Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Questions of War and Peace: Using Case Studies to Teach the History of American Foreign Policy

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Learners read three case studies to focus on how the United States dealt with foreign policy issues. In groups, they read about the decision to drop the atomic bomb, the commitment of troops to Vietnam and wwhether to send troops to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Road to Riches

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study the story of gold and silver mining in the San Juan region. Through the use of interactive video and the Internet, they will examine the various events occurring at this time. They create a timeline highlighting the major...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Battle of Bunker Hill: Now We Are at War

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students what events in Massachusetts in 1775 demonstrated colonial opposition to Imperial rule. They examine the events related to the Battle of Bunker Hill and determine the differences in the land masses of Charlestown and Boston from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing and Evaluating Holocaust Literature

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Learners examine the history of the Holocaust through literature. Using different pieces of literature, they critique the items in terms of being historical accurate and its value in telling the stories of the Holocaust. They create a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Treasure in the Trash

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners decode archaeological artifacts in order to recreate an event, using discarded objects as a model for real-life artifacts. They apply this model to reconstructing historical or literary events from artifacts they create.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pre History through Modern Day Timeline

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explore the historical sequence of cultures throughout history. They demonstrate the ability to organize events in chronological order and demonstrate how time is measured and annotated.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Treaty Trail: US Indian Treaty Councils in the Northwest

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research and examine primary sources concerning the Washington Territory. In this Native American removal lesson, students view portrait images created by Gustav Sohon. Students then read several biographies that correspond to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hoosier Soldiers at Vicksburg

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers at the Battle of Vicksburg. In this American Civil War activity, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the battle and then analyze letters written...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Get to Know Your Bill of Rights

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders research and examine the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. They sequence events significant to this time period, read and discuss text, and in small groups prepare and present the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Foreign Policy Since World War II (The Cold War)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify and interpret some key figures and major events during the Cold War era, including the Korean War, Vietnam, Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the United States and China Cold War Relations. They also play...
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 lesson, students research the historical climate in which Orwell wrote the novel. Students create a comparison chart of privacy issues in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A History of the War of 1812 and The Star-Spangled Banner

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners examine the causes and outcomes of the War of 1812, and determine the chronology of the Star-Spangled Banner. In this War of 1812 instructional activity, students learn vocabulary and read a narrative about the War of 1812...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"One Giant Leap for Mankind"

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the significance of the Apollo 11 lunar landing by interviewing an adult for memories of the mission. They incorporate their interviews into news articles as 'journalists' in July 1969 to document this historic 'step for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History Talks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in a lesson that deals with a historical figure from the area of Mississippi. Then questions are asked of them using a game show format that is followed with additional ones used for brainstorming for more ideas of inquiry.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Hidden George Washington: Word Search with a Twist

For Students 6th - 8th
Learners identify significant people, places, events and milestones in George Washington's personal and professional life. They complete crossword using facts about George Washington.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Canada's Constitutional Documents

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students analyze one major constitutional document and the events surrounding it. They examine primary sources (historical documents) and draw conclusions from evidence. Students write an essay and may prepare a presentation of their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Revolutionary War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners discover that one to explore about the past is to read historical novels. They see that in every war there are many viewpoints to consider. Students are introduced to the young adult historical novel My Brother Sam Is Dead. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dear Mrs. Roosevelt

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students develop an understanding of how the Great Depression impacted people. In this writing, analyzing and cooperative groups lesson, students inquire about the Great Depression. Students identify problems children faced during...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is a Memorial

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore how we remember and honor people in special ways. In this memorial lesson plan, students read poems and discuss their emotions. Students view pictures taken at memorial services and discuss what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Documents about the Boston Massacre and the Biases of Their Creators

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast writings about pre-American Revolution events. In this political agenda instructional activity, students conduct research to determine how bias and perspective have made their way into historical documents....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore daily life and its influences in the late 1700s for two families in different colonies- Delaware and Massachusetts by becoming historical detectives. After gathering information from artifacts to make inferences about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Virtual Realities of War

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners outline the major events, mat??riel, and setting of a war or conflict. They develop a computer game narrative that draws on these historically accurate details.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Give Me Liberty

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the lives and societal contributions of Patrick Henry and Sojourner Truth. They complete a series of lessons that compare and contrast the biographies, historical context and work of these two revolutionaries.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bushy Run: A Decisive Battle of Pontiac's Rebellion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the battle at Bushy Run. In this Pontiac's Rebellion lesson, students examine an 1765 map of the Bushy Run battle as well as letters and a modern topographic map of the area in order to simulate the event and research how...