Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natives of Indiana

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in discussions about the Native Peoples who inhabited what is now Indiana. In this Native American lesson, 4th graders discuss the social and cultural structures of these Native Americans. They locate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

1984: How Much Fact in Fiction?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast the society in Orwell's 1984 with modern society. In this 1984 instructional activity, students research the historical climate in which Orwell wrote the novel. Students create a comparison chart of privacy...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Progressive Movement in Nebraska and the United States

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students interact with the whole progressive movement and its impact on the U.S. They list the goals of the movement. In addition, they organize primary resources and interpret political cartoons. Each student shares one of their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History Through Picture Books and Photographs

For Teachers 1st
First graders become familiar with historical figures central to the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Armenian Genocide: The American Ambassador in Constantinople

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze America's reaction to the Armenian Genocide. They write a journal response, read and discuss text, compare/contrast reactions around the world to the Armenian Genocide and the genocide in Rwanda, and write an essay.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilts and Math

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a pattern. In this patterns lesson plan, students review the meaning of symmetry and explore using pattern blocks. Students look for patterns in real quilts, photographs and pictures. Students work independently to plan a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

America Moves Out!

For Teachers 1st
First graders analyze the events of early American exploration. This is a unit resource for teachers in which there are six lessons about the American Western exploration and expansion. Within each instructional activity there are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Right About Now… and Then

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss significant figures in music history and read an article about the Smithsonian's Hip-Hop exhibit. In groups, they develop and curate an exhibition of hip-hop music and history using artifacts that represent relevant...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting Down and Dirty: An Exploration of the 1930's

For Teachers K - 8th
Pupils complete an exploration of the 1930s. Using artwork and primary source documents, they compare, contrast and identify cause and effect relationships in the events of the decade. They discover how the events then affect people...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading A Historical Photograph

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine a historical photograph to gather information and draw conclusions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Expanding the Mission: Historical Parks

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore U.S. geography by viewing a documentary in class. In this national parks lesson, students view video clips of individual national parks and locate them using Google Earth software. Students create a persuasive...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Historic/Historical

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this historic or historical worksheet, students choose the correct word to complete each sentence. Students choose historic or historical to complete 3 sentences.
Lesson Plan
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Europe and Asia Events

For Teachers 10th - 12th
In this historical events of Europe and Asia worksheet, learners read the dates, purposes, key people, and outcomes of the 5 listed events on the graphic organizer.
Lesson Plan
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History/Mystery: Regionalism and Ethnicity in the American Detective Novel

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use mystery novels to focus on the history and ethnicity of different regions of the United States. As a class, they are introduced to the elements of a mystery and compare them to the other types of novels they have read. In...
Lesson Plan
National History Day

Why Did the United States Enter World War I in 1917?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
World War I was the first major conflict on a global scale. Using primary documents, learners determine why the United States chose to enter World War I when it did. After analytical writing and group research, the causes of America's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding James Fort

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Welcome to Jamestown! Third and fourth graders read and analyze primary source documents about Jamestown or Fort James. They read and analyze descriptions of Fort James from primary sources. They access a website to explore more...
PPT
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The Crucible by Arthur Miller

For Teachers 9th
Understanding the historical context of Arthur Miller's The Crucible is an important part in understanding the play itself. Over 25 slides, the audience learns details of Miller's early childhood and some major events that were happening...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chinese Folktales: An Illustrating Activity

For Teachers 2nd
In need of a really good lesson that incorporates literature, art, and cultural themes? After hearing a traditional Chinese folktale and discussing cultural themes and symbolism, learners create original illustrations for the story. This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Washington in Cincinnati

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders compare and contrast the leadership of George Washington and Cincinnatus. In this historical perspectives activity, 7th graders research the noted Web sites to answer questions about the 2 men.
Organizer
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Life Grid: First Ladies Early Lives

For Students 7th - 8th
While the resource won't seem like much at first glance, it could actually prove to be very handy. Learners fill in a grid that contains life facts on the Y-axis and the names of first ladies on the X-axis. Great for documenting facts...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debate over the Ratification of the Constitution

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders discuss the creation of the United States, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Through a class debate, role-playing Federalists and Anti-federalists, they identify the reasons for and against ratification...
Lesson Plan
National History Day

“War Is Hell. We Know it Now.” American Soldiers in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Understanding the soldier's experiences during World War I sometimes takes a newscast. Learners see the importance of understanding multiple points of view with a newscast project surrounding the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Compare and...
Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Issues of Asylum in the U.S.

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Who gets to come to the United States? Examine cases of individuals seeking asylum with an informative reading passage that includes examples, statistics, and representations of public opinion regarding asylum. Groups then go on to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Father Knows Best

For Teachers K - 1st
Students recognize that history describes events and people of other times and places identifying George Washington by historical account. They describe everyday life in the present and in the past and begin to recognize that things...