Curated OER
What Experiences Shaped the Founders' Thinking about Government?
Students study the ideas and experiences that shaped the founding fathers' perspective about government. In this the government lesson plan, students examine the Articles of Confederation as they relate to the power of government....
Curated OER
Colonial America: Causes of the American Revolution
Fourth graders analyze colonial rule and policies with regard to the causes of the American Revolution. In this Colonial America simulation lesson plan, 4th graders role play in an Independence Game, reacting to a variety of "events"...
Curated OER
Government Goods and Services
Fifth graders investigate the connection between taxes and government services. In this economics lesson, 5th graders discuss the process and benefits of paying sales and income taxes. Using calculators, students compute the amount of...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Learning About Colonial Life
High schoolers use predictions to explore the lifestyle of American colonists. They draw conclusions about the culture of colonial America based on items used in daily life.
Curated OER
Colonial America: Causes Of The American Revolution
Students examine the causes of the American Revolution. In this colonial America lesson, students read handouts regarding the sequence of events that led to the commencement of the war. Students complete the provided worksheets and...
Region of Peel
Colonial Tag
This exercise combines learning about colonialism with playing tag. Class members are asked whether a statement involves an economic, religious, political or social factor and then run to the location with the corresponding poster. The...
Curated OER
Early Colonial Labor Force: Indentured Servants and Slaves
Young scholars study the labor force used during Colonial America. For this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Young scholars read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students...
Read Works
American Government Preamble to the United States Constitution
Observe Constitution Day with a worksheet that delves deep into the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars read a short informational text then answer 10 questions—short answer and multiple choice.
Curated OER
Colonial Broadsides and the American Revolution
Students access the Library of Congress's collection of Broadsides (printed material with news, entertainment, advertisements, etc.) and explore their impact on events leading up to the Revolutionary War. They create a timeline with...
Curated OER
Foundations of American Government
Students examine historical perspectives. For this Boston Massacre lesson, students watch "The Story Behind the Boston Massacre," and conduct further research on the event. Students debate the Patriot and British perspectives of the event.
Curated OER
An Empire in the Balance
Eleventh graders investigate the role of New York state during the American Revolution. In small groups, they research a particular region within colonial America, analyze primary source documents, complete Document Analysis Sheets, and...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Military Advisers in Vietnam: 1963
How did the beginning of the Vietnam War factor into the Cold War with the Soviet Union? As part of a study of American involvement in Vietnam, class members read a letter address to President Kennedy and his response in which he...
Curated OER
Government & Politics
In this United States history worksheet, students reference their textbook to answer 16 fill in the blank questions and 8 short answer questions regarding the early government of the nation.
Curated OER
American Heroines
Third graders explore the heroines of the Revolutionary War. In this Revolutionary War lesson, 3rd graders read a passage about famous heroines and discuss the trade practiced during Colonial times.
Curated OER
Coming to America: A Look at Colonization in the 1600s
Students analyze the European colonization of America. In this colonial America instructional activity, students use provided Internet resources to research colonization and representative government. Students use their finding to create...
Curated OER
How Did British Imperialism and Colonization Impact India?
How did British imperialism and colonization impact India? Uncover how India was considered to be Britain's most valuable colony, how Europe's Industrial Revolution affected India, and the beginnings of the East India Company. A short,...
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.
Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
Tea Overboard
While less well known than the event in Boston, the Yorktown Tea Party was equally decisive in turning community sentiment against Great Britain. To gain an understanding of why the colonists objected to the Tea Act, young historians...
Curated OER
The Declaration of Independence
Students empathize with the colonists. For this lesson on the Declaration of Independence, students collaborate to problem solve a school dilemma that enables them to understand the issues and difficulties that occurred in the creation...
Curated OER
American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins
Students explore daily life and its influences in the late 1700s for two families in different colonies- Delaware and Massachusetts by becoming historical detectives. After gathering information from artifacts to make inferences about...
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
This exercise on the Constitution requires small groups to design a visual metaphor that expresses the concept behind one of seven principles: popular sovereignty, federalism, republicanism, separation of powers, checks and balances,...
Heritage Foundation
Crime and Punishment
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
Curated OER
The Declaration of Independence
Students reflect on the Declaration of Independence. In this U.S. History lesson, students read the Declaration of Independence then complete an activity and worksheet on the topic.
Curated OER
Lesson 11: Printed Materials (Ads and Broadsides) 1780-1820
Students use primary resources (gazettes, broadsides, advertisements) to consider life at the turn of the 18th century in Deerfield, Massachusetts. They infer observations about life in the nascent United States.