Curated OER
Grievances Against the British Monarchy
Learners review George Washington's reasons for not wanting to be viewed as a monarch. They review the Declaration of Independence and identify five grievances the United States had against the British monarchy. In groups, students...
Curated OER
Technology and the Media
Students are introduced to the roles and influence of technology and the media on American representative democracy. They examine the effects of the Internet on citizens' role in government and the role and effects of media on the...
Curated OER
Woman Suffrage in Colorado, 1877-1893
Students work together in groups to examine the suffrage movement in Colorado. They analyze the reasons for and against women's suffrage. They also determine the impact of the movement in Colorado.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Campaign Finance Reform
Students develop arguments for and against campaign finance reform, examine federal and state laws that attempt to limit contributions to political candidates, evaluate various plans for campaign finance reform and formulate their own...
Curated OER
Secession: A Southern Perspective
Eighth graders determine how secession impacted South Carolina as well as the United States. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders examine selected primary and secondary sources in order to study the state's sovereignty and the...
Curated OER
It's Time to Put Our Money Where Our Mouths Are
Eighth graders choose a person who should be honored on our currency. They write a letter outlining the reasons for their choice.
Curated OER
Sow the Seeds of Victory!
Learners use the National Archives and Records Administration's records to research the history of the U.S. Food Administation.
Curated OER
The Alien and Sedition Acts
Students perform research in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a debate has begun over augmented security and surveillance, versus safeguards for personal freedoms. This debate is certain to occupy our...
Curated OER
A Brief History of Fairfax County
Students begin the lesson by writing what they know about Fairfax County in their journals. Using primary source documents, they identify ten interesting facts about the area and watch a video. They complete a Venn Diagram comparing...
Curated OER
Sioux Treaty of 1868
Students explore and research the history of Native Americans in North America.
Curated OER
Photographs of Lewis Hine: Documentation of Child Labor
Students use the Archival Research Catalog to complete assignments and activities about Lewis Hines and the National Child Labor Committee.
Curated OER
D-Day Message from General Eisenhower to General Marshall
Students use documents in the National Archives of the United States to evaluate the effectiveness of D-Day.
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Memorandum Regarding the
Students use the National Archives to research the memorandum regarding the enlistment of Navajo Indians during World War II.
Curated OER
Telegram from Senator Joseph McCarthy to President Harry S. Truman
Pupils research Senator Joseph McCarthy's February 9, 1950 speech, given at Wheeling, West Virginia, in which he claimed more than 200 State Department employees were members of the Communist Party.
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Memorandum of a Conference with President Eisenhower after Sputnik
Students use the National Archives to research how the United States and the Soviet Union south to maintain its supremacy after World War II.
Curated OER
Conflict Between Democratic and Authoritarian Rule in Haiti
Twelfth graders examine the background of democratic and authoritative rule in Haiti. In pairs they conduct a simulated interview, reporting for a news station about the political, personal, and economical life in Haiti. They conduct...
Curated OER
Evaluating Crimes
Students studey that a crime is something one does or fails to do in violation of a law; or it can also be behavior for which government sets a penalty. penalty.
Curated OER
Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 13, Lesson 2 California Fights Smog (pp. 296-300)
Third graders look into certain environmental problems. The governmental branches are investigated and how government takes care to solve problems of the environment.
Curated OER
Gov. Reubin Askew's Stand on Busing And Integration in Florida Schools
Students research a straw vote placed on a Florida ballet in 1972 that asked if voters were in favor of prohibiting forced busing to further desegregation. They read primary documents, complete a worksheet and participate in class...
Other
Our Courts: Bill of Rights: You Mean I've Got Rights? [Pdf]
A great, active lesson about the Bill of Rights. Students compare rights they think they should have with the rights in the actual amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The language of the amendments is broken down into simpler English so...
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: The Bill of Rights
In this lesson, 5th graders learn about the bill of Rights, why it was added to the Constitution, and its importance to the freedoms and liberties that Americans have today. Student resources are included.
US National Archives
National Archives: Congress Creates the Bill of Rights
A set of activities that link to a mobile app called "Congress Creates the Bill of Rights." The materials used in the app can also be downloaded in PDF format. There is also a free ebook in epub format that is incorporated into the...
Bill of Rights Institute
The Bill of Rights Institute: Free Lesson Plans
Free lesson plans concerning the Bill of Rights and the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. Included are lessons on important news stories occurring today, as well as lessons on famous Americans and how they executed their rights.