Curated OER
Pottery-making Methods
Students become experimental archaeologists using three methods of pottery making before the invention of the pottery wheel.
Curated OER
Coming to America: U.S. Immigration
Students study immigration in the late 19th and early 20th century. In this immigration lesson plan, students participate in activities including creating maps, responding to non fiction text, memorizing and analyzing poetry, and...
Curated OER
The Homestead Act
Eighth graders analyze the Native American's viewpoint of the Homestead Act. Using one Native American group who lived in Nebraska, they write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper discussing the Homestead Act and how it affected...
Curated OER
The History of Thanksgiving Day
Third graders study the history of Thanksgiving. In this holiday lesson plan, 3rd graders read about the history of Thanksgiving, complete vocabulary activities, and write a journal entry from the point of view of someone who lived...
Curated OER
John Smith Map Lesson Plan
Fourth graders answer questions about John Smith, and also they figure out what was necessary are needed for surviival. Students are given a replica of Smith's 1612 map, they then answer questions using the map as their resource. ...
Curated OER
Queen Anne's War and Its Impact on Deerfield
High schoolers researchhow Queen Ann's War of Europe affect Native Americans in New England. After reading excerpts from History of Deerfiel by George Sheldon and Nuthatch's Dilemma, a story about a Pocumtuck woman, students are prepared...
Curated OER
What Was Columbus Thinking?
Why is Christopher Columbus one of the most studied figures in history? Upper graders will investigate why Christopher Columbus traveled to the New World and what happened to the native people he encountered. They read and discuss...
Curated OER
Picture Writing
Fourth graders create symbols. In this visual arts lesson, 4th graders study cave drawings, Native American pictographs, and Aboriginal Drawings prior to creating their own communication without using words.
Curated OER
Influential Groups In Colorado's History
Fourth graders watch a teacher made PowerPoint presentation that introduces the study of Colorado's history. They view images and listen to music that is indicative of the mountain men, miners, pioneers, the Spanish, and Native Americans...
Curated OER
Jamestown Colonies and the Powhatan Indians
Eighth graders discuss the Jamestown colony and the Powhatan Indians. In this colonial history lesson, 8th graders talk about conflicts between the Native Americans and the colonists. They read a biography about Pocahontas to help them...
Scholastic
The First Thanksgiving Feast
Following an online activity, scholars listen to a read-aloud of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma. Pupils discuss their family traditions and complete a T-chart comparing the holiday then and now. Collages are made to...
Curated OER
"Families and Schools of the Past"
First graders listen to and discuss historical fiction and bigraphies from the early American time period. They role-play, draw, write stories and dress up to re-create events from these historical characters.
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Early American Oral Tradition Lesson Plans
Students open their minds to the relevance of early American myths and legends by sharing their own family stories.
Curated OER
Pilgrims: The First Americans
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time. In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Christopher Columbus
Take some time to focus on Christopher Columbus, his three ships, the purpose of his voyage, and the new land he discovered. Pay special attention to the included additional materials, they are the real value in this resource.
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
What Can We Learn From Bones?
Students discuss what type of information they can gather from bones. In groups, they travel between stations in which they can view photos and listen to actual accounts of finding bones. They focus on the tools available to Native...
Curated OER
The Cherokee: The Principal People (Ani-Yunwiya), 1700 - 1838
Students read passages and research the Cherokee Tribe and write an account of a typical day as a Cherokee Native American. In this Cherokee lesson plan, students listen to Cherokee music, read Cherokee passages, fill out worksheets, and...
Curated OER
Richmond Nature Park Field Trip
Pupils identify different plants and their uses by attending a field trip. For this Canadian plant lesson, students explore the great outdoors of Vancouver, B.C. and discuss the uses of plants by the Native Americans that once resided...
Curated OER
Transforming Anansi Folktales Into Storyboards
Students work in small groups to illustrate a story board of a folktale. They develop the meaning of a trickster as a humor device in folktales by listening to several about Leprechauns and the Coyote of Native American tales. They then...
Curated OER
Myths of the Wild West
Students examine the Wild West as it was depicted in films and books. In groups, they compare this information to what it was really like as they find out in books. They also discover the role of the Native Americans in the Wild West...
Curated OER
Pioneer Homes
Students compare and contrast Native American dwellings with pioneer homes. They identify the progression of these homes and locate examples on a frontier map.
Curated OER
Exploring Indiana's Natural Resources
Fourth graders complete a variety of activities as they study the European exploration of the Midwest, focusing on Indiana. They map the path explorers took, comparing the British with the French. They research why the explorers stopped...
Curated OER
The First Thanksgiving
Pupils research the first Thanksgiving. In this first Thanksgiving lesson plan, students research the Internet about how the first Thanksgiving came about between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims. They complete a KWL chart, and...