Channel Islands Film
Arlington Springs Man: Lesson Plan 4
West of the West's documentary Arlington Springs Man introduces viewers to the remarkable finds on Santa Rosa Island. Archaeologist have discovered on this small island that is part of the Channel island chain, human and pygmy mammoth...
ReadWriteThink
Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments
A speaker, a message, an audience. After analyzing these elements in Queen Elizabeth's speech to the troops at Tilbury, groups analyze how other speakers use an awareness of events, and their audience to craft their arguments....
Macmillan Education
Christmas: #SadTree
Christmas trees can be as large and elaborate as the tree in Rockefeller Center, or as small and understated as Charlie Brown's tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas. But where did the tradition of Christmas trees come from? An engaging...
National Woman's History Museum
Inventive Women - Part 1
While a woman didn't invent the parasol, three women received patents for their improvements to the original design of umbrellas. In the first of a two-part series on inventive women, class members investigate the patent system to...
Stanford University
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Was JFK a fallen Civil Rights hero—or a fraud? Learners examine Kennedy's own words and those of his critics to decide for themselves. After examining Kennedy's actions before his assassination, they determine what sort of legacy he left...
Curated OER
Introduction to Modernist Poetry
Students examine the concept of modernism. They analyze different modern poetists writings and identify the context in which the poems were written. They write poems of their own to complete the lesson.
Curated OER
"Shooting An Elephant": George Orwell's Essay on his Life in Burma
Students read an essay by George Orwell's life in Burma and place it in its cultural and historical context. They identify the main points of the essay and Orwell's use of symbolism in the essay. They explain how each persuasive tool...
Curated OER
The Collaborative Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Show Business
Students study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two decades...
Curated OER
Worksheet for Analysis of a Newspaper Article
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students respond to 20 short answer questions that require them to analyze their selected newspaper articles.
Curated OER
Learning about a Culture from Objects
Students examine and interpret possible functions of several traditional cultural objects. In this learning about a culture from objects lesson, students identify how environment impacts a culture and the role of animals and plants...
Curated OER
Explaining 9/11 in Historical, Cultural, and Internatinal Context "Why Here, Why Us, Why Now?"
Pupils trace similarities among three major religious groups in Western history.
Curated OER
Traditional Japanese Dance
Students study introductory history and cultural purposes of selected Japanese dance forms. They analyze the philosophical beliefs, social systems, and movement norms that influence the function and role of Japanese dance in the lives...
Curated OER
Liberty Vs. Safety: an American Dilemma
Students study the process of consensus and the value of studying history as we try to craft a more perfect society. They examine President Franklin D. Roosevelt's decision to incarcerate Japanese Americans in the Western United States,...
Curated OER
Arts of the Gilded Age
Students study the art forms of the Gilded Age. In this integrated arts lesson plan, students research the art, music, dance, and drama of the historical era and then create their own personal projects that exemplify the time period.
Curated OER
How Are Boundaries Made, Kept, Broken?
Young scholars examine the works of Noam Chomsky. They collaborate in small groups to read and identify vocabulary words and historical questions. They answer their questions and role-play as emissaries to locate remaining answers. ...
Curated OER
Historical Development of a Scientific Idea
Ninth graders examine how scientist's contribute to atomic theory. In this development of a scientific idea lesson students work in groups and research the development of the atomic model.
Curated OER
Social Studies: The Declaration of Conscience
Students examine Margaret Chase Smith's Declaration of Conscience and discuss its impact on Maine politics. After reading it, they discuss their opinions and write short responses about them. As a follow-up activity, students write their...
Curated OER
Jazz In America
Students explore the Jazz Era in America not only by answering questions but listening to music as well.
Curated OER
Jazz in America
Students explore Free Jazz and Fusion by answering questions and listening to music.
Curated OER
The Debate in the United States over the League of Nations: League of Nations Basics
Students describe Woodrow Wilson's concepts for peace and the League of Nations and efforts to foster American support for it.
Curated OER
Jazz in America
Students learn the basic elements of music and gain an understanding of the elements found in Jazz.
Curated OER
Worth a Thousand Words: Depression-Era Photographs
Students view images of New Deal programs to see its successes. They work in groups to create captions for the images and suggest captions that might indicate different meanings.
Curated OER
Ordinary People, Ordinary Places: The Civil Rights Movement
Learners investigate the message of Martin Luther King Jr. and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. They explore various websites, conduct Internet research, and develop a presentation that analyzes an event and place of the Civil Rights...
Curated OER
The Eagle Has Landed: Aztecs Find a Home
Pupils examine the Aztec civilization in what is now Mexico. Using a map, they locate the empire and explain the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan. They explore the symbols on various Mexican flags and what they meant to the Aztec...