Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: A Compare and Contrast Lesson Plan
Two great men, one time period, and one purpose; it sounds like a movie trailer, but it's not. It's a very good comparative analysis lesson focused on Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Learners will research and read informational...
Smithsonian Institution
Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States—specifically John F. Kennedy—played a large role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A history resource poses questions that encourage critical thinking as well as in-depth analysis of images from the time period.
Smithsonian Institution
General George Washington, Military Leader
Teach pupils the characteristics that make George Washington such an effective leader, especially in context of his time period. Scholars view artifacts, participate in group work, create lists, compare and contrast, and discuss as a...
Shakespeare Uncovered
Women’s Roles in As You Like It
“There is nothing that becommeth a maid better than soberness, silence, shamefastness, and chastity, both of body & mind.” This line, from Thomas Bentley ‘s The Monument of Matrons published in 1582, typifies the way women were...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Romantic Age of English Literature
Introduce your class to the elements of Romanticism with these slides. The foundations of the movement, the roles of imagination and nature, and the value of art are all highlighted. Features of Romanticism are explained such as...
Curated OER
Invention Timeline
In this lesson, high schoolers Create a timeline of historical events, Identify patterns of change, Interpret data in a timeline.In this lesson, students use Inspiration to view progress over time as they develop
timelines highlighting...
Curated OER
I've Felt the Same Way
Students recognize various differences between their lives and the lives of
people living in the 19th century Chicago area. They hear stories from people living in four different historical time periods and match the stories
to their...
Curated OER
Centuries of Economic Growth: From Feathers to Robotics
Students read scenarios about the production of Bibles over five historical time periods. Working in small groups, students create skits and develop a retrieval chart that is used to analyze factors that impact economic growth.
Curated OER
A Moment in Time
Fifth graders research a year in history. In this research lesson, 5th graders choose a year between 1801 and 1999 and write three research questions to answer about their year. Students must include three major events and investigate...
Curated OER
Bringing Historical Figures Alive
Students research a famous American from a specific era. In this American history instructional activity, students choose a famous person from a time period chosen by the teacher, write a short report, prepare a speech, plan a...
Curated OER
The Classical Period
Sixth graders are introduced to the classical period in music history. After listening to examples, they identify and describe the characteristics of music during this time period and research the main composers. Using the internet,...
Curated OER
Writing a Historical Fiction Story
Students create a historical fiction story. In this historical fiction lesson, students choose a time period to use as their setting. They create a story with true elements but fictional characters and plot.
Curated OER
Modeling Geologic Time
Students design, construct and interpret a model of geologic time and investigate change through geologic time.
Curated OER
North Carolina Historical Sites
Eighth graders design and create a tourist brochure for North Carolina historical sites. They research North Carolina, find and scan pictures for their brochure, use ClarisWorks to form the text, print, display and use constructive...
Curated OER
Perceptions of German Unification Over Time
Through a series of readings and handouts, learners will study the shifts in perception that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. The history lesson focuses on periods of change in post WWII German history that led to a changed...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
End of the Cold War
How significant was the Cold War during the 20th century? After reading and analyzing speeches by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, learners consider the historical context of foreign policy decisions made during the Cold War by both...
Annenberg Foundation
America's History in the Making: Classroom Applications One
Someone finds a time capsule 100 years from now, and it includes your family photo album. What would the photos tell that person about you and your place in history? Scholars investigate how artifacts tell stories. Using photos, maps,...
Curated OER
Civil War Literature Circle
Historical fiction can be a valuable asset when learning about the past. Integrate several novels written about the Civil War into your social studies unit, with groups of four working collaboratively to comprehend the novel from...
Carnegie Library
Creative Writing: Middle School Lesson Plan
Enhance a unit on historical fiction with an engaging writing lesson. Learners bring the Industrial Era to life as they compose their own historical fiction pieces based on primary source images of Pittsburgh steel workers.
Student Handouts
Timeline Worksheet
Don't let your pupils waste another second drawing out lines for your next timeline assignment. Pass out this worksheet and get straight to the main activity!
PBS
1000 Words
A picture really can speak a thousand words—no matter how old! Scholars become history detectives as they learn how to analyze historical photos and evidence to uncover the past. The fun hands-on activity makes history come alive through...
Concord Consortium
People and Places
Graph growth in the US. Given population and area data for the United States for a period of 200 years, class members create graphs to interpret the growth over time. Graphs include population, area, population density, and population...
Curated OER
The Adventure Begins: A Historical Fiction
Seventh graders create a piece of historical fiction documenting the immigrant experience in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1800s. Using Internet research from a web exhibit, 7th graders synthesize historical facts with their description...
Curated OER
Students Working in Local Historic Preservation
Students develop an appreciation of history as they volunteer their time in historical museums. In this historical perspectives activity, students work with valuable local documents as they aid the staff of selected local historical...