+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Everyday Documents

For Students 4th - 8th
Almost more of a lesson than a worksheet, this particular resource has learners examine different types of historical documents. There is a historical docment embedded in the worksheet that learners study, and they also bring in...
+
Handout
Stanford University

Historical Thinking Chart

For Students 5th - 10th Standards
Narrow down your questions about author perspective, historical context, and veracity of claims in a document with the help of a historical reading chart. Learners track the basics of the document along with advanced evaluation skills...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Document Analysis Sheet

For Students 6th - 8th
Sometimes all kids need is a little guided practice and then they can be on their way. They can use an analysis instructional activity to help them analyze a primary or secondary source document. They answer several questions describing...
+
Lesson Plan
Briscoe Center for American History

Applying the SOAPS Method of Analyzing Historical Documents

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
Young historians use the SOAPS (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject) method of questioning to determine the historical value of primary source documents. The third in a series of five lessons that model for learners how...
+
Interactive
DocsTeach

Evaluating a Needlework Sampler as Historical Evidence

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Needlework isn't just for home decor; it can also help record family history. Academics analyze a needlework sampler to understand how they were used to record marriages and births. The activity includes a series of written questions,...
+
Lesson Plan
Teaching for Change

A Documents-Based Lesson on the Voting Rights Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How did the Voting Rights Act affect the daily lives of American citizens? A document-based lesson developed by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating committee (SNCC) presents a case study of the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can History Be Rewritten?

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
Can history be rewritten? Or, more precisely, is history documented accurately? High school juniors and seniors compare primary source material with secondary sources. For example, they compare President Roosevelt's December 29, 1940...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adapting Documents for the Classroom: Equity and Access

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Students examine primary sources to gain historical perspectives. For this historical analysis lesson, students analyze documents that their instructors have adapted to make more user-friendly. Example adapted primary documents are...
+
Writing
Polk County Public Schools

The French and Indian War

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
Sharpen those pencils and get to writing with a series of document-based questions about the French and Indian War. High schoolers focus on maps, letters, and other primary documents from the 18th century before answering writing prompts...
+
Activity
Thomas Jefferson Foundation

Personal Morals vs. Political Moves Document Based Essay

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Was Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite? Tackle this question with primary source analysis and an essay. The packet includes historical background, a writing prompt, a combined outline and checklist, and ten primary documents paired with...
+
Interactive
DocsTeach

Documenting Key Presidential Decisions

For Teachers 6th - 8th
It's match time! Academics participate in an exciting matching game using primary sources. The activity uses documents of key decisions and matches them to the presidents that they are attributed to. Scholars also make a list of key...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Museum of Tolerance

The Pursuit of Democracy and Diversity: The Trial of Pro-Social Injustice in Historical Documents and Accounts

For Teachers 8th Standards
Class members investigate The Indian Removal Act of 1830, U.S. Theft of Mexican Territory Timeline, and President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, and then conduct a mock trial of each of these documents to determine...
+
Lesson Plan
2
2
Historical Thinking Matters

Spanish-American War: 5 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Nine historical documents, an interactive online notebook, and a fantastic opportunity for historical inquiry await your pupils in this 5-day lesson plan. Class members identify and discuss various causes for the Spanish-American War...
+
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Founding Documents

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Teach the class about the predecessor to Declaration of Independence—the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Using the foundational documents, scholars examine the two writings to consider how they are similar and how they are different. A...
+
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

America's History in the Making: Classroom Applications Two

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Reading between the lines helps discover important information! The 11th lesson of a 22-part series on American history has scholars use historical thinking skills to uncover the deeper meaning behind the words on a page. Using backward...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coins: Historic Documents and Policy Statements

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students research the importance and meaning of honoring historic documents and policy statements on coins. They consult available texts and bookmarked Internet sites and share their findings with the class. They create a poster that...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover how the Declaration of Independence transformed from a draft to a treasured historical document. In this Declaration of Independence lesson, students discuss the context in which Jefferson wrote the document and analyze...
+
Lesson Plan
Historical Thinking Matters

Rosa Parks: 3 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
How can evidence and perspective challenge even the most well-known of stories? Through primary and secondary source analysis, think-alouds, and discussion, young historians evaluate the historical narrative of Rosa Parks across multiple...
+
Lesson Plan
Historical Thinking Matters

Social Security: 5 Day Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Did the New Deal fundamentally shift the role of the American government in the economy? Your class members will examine the interpretations of various historians in answering this question, and use a variety of primary and secondary...
+
Worksheet
1
1
Mr. Roughton

Roman Empire

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Does the United States parallel the Roman Empire in any way? Young historians work with four documents in order to answer this query as part of a structured DBQ assignment.
+
PPT
Mr. Roughton

The Geste of Robin Hood

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
This isn't your traditional Robin Hood tale! Explore a Middle English ballad with your young historians, and examine the underlying structure and purpose of historical texts.
+
Assessment
American Battlefield Trust

Middle School Assessment for the Civil War Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The bravery of African American troops on the frontlines directly impacted the lives of the newly freed enslaved people. Using documents, including letters from African American troops and an excerpt of the Emancipation Proclamation,...
+
Interactive
DocsTeach

The Voting Record of the Constitution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
A piece of the past helps shape the future. Learn what historical documents reveal about the past using an engaging activity.  Academics participate in a role-playing scenario, view the voting record of the Constitutional Convention,...
+
Interactive
DocsTeach

The Night Before D-Day

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Get inside the mind of General Eisenhower regarding the D-Day invasion. An interesting activity uses historical documents to highlight the differences between Eisenhower's public stance on D-Day and his private opinions. Scholars analyze...