Curated OER
Comparing Utah's Past and Present Government
Fourth graders research the past and present forms of government in Utah. In this government studies lesson students analyzes different forms of government and work with a group to gather information about how Utah was/is run and then...
Anti-Defamation League
"What is it Like to be an Outsider?”: Building Empathy for the Experiences of Immigrants
This lesson highlights the struggles of immigrants and the importance of showing empathy. Beginning with a read-aloud of a book in another language and a poem, scholars take part in a thoughtful discussion. Then, the class examines a...
Curated OER
Fur Trading
Students take on a role such as a farming community, hunting community or a trading post. They decide which products they focus on and then trade with the other groups.
Curated OER
English Perspectives
To further their understanding of the basis of the conflicts between the Pocumtucks and the English settlers, class members research the religious beliefs and attitudes of the Puritan farmers that settled in Deerfield, Ma.
Curated OER
36 Public Policy Questions to Energize Your Government/History Classroom Debates
Need topics that are sure to engage your debaters? This list of public policy questions includes such topics as school mascots, regulation of major league baseball, physician-assisted suicide, and violence in video games. A great...
Curated OER
Exploring the History of the I&M Canal
Students examine the building of the I & M canal in Chicago. Using the internet, they research the lives of the individuals who worked on the construction and develop a timeline of events. They explore the impact of the canal on...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
What Brought Settlers to the Midwest?
Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...
Incredible Art Department
Story Tellers - "Passing on the Traditions"
It's important for young people to learn about their ancestry and the role of storytelling as a means of passing along traditions, information, and lessons. Based on what they already learned about Native American oral tradition,...
Curated OER
Trade Trials Treaties
Fourth graders explore the trade relationships that existed in the late 1700's Colonial America. For this American history lesson, 4th graders examine English and Cherokee trade treaties by reviewing primary and secondary sources....
Curated OER
Who is Who in the Old West?
Students consider the backgrounds of those who settled the Old West. In this Westward Expansion activity, students participate in a simulation that requires them to role play miners, ranchers, Native Americans, Chinese, African...
Curated OER
How the West was Won? Conflict and Change on the Western Frontier
Seventh graders assess the conflict and change that occurred in the westward expansion following the Civil War. They list specific reasons why different groups moved west and the interaction between the "white" European civilization and...
Curated OER
The Adventure Begins: "Boys I Believe I Have Found a Gold Mine!"
Pupils view and discuss historical documents regarding Native Americans and Californians prior to the gold rush in the 1940's. They complete a variety of activities designed to show what they have learned from these sources and class...
Curated OER
Treaty Trail: Crossing the Bitterroot Mountains
High schoolers examine art and primary documents that depicts the Native Americans' crossing of Washington's Bitterroot Mountains to arrive at the Spokane Council. Students investigate and compare maps and other historical materials...
Curated OER
Exploring the Plant History of Canyon de Chelly
Students research native and conventional plants in Canyon de Chelly and surrounding area. Students collect, draw, and write about a variety of plants through research. In the descriptive writings, students include a brief history of...
Curated OER
Tapokadooa: How the Dawes Act Affected Northern Paiute Children's Lives
Students investigate the Dawes Act and understand its effects on the Paiute Indians. In this Paiute lesson, students recognize that many Native Americans lost their land and money after the Dawes Act. Students dissect a worksheet for...
Curated OER
Breathing New Life into Old Traditions
Students investigate the role of ceremonies and other traditions of Native American cultures. They research various Native American nations and create posters that visually depict their research.
Curated OER
Migration and Immigration in the United States: Three Case Studies
Students examine the early migration of Native Americans, African Americans, and the British Colonists. They conduct Internet research, complete a timeline, label maps, compare/contrast the three groups' experiences, and write an essay.
Curated OER
Children of Clay
Fourth graders identify and interpret the Pueblo Native American culture and history and comprehend their folklore and songs. They also create their own piece of pottery with clay and write a myth about the piece of pottery they made....
Curated OER
Mississippian Gardens
Students research and plan a Mississippian garden. In this Native American history instructional activity, students work in groups to research crops used by Native Americans in the Mississippian Period and use the information to...
Curated OER
Exploring Pottery Techniques
Students examine Native American pottery. In this visual arts lesson, students analyze burnished and glazed clay pots. Students study how to create pots from online sources and respond to questions about the process. Extension activities...
Curated OER
Inference By Analogy
Students infer the use or meaning of items recovered from a North Carolina Native American site based on 17th-century European settlers' accounts and illustration.
Curated OER
Pottery Making: The Coil Method
Students discuss the history of Native American pottery in North Carolina. They explore the coil method of making pottery and make their own creations implementing the coil method. They can allow the pots to dry or have them kiln-fired.
Curated OER
Prehistoric Indians
Fourth graders identify the four Native American groups of Wisconsin. They compare the four groups through discussion and list the four groups with their tools, food, shelter, and time period.
Scholastic
Make a Mini Mayflower
Students discover the importance and history behind the Thanksgiving feast. Using walnut shells and toothpicks, they construct models of the Mayflower and simulate giving them to the Native Americans for helping the Pilgrims survive.