Curated OER
How Did the Other Half Live?
Students study the conditions under which immigrants lived. They determine what it means to make it in America. They observe the connection between immigration and unionization and how immigration changed the City of New York. They...
Curated OER
Life in THE JUNGLE
Students discuss problems immigrants may have when coming to a new country. They take on the role of a law maker from the era and create an action plan and policy based on samples they read (links provided). Students discuss ways their...
Curated OER
Paying With Their Health
Students consider the plight of immigrant workers. In this undocumented immigrant lesson, students compare the worker of the Industrialization era to the undocumented immigrant workers of today. Students read and discuss literature about...
Curated OER
Home Bound
Students consider the detainment of students by the Immigration and Naturalization Service and, imagining that they are detained Students, compare and contrast what life as a child is like in their homelands versus in I.N.S. custody.
Curated OER
Immigrants to Kansas: Why Did They Come
Students explore U.S. History by researching Kansas. In this immigration lesson, students discuss the benefits of immigrating to a state like Kansas in the 1800's while writing their thoughts and research in a reporter's notebook....
Curated OER
History Lesson 10: Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Students consider the rights of illegal immigrants. For this illegal immigration lesson, students analyze the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe and determine whether illegal immigrants should have access to public benefits. Students...
Curated OER
The Changing Face Of America
Students explain historical and contemporary patterns of immigration to the United States. They observe immigrant markers in the cultural landscape and identify trends in population change in the local state and community.
Curated OER
Immigration to the Golden Land: Jewish Life in America
Young scholars examine Jewish life in America. In this social studies lesson, students read the article "We Shall Go to America" which features the experiences of Jewish immigrants in America. Young scholars respond to questions...
Curated OER
Multiple Perspectives
Third graders explore immigration. In this social studies lesson, 3rd graders read about immigration in the United States. Students compare and contrast immigrant communities.
Curated OER
State My Name
Students study the names of all fifty states, their capitols, location on a map, and an economic resource of each state. They complete a matching game activity.
Curated OER
Unit Plan Template
Use this U.S. History unit plan as a template for creating your own! Simply download the resource and edit the text fields with your own customized unit plan. This is a great jumping-off step, especially for newer teachers.
Curated OER
Ancestors in the Americas: Lesson One
Young scholars are introduced to the characteristics of documentaries and making films. Individually, they write their own proposal for an idea of a documentary making sure to identify the point of view of which it is going to be...
Smithsonian Institution
Borders and Community: Early 20th Century Chicago Neighborhoods and Ethnic Enclaves
Chicago is one city, four neighborhoods, and countless nationalities. The instructional activity explores the ethnic division of Chicago in the early twentieth century. Academics read primary sources, analyze maps, and tour an online...
PBS
Stereotypes vs. Statistics (Grades 4-8)
Stereotypes can be painful if they are used to discriminate against others. Statistics, however, can be helpful in dispelling myths propagated by stereotypes. Using a thoughtful lesson plan, scholars complete graphic organizers...
Curated OER
Coming to America
Students examine the various cultures of the immigrants who came to America. Using the internet, they research various ethnic and cultural groups within the United States. They identify the reasons why people immigrated to the U.S. and...
All for KIDZ
The Orphan of Ellis Island
Everyone comes from somewhere. An interdisciplinary lesson on Elvira Woodruff's The Orphan of Ellis Island includes discussion starter and writing prompts for the novel, as well as a graphic organizer to help learners begin their...
PBS
Stereotypes vs. Statistics (Grades 9-12)
What is a common stereotype people may think about you; is it true? Using a thought-provoking lesson plan, high schoolers analyze common stereotypes of the Latino-American population versus statistical data. Scholars review...
Curated OER
How Big is Big?
Geography learners compare and contrast population densities throughout the world. Using maps, they estimate the relative size of the world's regions and populations. They develop analogies to discover the world they live in and...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
American Stories: Extra Support Lessons (Theme 2)
Here's a packet designed especially for those kids who need extra support with the basic concepts in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt thematic units on American stories.
Penguin Books
Teacher's Guide: When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
Julie Otsuka's haunting novel, When the Emperor Was Devine, is the subject of a 14-page teacher's guide. The guide includes the text of an interview with Otsuka, background information about Japanese immigration to the United States, and...
Curated OER
Opportunity and Discrimination, A Dream of Gold
Students focus on what it means to be a citizen of the United States and why the Chinese Exclusion Act is important when considering the concept of racism.
Curated OER
An International Dinner Table
Students investigate the origins of several crops eaten in the United States today. The facto0rs that influence consumer choices and the influences on the American population as to eating preferences are discussed in this lesson.
Curated OER
Pizza and the Economy
Young scholars become aware of the history behind pizza and how it was adapted to the economic and geographic conditions of the United States. They have a basic understanding of the concepts of supply and demand.
Curated OER
Second Graders Create Their Own Social Studies Book
Students develop their own social studies textbook. Students gain knowledge of American immigration and Ellis Island. Students discover the process of becoming a naturalized citizen and what it means to be a citizen