Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rockin’ the World: Rock and Roll and Social Protest in 20th Century America

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars explore protest songs. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students examine issues-based music by summarizing lyrics and revealing inferences, generalizations, conclusions, and points of view found in the songs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature Circles

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders work in groups in order to motivate one another to develop reading comprehension and literacy skills. The skills are built through the sharing of fine literature. They maintain a reading log to keep accountable for the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Modern Mercenary and the Decolonization of Africa: Ten Plus Ten Questions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the role of the mercenary in the decolonization of Africa by answering the following questions: (1) Who and what is the modern mercenary; pro and con?, (2) What are some of the factors or elements which acclimatized the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living on a Cotton Farm: Mexican Americans Life In Texas

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders are introduced to the processes of cotton farming in the early 20th century. In groups, they examine the role of Mexican Americans on the farms and the impact of a boom and bust economy on cotton. They identify the...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

The Russian Revolution

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students complete a matching game based on geographic features of Russia and label a map with these features. In this geography and politics lesson, students identify resources and populations in Russia and complete a T-Chart on a video...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Headin' West! The Life of a Pioneer

For Teachers 5th
Students explore the life of a pioneer and the relationship between the concept of Manifest Destiny and pioneering. Students complete activities, maps, writing and reading to experience pioneer life. Handouts and worksheets are included...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weavers Tell Their Stories

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the practice of weaving by Mayan women. They read personal accounts and write a sentence stating the main idea. They also write a short report on weaving as a cultural and economic way of life for the Mayan women.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Presentation of Pilgrims

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students are given a category to research (clothes, life before the New World, the voyage, etc.) about Pilgrim life. s Students, in groups, create presentations using software program such as PowerPoint.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Study of the Spanish-Speaking People of Texas: Overcoming Adversity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the photographs of Russell Lee and identify the obstacles faced by Mexican-Americans in Texas during the early and mid-20th century. They discuss the ways they overcame these obstacles and relate it to obstacles in...
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: The Civil War and Reconstruction

For Teachers 9th - 10th
University-level syllabus, reading suggestions, lecture notes, and quizzes for a course of the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Civil War, a Nation Divided

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A wonderful resource using primary and secondary source materials to explore many facets of the Civil War from the war itself to its impact on the home front. Includes video and text downloads.
Website
Siteseen

Siteseen: Civil Conflict: Causes of the Civil War

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents a list of 38 causes of the Civil War. This is broken up into timelines for 1793-1846 and 1846-1861, with some links to more information. Includes a 3-minute video about the life of Abraham Lincoln.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Why Do People Fight? The Causes of the Civil War [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Throughout the years since the end of the Civil War, historians have been weighing in on the causes of that terrible time in the history of the United States. Interpretations have changed over the generations. Read the questions that...
Primary
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Secession of the Southern States

For Students 9th - 10th
This collection uses primary sources to explore the secession of southern states from the United States prior to the Civil War.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: What Caused the Korean War and Why Did the Us Get Involved?

For Students 9th - 10th
The Korean War (1950-1953) was the first military action of the Cold War. It was sparked by the June 25, 1950 invasion of South Korea by 75,000 members of the North Korean People's Army. The line they crossed, the 38th parallel, was...
Unit Plan
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Ap Us History: Unit 8: An Age of Confidence and Anxiety

For Students 9th - 10th
This extensive learning module examines the United States' response to the global uncertainty and instability that followed World War II and the ways that marginalized groups challenged discrimination, and the counter-responses to their...
Primary
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: Black Lost Cause. Colored Service in Confederate Army

For Students 9th - 10th
This well-researched extensive essay by Peter Stam looks at the issue of the number of African Americans serving in the Confederate Army as soldiers. By examining information from many historians, some of whom turn out to be unreliable,...
Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: The First Battle of Bull Run

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what happened at the initial Battle of Bull Run, the first significant battle of the Civil War. This battle was an eye-opener for both sides, as rifles were now replacing the less accurate muskets, causing more casualties and...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Northern Homefront

For Students 5th - 8th
The military-industrial complex thrived in the North during the Civil War, but read about how inflation affected the ordinary worker. See how the role of women expanded to fill in for men who were away fighting. Women also had an impact...
Handout
Forum Romanum

Outlines of Roman History: Reforms of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus

For Students 9th - 10th
This chapter in William Morey's 1901 text discusses the land reforms of the Gracchi brothers. Find out how well they worked and the problems they caused.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: How the South Helped Win the American Revolution

For Students 9th - 10th
British commanders attempted to reverse their floundering fortunes by launching a campaign in the South. There the British would find not just crops such as tobacco, rice and indigo that were vital to their economy, but stronger Loyalist...
Article
A&E Television

History.com: How Ancient Rome Thrived During Pax Romana

For Students 9th - 10th
After decades of political dysfunction, civil wars and assassinations that caused the Roman Republic's downfall, Ancient Rome flourished during two centuries of relative tranquility and prosperity known as the Pax Romana (Latin for...
Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Black Lost Cause:critical Analysis of Examples

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the research by historians to try to determine the extent to which African Americans fought for the Confederate cause. They examined letters, service records, anecdotes, photographs, pension records, etc. but were unable to say...
Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Black Lost Cause: Elaboration

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains how the idea of African Americans fighting in large numbers for the Confederate cause is a wrong one that has been propagated by untrained historians who used unreliable sources.