Anti-Defamation League
Impact of the U.S. Expansion on Indigenous People and Stereotypes About Native American People
The 2004 U.S. bicentennial sparks a discussion about its meaning and importance to United States history. Readings, maps, tables, and reflective writing prompt small groups to explore the westward expansion, Lewis and Clark, and how...
Curated OER
Native Americans of the Chesapeake Bay: Using Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Discover the rich Native American culture that existed at the time of early European exploration into the Chesapeake region through analysis of several primary and secondary sources.
Curated OER
What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States
Students examine how the European voyages of discovery influence American culture even today. They map eighteenth century Europe's impact on the United States.
Core Knowledge Foundation
Frontier Explorers Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology
The last read-aloud anthology in the series showcases frontier explorers. First graders listen to texts about Daniel Boone, crossing the Appalacian Mountains, Lewis and Clark, dangers on the prairie, and more. After reading, pupils...
Curated OER
Explorers & Early America: Columbus' Journey to Find a Western Sea Route to Asia
Third graders study Columbus and the route he took when he was exploring. In this social science, 3rd graders examine maps, analyze them, compare them to each other, and understand where Columbus wanted to go versus where he actually...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
European Explorers
To compare how the Spanish, French, and English approached the exploration of North America, class groups examine primary source documents and become experts on one of four explorers: Francisco Coronado, Robert LaSalle, Samuel de...
Curated OER
Captain John Smith's Shallop
Young explorers, all aboard the shallop to discover how early European explorers would navigate the American coastline to find resources, map terrain, and trade with Native American tribes.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Exploring Explorers
Young scholars gather information about a 15th to 17th century explorer and prepare a script in talk show format about the individual. Finally, students make a video following the script and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Lives of Native Americans and Settlers
Students assess the effect of contact between the Native Americans and Europeans after 1492. They explore the lives of the early European colonists and the Native Americans living along the East Coast of North America. Lesson contains...
Curated OER
Land Ho! Early Exploration and Settlement of the Americas
Students complete a unit to learn about early American exploration. In this Americas exploration lesson, students complete eight lessons of activities to learn about Columbus's discovery of the new world and the early exploration of the...
Curated OER
Early Explorers of America
Fifth graders examine a time line of early American explorers from England, Spain, and France. They trace exploration routes on maps and write reports about early explorers. Students view a laser disc presentation, Land of Opportunity...
Stanford University
Native Californians and the Portola Expedition
What was California like before the Spanish came? Class members discover the answer to the question using images of Native Americans and diaries of the early Spanish explorers. Scaffolded activities allow instructors to adapt the...
Curated OER
What They Left Behind: Early Multi-National Influences in the United States
Students research the impact of European voyages of discovery and colonial influence on different aspects of American culture. They access a number of online sources and reference maps to trace the influences of England, France, Holland,...
Curated OER
Native American Music: Call-and-Response
Students are introduced to call-and-response form of Native American song and dance. They identify and describe a call-and-response form as used in "0 Hal'Lwe."
Male students will perform "0 Hal'Lwe" in call-and-response style with drum...
Curated OER
Mission Accomplished
Second graders describe the impact of certain figures in United States history, including Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. They describe experiences of early American explorers and compose narratives from the perspectives of others.
Curated OER
Early Travel Routes
Students explore explorers in the Pacific Northwest by examining primary source documents. After the research is finished students write a journal as if they were one of the explorers. Visual aids are needed as well.
Curated OER
History Review: Colonial America
Explore key moments in American history with the click of a mouse! Learners read 50 questions from different eras in early America, and watch the rest of the presentation to find more questions to answer.
Curated OER
Early Explorers
Fourth graders examine how the early explorers from Spain and England competed in their search for riches and new lands. They read and discuss text from their book, participate in a debate, and create a poster.
Curated OER
First Nation People and European Explorers
Sixth graders investigate the characteristics of explorers. They research the factors that contributed to the first European explorers that came to North America. Students also concentrate on the interactions that explorers had with...
Curated OER
Major American Water Routes
Sixth graders locate and identify the major bodies of water and waterways in the United States. Through a simulation activity, they describe how early explorers would have described their surroundings. Working in groups, they create...
Curated OER
The European Conquest of the Americas
Witness the birth of the Americas in this presentation, which details the European Explorers who contributed to adding vital details on our modern-day maps. Viewers' worlds will literally expand after seeing the results of Cortes and the...
Reading Through History
Early History and Exploration Unit
We all know about Christopher Columbus, but who else explored the Americas, and specifically, the future United States of America? Learners find out these answers and more in a resource that includes four different reading sections,...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Columbus and the Pilgrims Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology
A read-aloud anthology focuses on Columbus and the pilgrims. Young scholars listen to several stories covering Christopher Columbus, the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, pilgrims, meeting Native Americans, and the first Thanksgiving. Nine...
Curated OER
Westward Ho!
For any teacher of American History, The Lewis and Clark Expedition is a watershed event that should be shared with your students. This is a very good lesson plan on the Expedition, and the events that led up to it; including The...