Curated OER
Bio-Poems and U.S. History
Learners explore U.S. History by writing poems. In this United States leader biography lesson, students identify elements needed to create a good poem, and write a Bio-Poem about themselves. Learners utilize the same form to write a...
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You
Ask not what the lesson here can do for you, but what you can do with the lesson. The answer is quite a lot! Young scholars revisit JFK's famous inaugural address with a focus on his plea for civic engagement. There's a letter to JFK...
C-SPAN
Presidential Candidate Firsts
Hilary Clinton may have been the first woman to run for president on a major party ticket, but she was only one example of an historic candidacy. Class members use video clips curated from C-SPAN to examine historical firsts in...
National Woman's History Museum
Shirley Chisholm, Unbossed and Unbought
An engaging resource introduces young historians to Shirley Chisholm, the woman, the Black congresswoman, the activist, and the candidate for President in 1972. Class members study primary sources, watch a video of her announcing her run...
Learning for Justice
Mary McLeod Bethune
Young historians conduct a close reading of the text of an interview with Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of former slaves who taught herself to read, grew up to establish schools for other Black women, and went on to become an advisor...
Curated OER
Official Statements
Students research the viewpoints of famous Americans, and then write commencement speeches reflecting these viewpoints to be delivered to high school graduates of today.
Alabama Learning Exchange
President's Day for Special Education/Early Elementary
Students investigate how both Abraham Lincoln and George Washington displayed the trait of honesty. They listen to read alouds of class books and poems that address both the lives of these men and the trait of honesty. They use a graphic...
Curated OER
Federal Holidays
Third graders complete various activities pertaining to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran's Day. They conduct research and complete writing and art activities on the...
Curated OER
Conversation with _______
After choosing a famous person your learners admire, they write a scene where they pretend to meet their chosen person. They identify a specific event they'd like to discuss with them, and write a dialogue detailing their fictitious...
Curated OER
In The Words of Abraham Lincoln...
High schoolers explore the words of Abraham Lincoln. In this Abraham Lincoln lesson, students analyze segments of "The Gettysburg Address," his annual address to Congress in 1862, and his letter to Mrs. Bixby. High schoolers conduct...
Curated OER
Researching Famous People
Student take notes, on a graphic organizer, about the life of a famous person. They create a trading card about their famous person including a portrait and important facts.
Curated OER
Americana Trivia Game
In this American history game, young scholars use the blank game board and the trivia question cards to play a board game that tests knowledge of American history. There are 28 trivia questions and full directions.
Curated OER
Heritage: Famous People of the West
Fourth graders examine two famous people, Brigham Young and Jim Bridger, who made an impact on the westward expansion, and create cartoon strip using the information.
Curated OER
First Grade American Civilization: February
First graders examine and discuss the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere, Redcoats, Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence. They conduct an experiment done by Benjamin Franklin, solve a word puzzle written in code by Ben...
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln
In this biography worksheet, students read a one page factual story about Abraham Lincoln. Students then answer 7 questions about the story.
AMCO
Clay Face Masks
Let your class explore their sculpting skills with a lesson on making clay masks. Each step in the process is fully described alongside a helpful image. Kids of any ages will be able to construct fantastic representations of the human...
Academy of American Poets
We Sing America
Pair the famous poems "I Hear America Singing," by Walt Whitman, and "I, Too, Sing America," by Langston Hughes, with a more recent poem by Elizabeth Alexander called "Praise Song for the Day" to demonstrate a theme and introduce your...
Curated OER
Heritage: Famous People of the West
Fourth graders investigate the impact of Brigham Young and Jim Bridger on westward expansion. They conduct research, develop a class information chart, and create a cartoon strip depicting what happened when Jim Bridger and Brigham Young...
Scholastic
Abraham Lincoln: A Time Line Research Project
Though Abraham Lincoln's life was tragically cut short, it was filled with accomplishments and inspiring moments that continue to influence American democracy. Explore the ways the 16th president of the United States made his way from a...
Curated OER
The Gettysburg Address: An American Treasure
Learners apply information found in Lincoln's speeches, especially The Gettysburg Address, to create a persuasive speech on a current topic.
Curated OER
Defining Character, With Help from History
In a single, soundly-designed class period, high schoolers define good character, think-pair-share about thought-provoking quotes on character (More options would enhance the discussion, worth searching online for other quotes to add.),...
University of California
The Civil War: Lincoln’s Speeches
Abraham Lincoln is responsible for uniting the states during the most tumultuous periods in American history, and for his elegant oratory that kept the Union believing in its cause. Young histoians analyze various speeches by America's...
National First Ladies' Library
The Medal of Freedom: The Nation's Highest Civilian Award
Learners discover the American Medal of Freedom, also known as the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Using the internet, groups of students research the history of the award, its recipients, and its origin. Each group prepares a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Faces of the Revolution
Fifth graders investigate the important figures of the American Revolution. In this American Revolution lesson, 5th graders outline the important events of the war and complete a worksheet.