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Role Playing in North America: Mid 1600s-Mid 1700s

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders apply their knowledge of North American history from the mid 1600's through the mid 1700's to a role-playing scenario. In small groups they plan, write, and perform a dramatic skit of a group that was affected by events in...
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From Rags to (Paper) Riches: Explore Colonial Papermaking

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore Colonial papermaking.  In this Colonial America U.S. history lesson, students analyze two poems written in the 1690s about the Rittenhouse paper mill to learn about papermaking.  Students produce their own...
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The Age of Jackson

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers study the image of Andrew Jackson. In this presidential history lesson students investigate the political image that was groomed by Jackson as they examine advertisements. High schoolers compose essays regarding the topic.
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Hull of a Ship

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders engage in this introductory unit lesson. A bulletin board for the unit be started, Colonial Notebooks be presented to each student, and a pre-test on colonization be administered.
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Colonial Maps

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discover the history of America by identifying the traditional colonies.  In this U.S. history lesson plan, students examine a world map and identify where the voyagers left from Europe to arrive at the United States. ...
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Voyage

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students listen to N.C, Wyeth's Pilgrims and discuss what the Mayflower looked like.  In this Mayflower lesson, students use sensory words to describe what it was like on the Mayflower.  Students illustrate their vision of...
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Revised Law Proposals

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders view School House Rock - I'm a Bill to observe the process of writing a law.  In this bill writing lesson, 4th graders work in groups to create two laws for the colonists recognizing the importance of the...
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The Pocahontas Show

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders complete background reading of Europeans and the Native American Indians. They work in groups and represent an area of European colonization and create a "character" to represent their colonists on a class talk show....
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Early European Explorers

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders complete a variety of activities surrounding European exploration of the New World. They research one explorer and write and present an essay or script in which they portray that explorer as he makes his final report to his...
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Emailing Colonial Pen Pals

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders write emails to a friend imagining they are traveling to colonial America.  For this emailing penpals lesson, 5th graders discuss appropriate language and topics in email communication, use correct format and write...
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Presidents of the United States

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students discuss American Presidents. They each complete research on one particular President and then, using a template, create a short biography (including a picture) about him. When all biographies are complete, they compile them into...
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Jackie Steals Home

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan...
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Intro to Witch on Blackbird Pond

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders read Witch on Blackbird Pond and understand the difficulties of traveling to America during the colonial period.  In this Witch on Blackbird Pond lesson, 4th graders compare the choices we have in...
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Jobs and Immigration

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discuss colonial America and the jobs and trades that immigrants had to have to have a society that flourished. In this immigration jobs lesson plan, students also discuss the role of women in these times.
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Thanksgiving: Multiple Perspectives

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine different perspectives about Thanksgiving that include those of the European Settlers and the Native Americans. They read and discuss an article about Plymouth being "America's Hometown." They develop a landmark for...
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Primary History: Vikings Trade and Exploration Extension Activities

For Students 5th - 6th
In this Vikings worksheet, students choose one or more of the four possible extension activities pertaining to the trade and exploration of the Vikings.
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Jamestown Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify and share Primary Sources in Early American History by Janey Levy. Then they discuss the usefulness of using primary sources in uncovering the past. Students also research original documents from Jamestown to complete...
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Explorers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students work together to examine Dutch, French, Spanish and English explorers. They create a poster of the information they collected and write about one explore they find most interesting. They share their information with the class.
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Henry Hudson: 400th Anniversary of Discovery

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Commemorate the discovery made by Henry Hudson and delve into the Age of Exploration.
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VS.3c

For Teachers All
Students examine the settling of the Jamestown settlement and the importance of the Virginia Company of London. Students actively engage in various role-playing activities
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Late 19th Century U.S. Foreign Policy

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders discover that many of the issues the United States faces today elicit the same type of political, philosophical and moral debate that has divided the country in the past.
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Slave Auctions in South Carolina

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine primary sources in the form of auction records, create frequency charts, graphs and diagrams that they analyze to anwer questions followed by the writing of a paper that demonstrates their comprehension of the lesson.
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William Penn's Peaceable Kingdom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain the methods Penn used to attract settlers to his colony. They compare and contrast Penn's account with Daniel Pastorius' account. Students evaluate the effectiveness of Penn's ability to attract settlers to the colony....
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Postcards From Mars

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research and explore what life would be like for human colonists on Mars. They explore various websites, read and discuss newspaper articles, develop a chart of the hardships and conditions that would be faced by colonists...