Learners use a globe. In this geography and early settlements instructional activity, students learn about the settlement of missions and haciendas in New Mexico. Learners locate Mexico City and San Francisco on the globe and determine...

What brought settlers from Europe to North America? By exploring primary sources, such as posters seeking recruits for the new lands, class members take a deeper look at these motivations. To finish, they present their findings to...

Young scholars embark on a journey through colonial times.  In this early settlement lesson, students come to understand what life was like for the settlers in the early colonies. Young scholars research and create projects...

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.

Students examine how the European voyages of discovery influence American culture even today. They map eighteenth century Europe's impact on the United States.

Fourth graders describe the social, political, cultural and economic life and interactions among the people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.

Young scholars identify and interpret Spanish heritage, including the Mediterranean culture, language, history, trade, and migration. Following, they began an in-depth study of Egypt, the Middle East, Greece, and Rome and were able to...

Fourth graders explore the migration to Texas from other parts of the United States. Through journal entries they write about the trip as if they were the settlers coming to a new and foreign country. Working in small groups, 4th graders...

Middle schoolers participate in a lecture to discover the history of how Puerto Rico was changed after Spain discovered the island. In groups, they compare and contrast the conditions on the island before and after Columbus' discovery. ...

To better understand the role women played in early 17th century US history, class members examine the National Women's History Museum's online exhibit, Building the New World: the Women of Jamestown Settlement. After studying the 11...

Students investigate slavery in the development of pre-Civil War Arkansas. They study the influence of the French, Spanish, and American settlers on the establishment of slavery and create a timeline of events associated with events.

Young scholars 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,...

Pupils engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the allocation and finding of water resources. The location of different settlement areas is considered as one looks how the water is distributed. They map some of the...

Students participate in a layered curriculum unit that includes: Create a political cartoon about the effect of the Mexican colonization laws on Texas settlement. The cartoon should be from the point of view of a Tejano. Write a caption...

Students determine how Spanish-speaking blacks and English speaking blacks were treated differently. In this emancipation lesson, students compare the Mexican and American rules regarding slavery.     

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...

Fourth graders use Internet to examine early French exploration and settlement in Texas, and write journal entries from point of view of 17th Century French settler, French or Spanish explorer, or Native American whose land was taken.

Fourth graders recognize and can describe the settlers of Early America. In this American colonies lesson, 4th graders research using primary and secondary sources, Native Americans, Europeans, and African Americans role in the...

Fifth graders research the Jamestown settlement and examine life in the colonies from 1607-1610. They explore websites, develop a timeline, select two settlers to research, and write three letters written from the point of view of their...

Students explore life as early settlers in Frederica by pretending to be crafts/tradesmen there and writing letters describing the fort/town to a friend or family member still in Great Britain, debating reconstruction vs. preservation,...

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...

Fourth graders research the culture of Los Californios through primary sources. They examine maps and draw timelines of California historical dates. They investigate deeds and s of ranches and simulate property transactions.

Young scholars explore the meanings of the word "treasure," and examine the use of clay in the construction of buildings in San Antonio, Texas. They examine clay artifacts, and watch a video about pottery artist, Harding Black. ...

Fifth graders explore U.S. geography by reading assigned text about American Indians. In this migration lesson, 5th graders identify the differences between Native Americans and European settlers who traveled through middle America in...