Library of Congress
George Washington: First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen
Does the lens of history portray George Washington as a good leader? A three-lesson unit looks at Washington's early military career as the commander of the Virginia Regiment, his role in the fight for independence...
Curated OER
We the People Level 2
Students explore U.S. history by participating in a government activity. In this Constitution lesson, students identify the role government plays in our society and the differences the British colonies had in the early 18th century....
Curated OER
Eighteenth-Century Slave Codes
Young scholars explore slavery by reviewing the written laws intended to keep African Americans subservient. In this U.S. slavery lesson, students analyze a time-line of the history of African Americans. Young scholars discuss the...
Curated OER
Navigating With Explorers
Students retrace the steps of European explorers to the New World and recreate the early exploration through online research and multimedia presentations. In this world history and technology lesson, students research early explorations...
Curated OER
Worksheet #18 Questions - New World Explorers in Canada
In this New World explorers quiz worksheet, students learn several terms that relate to the early exploration of Canada in order to further their understanding.
Curated OER
Off the Record
Music reflects culture and culture is reflected in popular music. Reading an article on how hip-hop has affected the lives of two young men of different races launches an investigation of the development and influences of various musical...
Curated OER
The Land of Milk and Honey: Reasons for Migration
Fourth graders analyze migration patterns. In this colonial North Carolina activity, 4th graders listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of immigrants from Switzerland who settled North Carolina....
Curated OER
Explorations in American Environmental History
Ninth graders explore the historical perspective of nature and the environment. In this American History lesson, 9th graders examine materials in a variety of formats to understand the contexts of America's concern for the...
Curated OER
Racial Violence in America: Lynchings, 1877 to 1920
Students are introduced to the concept of lynching as it took place in the American South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through class discussion and a review of lynching photographs, students explore the reasons behind...
Curated OER
Antisemitism in Early America
Eleventh graders explore the rise of antisemitism in the United States in the early 20th century. After reading a passage concerning one man's ordeal, 11th graders discuss how the civil rights of minority groups has been viewed in...
Curated OER
social studies: Life in Colonial America
Students explore the trials and tribulations early colonial life and note its successes. Through literature, Internet research, and interactive software, they engage in various activities to evaluate early social and cultural development.
Curated OER
Responses To Twentieth Century Music: A High School Art Curriculum
Students explore their own responses to sound by hearing the music as a regular part of the class structure. They develop an awareness that certain art evokes certain sounds and moods and develop an intuitive responses to the music.
Curated OER
Understanding Tenement Life
Students look at life for immigrants in the 19th century. In this immigrant lesson, students discuss how the poor German, Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants lived in tenement housing. They research the reasons they came to America...
Curated OER
Unearthing the Past
Students analyze artifacts from an early society to determine information relating to daily life in that society. They consider which artifacts from our society would be most valuable to future archeologists.
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
The Color Purple: K-W-H-L Strategy
Learners can chart what they know, what they would like to know, how they plan to learn, and what they have learned from Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Using questions about women's rights, kids study the themes of the novel...
Curated OER
Early American Quilt Patterns
Young scholars explore the history and purpose of quilts in early America. They create and name their own unique quilt blocks. Students combine their quilt blocks with other young scholars in the class to create a class quilt.
Curated OER
Corn in Ancient America
Students explore the importance of corn to the survival of early civilizations of the Americas. Through research and discussion activities, they read and describe how corn was used as food and currency in early civilizations. They...
Curated OER
America's Civil Rights Movement, Cubing
Students explore cubing as a graphic organizer to better explain the key concepts of the Civil Rights Movement and take positions on key concepts regarding the Movement.
Curated OER
The Most American Thing in America: The Chautauqua
Pupils explore the Chautauqua movement. In this Pennsylvania history lesson, students use primary documents to explore what the Chautauqua was and how it made a difference in the American way of life.
Curated OER
Cave Men to Cave Painting
Students explore the Ice Age. In this geology and social studies lesson, students read the book Eyewitness Books Early Humans and create a KWL chart about the Ice Age. Students locate Asia and North America on the World Map and...
Curated OER
COLONIAL FLYERS/TRAVEL BROCHURES TO THE COLONIES
Pupils investigate concepts of history and geography in this lesson plan. They create travel brochures for travelers who are crossing the Atlantic Ocean to populate the colonies of early America. The brochure has topographical...
Curated OER
The Road to the American Revolution
Fifth graders explore the causes of the American Revolution. In this American Revolution instructional activity, 5th graders examine the people, places, and events that led to the outbreak of war in the colonies.
Curated OER
Blasphemy! Salman Rushdie and Freedom of Expression
Students explore the concepts of blasphemy, censorship and freedom of expression through the lens of Salman Rushdie. They also consider how these issues have been reflected in US history.