What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...

Learn more about maps by examining Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Kindergartners will learn about basic map skills and how to identify the compass rose, oceans, and land masses. They will also discover the purpose of...

As if surviving a journey to America wasn't enough of a feat for early 20th century immigrants, they then needed to settle into American life. Learn about the ways New York public education attempted to meet the needs of its students,...

Learners view the film 'Black Robe,' which further develop students' abilities to see an event or era of history from multiple perspectives. After the movie, they utilize worksheets imbedded in this plan to write about what they've seen.

Young historians delve into the world of teenage refugees during WWII to understand their experiences. The activity focuses on a writing assignment from a teen staying at a US refugee camp to explore the struggles they faced, such as...

Students explore the problem of world hunger and starvation. After a class discussion, students use a map to identify specific areas where populations are starving. In groups, students research reasons for the lack of food. They prepare...

Your students' world will literally take shape in this presentation, which chronicles the growing edges of the (flat) earth during European Exploration of New Worlds. Dias, da Gama, Magellean, and Columbus are key players in this game of...

Third graders "travel" from Europe to North America as Columbus did. They organize the information into chronoglogical order.

Discover the challenges in educating immigrant children at the turn of the 20th century. Reforms that New York City schools used are described here and data is included for your class to analyze, in its evaluation of the effectiveness of...

Fifth graders role play the position of an explorer traveling to the new world. They research the explorers journey and create their own explorer's notebook. They complete different activities and then present their evidence to the class.

Students examine the difficulties of exploration and some of the motivations for exploration. They investigate various types of explorers and identify the difficulties faced by the New World explorers. Students create a journal of...

Seventh graders take on the role of a European explorer and create a resume, or personal data sheet, listing his achievements in reverse chronological order. They draw and label a map and list what the explorer did to add to Europe's...

The best part of elementary school is learning about the explorers. Take your 5th graders on a quick trip with European explorers Coronado and Magellan. Described here are their routes, personal histories, and encounters in the New...

What does it mean to be a rescuer during the time of the Holocaust? Learners consider the role of those who resisted the Nazi invasions, including hiding Jewish people, throughout Europe. Activities include listening to the testimony of...

Tenth graders examine the consequences of Spanish exploration of the New World on animals, humans, and plants. They read and discuss an informational handout, define key vocabulary terms, and complete a Venn Diagram with Old World and...

Eleventh graders examine the significant consequences of Spanish exploration and settlement of the New World on animals, humans, and plants. They read and discuss an informational handout, define key vocabulary terms, and complete a...

Explore events prior to World War II. Learners view replicas of authentic photographs and hand written documents representing the viewpoints of Adolf Hitler and Neville Chamberlain. They discuss alternate viewpoints, consider historical...

Students utilize Internet sites to explore and compare current ideas and opinions concerning the impact of christopher Columbus' famous voyage of 1492.

Students apply computer skills to gain further insight into early exploration. They analyze the role of each explorer and evaluate their importance. Students comprehend the Chronology of Discovery and Trade of early explorers. They...

Young scholars explore global geography by participating in an atlas activity. In this countries of the world activity, students collaborate in small groups and analyze an atlas while researching continents, countries and demographics....

Seventh graders explore The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus. In this The New Colossus lesson, 7th graders read the poem and analyze its meaning. Students discuss what the poem means about American culture and why it was engraved on the...

Propaganda and anti-semitism were linked to evil ends during the Holocaust. Using video testimony of Holocaust survivors, examples of Nazi propaganda, and discussion questions, learners explore the roots of anti-semitism in Europe and...

Ninth graders examine the Reformation. In this European history lesson, 9th graders explore the 95 theses of Martin Luther and discuss the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church to his ideas. Students then take a quiz based on the lesson.

Students explore the reasons why the United States entered into World War I and how that conflict effected the United States and Europe politically, economically and socially.