Need a model for character education? Benjamin Franklin presents himself as in a constant state of striving to become the man he hoped to be, making his autobiography is far more accessible to learners than those of people who consider...

Students create a chart with two columns. In one column include good and bad character traits of historical figures in biographies and historical fiction. In the second column include good and bad character traits of current famous...

A thorough and well-designed resource for older students, this instructional activity focuses on Chaucer's character the Wife of Bath from his classic novel, The Canterbury Tales. As a way of understanding Chaucer's complex...

Fifth graders define character words, look for real-life examples of the traits "in action," and write an acrostic poem based on one of these qualities.

Students read about Viking exploration and complete activities based on the Indigenous people they encountered. In this Viking exploration lesson plan, students compare and contrast stories, write a character sketch, and more.

Eleventh graders participate in a political roundtable discussion. In this Jeffersonianism lesson, 11th graders role play individuals from the 19th century and discuss issues of the Federalist period.

Students learn about the civil rights movement and create a timeline to understand events in chronological order. In this history lesson, students work in groups to choose one activist from the Civil Right era to research. Students then...

Students research primary readings concerning first hand accounts of the Indian tribes living in and around Louisiana's River systems. They complete a brief character sketch of each tribe characterized in the digital readings. These...

Third graders, after reading a one-page biographical essay, write in paragraph form how an African American has demonstrated a certain character trait.

High schoolers investigate the history of the Louisiana Purchase. They gather information using a digital library and internet resources. The information is used to construct a detailed summary of how the people of time lived. They also...

Study the Revolutionary War era practice of recruiting seamen to prey upon the British shipping industry, and discuss the impact this practice had on the Colonial war efforts. Learners read and interpret recruiting advertisements for...

Your 9th - 12th graders can hone their analysis and critical thinking skills by studying the way a subject is portrayed across media types. They examine how various print, visual, and online sources have portrayed key players in the 9/11...

Excerpts from John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and from John Fante's Ask the Dust, as well as a variety of primary source documents provide the background for an examination of the migrant experience from 1920-1945.

Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a literary masterpiece as well as a timestamp of the formative mid-nineteenth century in America. Using a primary source set of photographs, letters, and portraits, readers discuss the ways...

Eleventh graders take a closer look at slavery in Connecticut. In this slavery lesson, 11th graders research the contributions of Connecticut residents who spoke out about the issue of slavery. Students take on the personas of the...

Students analyze geographic maps. In this map analysis lesson, students analyze the symbols in geographic maps and the impact of cultural, historical, and political concepts. Students compare and contrast maps in various mediums by...

Students are able to synthesize information on increasing regulatory reforms during the Progressive Era through individual research and presentation of material. They are responsible for a list of regulatory reforms with dates and...

Middle schoolers explore trustworthiness. In this character development lesson, students brainstorm synonyms for trustworthiness. Middle schoolers consider two communities to which they belong, and compare and contrast these communities...

The National Women's History Museum provides a plan designed to accompany their online CyberExhibit, Chinese American Women; a History of Resilience and Resistance. After examining a series of primary and secondary source documents,...

Taking on the roles of a fiery Boston patriot, a Philadelphia merchant's wife, and a prominent abolitionist, your young historians will consider the reactions of these early Americans to the creation of the Declaration of...

First graders engage in a lesson that demonstrates the character trait of thankfulness. The teacher enthusiastically shares something to be thankful for with the class. Then they spend the time to draw an idea of something to be thankful...

Students write a three page article on two famous surrealist artist of their times. Then, they compare and contrast their similarities and document in the article website references used on footnotes. Students also use pre-existing...

At the beginning of this Halloween instructional activity, learners generate a list of spooky characters and words that they will use when creating their original stories. Teams of 3-4 members create the stories together. The...

Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes twelve lessons from the American Literature, Regionalism and Realism: 1865-1910 series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and...