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Civil War Diaries
Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...
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Patriots and Loyalists
Learners 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.
British Council
The Christmas Truce
Imagine calling a truce in the middle of a war, singing Christmas carols with the enemy, exchanging gifts, and playing a game of football. Such a thing actually happened. Class members listen the stories of soldiers who experienced the...
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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...
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Dear Presidential Diary
Students discover how a president spends the day. In this presidential history activity, students research primary sources in order to write their own diaries for presidents that include suggestions of laws, managing personnel,...
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The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history lesson, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on YouTube about the...
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Road to Russian Revolution
Pupils discuss how historians can form a picture of a society based on primary sources such as diaries of people who lived through a period. They are explained that there is no proof that Nicholas II kept a journal at Ekaterinburg, so...
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Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students
Learners of all ages solve historical mysteries. Elementary learners research historical topics by organizing information presented by their instructor, formulating hypotheses, and considering solutions to mysteries presented about...
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Fun Plays on Famous First Ladies
Students inquire about the lives of the First Ladies in our country. In this First Ladies lesson plan, students build knowledge about the contributions of First Ladies and how their childhood made them the person they are. Students do a...
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Colonial History: Fearless and faaithful
Students 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 worksheets. ...
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A Day in the Life of a World War II Soldier Webquest
Students complete a web-quest into a day in the life of a World War II soldier. In this webquest lesson, students investigate what life was like for soldiers on the front lines during the second World War. They use note taking skills...
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Approaching the Iraq War
Students identify the justifications for the war in Iraq as seen from teh American and Middle Eastern perspectives. They research personal, primary and secondary sources to create a constructed poster board perspective. The poster board...