class. In this school ban lesson, students read a story about a high school in London that has banned physical contact between all learners. Students answer study questions...
Curated OER
Bringing the Holocaust Unit to Closure: Implications for the Future
Students study the history of the Holocaust. it is complex; therefore, understanding its implications is complex as well. Elie Wiesel refers to the Holocaust as a question within a question. Questions lead to further questions, and still...