Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early Explorers Project

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students choose an explorer from a given list, create an original song or poem based on the life of their explorer, make puppets to represent their explorer and then present their original piece to the class while students take notes on...
Lesson Plan
Channel Islands Film

First Contact: Lesson Plan 4 - Grades 5-6

For Students 5th - 6th Standards
After watching Treasure in the Sea, a documentary about Channel Islands National Park and the video First Contact, about the voyage of Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo to the Channel islands, groups research and then compare the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Early European Explorers Map

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders create an explorer's map. In this explorers lesson students use a map of the world as reference to draw their own map of Europe, North America, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. The students use their maps to show...
Lesson Plan
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Judicial Branch of California

Articles of Confederation…Well, They Were Trying!

For Teachers 5th Standards
Different currencies, multiple armies, unreliable protection from thieves: class members experience these challenges playing a game that demonstrates life under the Articles of Confederation. After playing the game—which takes them on a...
Activity
American Museum of Natural History

If Trash Could Talk

For Students 6th - 12th
Trash can talk! Young archaeologists dig through their trash to see what it reveals about their lives. After they examine their midden, links permit users to test their knowledge of archaeology with a 10-questions quiz, learn how...
Lesson Plan
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

Franklin’s Philadelphia: Another Point of View

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
While Benjamin Franklin enjoyed fame and success in colonial Philadelphia, that was not the experience of all coming to the British colonies. Young scholars trace the life of an indentured servant using a scholarly biography and reading...
Interactive
DocsTeach

Analyzing a Map of the Louisiana Purchase

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
With the stroke of a pen, Thomas Jefferson roughly doubled the size of the United States. The Louisiana Purchase not only grew the new country, but also it gave rise to the legends surrounding westward expansion and accelerated the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It’s a Big, Big World

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Students conduct research regarding a particular explorer and create foldables...
Lesson Plan
US Mint

The Growth of a Nation

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Young historians explore the identity of the early United States in this four-part lesson series. Working in groups of three, students research the political, economic, and cultural atmosphere of each member of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jamestown

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine life at the Jamestown settlement. In this colonial America lesson plan, 7th graders visit the noted Web site to analyze artifacts from the settlement. Based on their findings, students write descriptive pieces...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drake's West Indian Voyage 1588-1589

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate several maps detailing Sir Francis Drake's voyages.  For this geography lesson, students practice reading maps and locating the precise locations of where Sir Francis Drake visited.  Students create an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

New York Explorers

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the early explorers of New York state. They identify their country of origin, reason for exploration, and the results. They produce a PowerPoint based on their results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Empires of Early Africa

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view the video "Empires of Early Africa." They are asked: Who was Nefertiti? They review the facts about Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Students discuss how archaeologists looked for clues to determine the identity of the mummy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Review

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders review and assess their knowledge on the big picture of exploration and the origins of early America. They piece together all the pieces of the puzzle from the past two weeks of study on trade, technology, exploration and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Guided Reading with Elizabeti's Doll

For Teachers K - 2nd
Practice reading strategies using Elizabeti's Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen. Readers utilize decoding and comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading the story. A detailed list of text features, high frequency words,...
Unit Plan
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Echoes & Reflections

Studying The Holocaust

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
While many young scholars are familiar with the Holocaust, they may not understand the specific history that led to the unprecedented atrocity. The first lesson in the unit helps teachers gauge their pupils' background knowledge. A...
Interactive
National Constitution Center

Interactive Constitution

For Students 5th - 12th
Did you know there are seven Articles and 27 Amendments to the US Constitution? Explore each and every one of them, including the Bill of Rights and other rights around the world, in a super neat US Constitution interactive. 
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Immigration: Why Come to the United States?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Don't limit your curriculum to texts! Young historians listen to a song, read an interview, and examine a cartoon as they explore motivations for immigrating to the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graham's Appalachian Spring: A Study

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore choreographic narrative. In this choreography lesson, students explore the elements of Appalachian Spring as they develop a series of written responses to assignments that challenge them to investigate the structure of...
Activity
PBS

Dear Pen Pal

For Teachers 1st - 6th Standards
Explore cultures from around the world with an engaging pen pal resource. Through a series of classroom activities and written correspondence, children learn about the favoritec pastimes, schooling, geography, and weather that is...
Lesson Plan
Skoog Music

St. Patrick’s Day

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Traditional Irish music can bring even the most stoic audience to tears. This St. Patrick's Day, explore the lilting flutes and mournful ballads of the Emerald Isle with a interactive and inspiring music lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Agriculture Shapes Kentucky History

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the lives of early American Indians and settlers in Kentucky. They describe the agricultural practices of Indians native to Kentucky and develop a supply list for a group of settlers coming to the state to establish...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dirt Babies

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Dirt babies are an excellent way to show young botanists the plant life cycle. They explore the functions and industry behind grasses before growing some of their own. Use the informational text here and consider implementing some...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Courtship and Marriage

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students research the concept of courtship and marriage as it pertains to early New England and explore the values and culture that shaped our history. In this courtship and marriage lesson, students examine primary source documents that...

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