Curated OER
Latin American Colonial Diary
Middle schoolers examine the class systems of New Spain. In small groups, they create a five-day diary about the family life, food, occupation, and government involvement of an assigned personality from the time of Colonial Latin America.
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US & Iroquois Constitution Parallels
High schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concepts related to comparing the United States and Iroquois Indians while focusing upon the foundations of the ruling documents like the US Constitution. They conduct research...
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The Pocahontas Show
Eleventh graders complete background reading of Europeans and the Native American Indians. They work in groups and represent an area of European colonization and create a "character" to represent their colonists on a class talk show....
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Understanding Treaties: Students Explore the Lives of Yakama People Before and After Treaties
Students role play positions in the Walla Walla treaty negotiations. They identify the significance of the Sacred Circle and other beliefs of the Native Americans. They discover the complications the tribes faced after the treaties...
Curated OER
The Institutions of Government: The Judiciary
Students explain the difference between tribal, state and federal sovereignty. Using the internet, they read Supreme Court cases that focus on Native American law. They compare and contrast the view of the case from the Native...
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The Power of Journals: Going Beyond the Text
Eighth graders define and use new vocabulary and identify the reasons why Native Americans captured Europeans during the colonial period. They write their own journal entries about the topic and explain the importance of journals as a...
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Abenaki Indians: A Jigsaw Activity
Students work together to research the Abenaki Indians. They discover how the Native Americans lives where changed after contact with the Europeans. They compare and contrast the Indians and the Europeans and present their information to...
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Hoosier Artists
Students examine the paintings of various Indiana artists. Using the internet, they relate the landscapes shown to the history of the state and how it affected Native Americans. Using the information they gathered, they write story...
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Savvy in Sacramento
Students take a field trip to the state capital, Sacramento. Using the Internet, they explain the physical and human geographic features of the area and discuss interactions between the people of California between the time of explorers...
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Crater Creation
Students examine the Oregon state quarter and discuss how Crater Lake was formed-geologically and according to Native American legend. They practice making predictions and identifying the beginning, middle, and end of a story.
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Creating a Neighborhood Timeline
Students research information about their neighborhoods. Uncovering facts about geology and Native Americans, they examine how the neighborhood has evolved over time. They work together to create a timeline of specific events.
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We Were Here First
Students explore the legal and historical experience of native peoples living in the United States. They write a letter to their United States senator commenting on the Hawaiian bill using information gathered during their research.
Teacher Created Resources
Thanksgiving Coupon Book
Students create a Thanksgiving coupon book. For this holiday lesson, students review the history of Thanksgiving and create coupon books to give to someone who they are thankful for.
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Our Small World
Students explore indigenous and Native cultures, and promote appreciation for the contributions from these cultures. They explore the concept of cultural conservation and gain more understanding about the issues that tribes face today. ...
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Celebrate Sunflowers
Students skip count with sunflower seeds. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students discuss the history of sunflowers. Students count by 1's, 2's, and 10's with bags full of sunflower seeds.
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Football at Carlisle Indian School: A Tool for Assimilation?
Middle schoolers become familiar with procedures for helping Indians assimilate in the 1800's. In this history lesson plan middle schoolers explore how football helped Indians to assimilate in a positive way. Middle schoolers...
PBS
Primary Sources
Students see how to use primary and secondary sources to investigate history. Whether it is a photograph, book, map, letter, postcard, newspaper, or official document, students can use sources to reconstruct and relive history.
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Culture Box
Sixth graders are asked what is culture? They find out their family history and all the nationalities represented in their family. Students discuss their culture with the class. They create culture boxes with a design that integrates...
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Jim Thorpe's Bright Path
Students read about the life of Jim Thorpe and answer focus lessons about the book. In this Jim Thorpe lesson plan, students celebrate the American Indian culture and learn of the hardships Jim Thorpe overcame. Students find...
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The Oregon Trail
Fourth graders discover the significance of the Oregon Trail in Idaho history. In addition, 4th graders conceptualize the Oregon Trail in relation to their own lives. They engage in a wide variety of curricular activities, culminating in...
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Fossils Footprints Across Time
Students examine fossils to understand how they are formed and how they give information about geological history. In this fossil lesson, students research and write about fossils and make models of different fossil types.The PDF...
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Omaha Race Riot of 1919
Students analyze primary documents and images. Students organize and evaluate the causes and results of the Omaha race riot of 1919. Students study and recognize key personalities involved. Students relate history to certain quotes...
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California: Land and People
Fourth graders research information about some of California indigenous tribes to find out as much as possible about the first people found in the four regions of California. They research the history of a selected tribe and their...
Curated OER
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Students reflect on the events that lead up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early 1960s. For this history lesson plan, students explore the conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union revolving around missiles in...