US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 1—Pilgrims and American Indians
The Pilgrims first arrived in America in order to gain religious freedom. Here is a lesson plan that takes the class on this journey with the Pilgrims, stopping to look at how they got here, who they met when they arrived, and a peek...
Curated OER
The Salem Witch Trails
Describe the Salem Witch Trails in terms of the accusers and the accused. The colonial stage is set with background information, then a list of accusers and accused individuals is introduced. Learners will discover their causes and...
Curated OER
Immigration to the Golden Land: Jewish Life in America
Young scholars examine waves of Jewish immigration during three time periods and analyze a variety of primary sources, including letters, memoirs, and laws, to gain insight into both the American immigrant experience and American society...
Elizabeth Murray Project
Colonial Women During the Revolution
Young researchers use the Internet or books to find out about colonial women during the American Revolution. They organize information in a graphic to demonstrate their understanding of the research they gathered before writing a...
US House of Representatives
Exclusion and Empire, 1898–1941
New ReviewOften forgotten and written off as the model minority, Americans with heritage in Asia and the Pacific Islands have played an essential role in American history, including Congress. Budding historians reclaim history by researching the...
EngageNY
Documenting Research: Sorting and Recording Information About the Wheelwright
Fourth graders practice using a graphic organizer to record their notes and answer text-dependent questions while supplying evidence of how they found their answer. They focus on a machine called the wheelright, which was commonly used...
Curated OER
Changing Attitudes: Aging in America Lesson Plan
Students discuss how the elder members of the community are viewed. Using the internet, they research how this view has changed since colonial times. They also identify ways in which this attitude keeps changing in modern America.
Curated OER
Exploring Life in Jamestown Settlement
Third graders locate Jamestown settlement on a historical timeline and research colonial life. They name a restaurant, identify who their potential customers might be and prepare a typical colonial menu.
Curated OER
Colonial History: Fearless and faaithful
Young scholars discuss reasons why early europeans immigrated to North America. Working in groups, they complete Internet activities on the PBS Website. They take a simulated voyage to the new world and rercord their actions on...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Settings
Third graders compare different lifestyles. In this settings lesson, 3rd graders read Colonial Life, determine similarities and differences between today and life in Colonial times and write a passage about these similarities and...
Elizabeth Murray Project
Gender and Opportunity in Colonial America
What was life like for women in Colonial America? What restrictions were placed upon them and what opportunities were they afforded? A case study of Elizabeth Murray offers high schoolers a chance to investigate primary source documents...
Curated OER
Dos mapas de Florida, el Caribe y parte de Sur America
What can maps tell us about the past? Find out with a Spanish lesson plan that incorporates geography. After examining maps individually, comparing two old maps of Spanish Florida and writing notes in the provided Venn diagram, pupils...
Curated OER
Life in Ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhai
Students study the ancient African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. They brainstorm what they know about ancient African kingdoms before investigating the trade and barter situations, and researching one of the kingdoms for an oral...
Curated OER
Thirteen Original Colonies
An outstanding instructional activity on the Thirteen Original Colonies, and the settling of Pennsylvania by William Penn is here for your learners. Valuable discussion takes place regarding how the colonies were settled, and some...
Curated OER
Patriots and Loyalists
Students examine portraits by John Singleton Copley and discuss how the subject's appearance communicates important information about his or her life. They write a diary entry from the point of view of a portrait subject.
Curated OER
Through the Looking Glass: Life in Colonial Times
Fourth graders examine the life and times of those living in the colonial era. With a partner, they use laptops to complete their research on different aspects of colonial life. They also role-play the role of colonists and share their...
Curated OER
Life on Plymouth Plantation
Third graders research life of Plymouth Plantation and write letters about life there home. In this Plymouth life lesson, 3rd graders complete a webquest as they gather information about the journey to America on the Mayflower and the...
Curated OER
Everything was up to date in 1628
Learners view a video of Colonial House, a reality series where people lived according to the standards of European immigrants to the U.S. in 1628. In this colonial history lesson, students research changes in geographic areas over time...
Curated OER
School Life Today and in the Past at Freyberger School
Students compare and contrast school life today with that of Pennsylvania in the 1900's. In this school life instructional activity students create a description of a typical one-room schoolhouse. They think critically about attending...
Curated OER
Life as a colonial silversmith
Students study the life experiences of people who lived in colonial Boston prior to the American Revolution. They define key terms including Loyalist and Patriot. They write a journal entry as Nathaniel Hurd, a silversmith.
Curated OER
Entertainment During the American Revolution
What do people do for fun around here? Explore colonial period games, toys, and life with a look at entertainment during the American Revolution. Discover the games, sports, and songs that were popular during the time of the Revolution.
American Museum of Natural History
Tools of the Trade
Archaeologist David Hurst Thomas details his search for a lost Spanish Mission on St. Catherines Island, Georgia. A great way to introduce youngsters to the life of and the tools used by archaeologists.
Curated OER
Colonial America: Causes of the American Revolution
Fourth graders analyze colonial rule and policies with regard to the causes of the American Revolution. In this Colonial America simulation lesson, 4th graders role play in an Independence Game, reacting to a variety of "events" that...
Curated OER
The Mayflower Story Up-Close and Personal
Students gain a deeper understanding of what the early colonists experienced in search of a new life in America while giving them a taste of historical methodology. This is an engaging way to assess what your students know about the...