Curated OER
Cotton Production and Milling
Students examine cotton production and milling. They compete in a hand-ginning contest to realize how difficult it was to separate the seeds from the fibers of cotton. They discuss why Eli Whitney's cotton gin was an important invention.
Curated OER
Native American
Students investigate how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples. They comprehend that Europeans had misconceptions about Native American literacy...
Curated OER
Senate Debate on Scientific Racism
Students analyze the arguments around scientific racism. They collect data on the views of eugenicists and its opponents.
Curated OER
Afro-Caribbean Americans and the Sugar Economy
Pupils read the narrative, Caribbean Immigration and examine how sugar production and migration of people of African origin have been intertwined for centuries. Working in three groups, they present oral reports on the three eras of the...
Curated OER
Lue Gim Gong and the Development of the Frost Resistant Orange
Fourth graders read about Ben Franklin's invention and talk about other inventions they have heard about. They listen to the book about Lue Gim Gong and discuss what he had to go through at first when he came to America and chart the...
Curated OER
John Lawson's Emigration Impact: Review Writing and Answer Questions
Middle schoolers review the writings of John Lawson. Using his writings, they read comments about them to determine how his writings might have affected emigration to America. They answer discussion questions and share their answers...
Curated OER
Fort at No. 4 History
Students examine the history of Fort No. 4 in New Hampshire before visiting the site. They identify key events and people that occured at the fort as well. They complete questions and teach them to their group.
Curated OER
Through The Looking Glass
Students examine the time period of westward expansion. In groups, they use the internet to research the reasons why people moved west during the 1800s. They write their own narratives playing the role of a member of a pioneer family...
Curated OER
"Exploring U.S. Motives Behind WWII Imprisonment and Deportation of German, Japanese, and Italian Latin Americans"
Students research and examine the secret Special War Problems Division program in Latin America and discuss the impact of the program on civil and human rights. They assess the motives for the program and explore various quotes from that...
Curated OER
How Things Fly
Students observe photographs of selected twentieth-century aircraft at the National Air and Space Museum and note differences in the design of aircraft wings, fuselages, and engines.
Curated OER
How Things Fly
Students, by drawing on their own experiences, discuss and examine the basic physics of flight. They participate in a variety of activities regarding flight.
Curated OER
Pictures Telling Stories
Learners see the importance of primary sources in the study of history, but also the limitations of relying only on primary sources of taking the money, as it were, at face value.
Curated OER
Primary Sources
Learners write personal facts on a photograph of themselves to create a Primary Source. They then define Primary Source and list examples as a class of places where they could find primary sources. They also discuss the importance of...
Curated OER
Evaluating the "Save the Indian" Reforms
High schoolers explore the policies of the "Save the Indian" reforms. Working in groups, they review the motives, methods, and effects of the "Save the Indian" campaign of the late 19th century. Through discussion and writing, they form...
Curated OER
Money Talks
Students move from fact finding to interpretation as they examine paper money from the time of the American Revolution. In the final exercise, they use the issue dates of the bills to construct a chronology of political changes during...
Curated OER
Lambert Castle Museum, Great Falls, NJ
Learners complete a variety of activities that go along with the study of the 1913 silk strike in Great Falls, NJ. They examine evidence of historic industries and how they have changed in their own community.
Curated OER
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages of looking at a historical event from the multiple points of view of...
Curated OER
God's Life
Students explore the Huichole culture. They create a craft that is typical of the Huichole culture. Students partake in a variety of traditional Spanish foods and music. They use Spanish vocabulary while creating their craft.
Curated OER
Baga Drum
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson plan, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design...
Annenberg Foundation
Taming the American West
Have you ever seen a movie about the romance of the American West with its buffalo, horses, cowboys, and endless frontier? The 13th installment of a 22-part series on American history presents the myths associated with the American West....
Curated OER
Jack-O-Latern Lesson
Have a Happy Halloween and build strong oral language skills. Special needs Pupils functioning at a moderate level can practice sequencing, writing lists, and using oral language by explaining how they carve a pumpkin.
Curated OER
Golden Door Book
Students use the Golden Door as a theme to search for historical and aesthetic content. They create a paper collage containing relevant images, text and expressions.
Curated OER
Tough Decisions
Students research a complex question. They work together to form hypothesis and research the question and analyze the data. They present their "decision" to the class based on their work.
Curated OER
All Access Spotlight: U2
Students listen to songs from the group U2 to examine civil rights issues.