Students examine the effects of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. In this American history lesson, students research primary and secondary sources regarding accounts of the fire and its effects. Students share their research finding in...

Students consider the advantages and disadvantages of eyewitness accounts as records of history. They research several accounts of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and then compare and contrast each version to arrive at a final picture.

After studying the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, teach your students some fire safety tips and techniques with this important PowerPoint. Not only does this presentation include tips, but it has facts about fire that are important to know...

Students examine documents describing the experiences of survivors of the Great Chicago Fire, and write condolence letters.

Students research the Great Chicago Fire and create a reader's theater presentation that describes the experiences of survivors.

Students, in groups, explore the Great Chicago Fire. They decide which moment from the fire is significant and create a story corner.

Students, in groups, create a historical fiction story of a Great Chicago Fire survivor by writing a survival narrative.

Only you—and your students—can prevent fires! Show a short and informative video about National Fire Prevention Week in October to remind learners about proper fire usage, safety precautions, and family escape plans.

Students compare and contrast the experiences of two survivors of the Great Fire of Chicago using a Venn Diagram.

Students research the causes of the Great Fire of Chicago and draw conclusion as to the most probable cause and preventative actions that could have minimized the damage.

Students research the Great Chicago Fire and its myths on how it started. They use their critical thinking skills to determine what really happened. They write an essay supporting their opinion on the fire.

The Great Fire by Jim Murphy provides the text for a study of the Chicago fire of 1871. The plan is designed as a close reading activity so that all learners have the same background information require for writing. Richly detailed, the...

Students dramatized the O'Leary hearing regarding the Chicago fire using the transcript from the original hearings as a script.

Students write a persuasive letter asking James Cameron to choose their disaster for his next movie.

The most famous American disasters - natural and otherwise - of the late 19th and early 20th century are the focus of this presentation. Detailing the 1865 sinking of the USS Saldana, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and the Influenza...

Second graders explore what life in the Chicago area was like hundreds of years ago. They discuss how settlers impacted the environment, and why there are no longer herds of buffalo in the Chicago area today. They read an article and...

Learners become familiar with the art and architecture and history of the Chicago World's Fair.  In this public arts project lesson, students compare and contrast fine art and public art through a study of the exhibits at the Chicago...

Seventh graders read a newspaper account of "Grady the Silo Cow" and complete news-writing activities. In this news-writing lesson, 7th graders read the newspaper account about the cow. Students examine newspapers and work in groups to...

What do a girl in foster care and a 91-year-old widow have in common? A crossword puzzle related to Orphan Train highlights some of the similarities the two characters share in the book. The puzzle pulls out key details from the novel to...

Challenge your middle schoolers to distinguish between common and proper nouns. Test takers identify and then label the nouns in a series of sentences as either common or proper. The resource could be used as an assessment or as an...

Sixth graders read about coal mining. In this coal mining lesson, 6th graders read Growing Up in Coal Country by John Mitchell and answer questions about his life. They work on prefixes, suffixes, and adjective clauses. 

In this online interactive history quiz worksheet, students respond to 34 multiple choice questions about Mother Jones. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

This activity enables teachers to use blues music to explore the history of African Americans in the 20th century. By studying the content of blues songs, students can learn about the experiences and struggles of the working-class...