Echoes & Reflections
Studying The Holocaust
While many young scholars are familiar with the Holocaust, they may not understand the specific history that led to the unprecedented atrocity. The first lesson in the unit helps teachers gauge their pupils' background knowledge. A...
Echoes & Reflections
The "Final Solution"
Nazi policies shifted from deportation and imprisonment to extermination of the Jewish people in death camps in the "Final Solution." Learners examine photos of artifacts, read poetry written by survivors, analyze testimony from...
Curated OER
The Legacy of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.
January is the birth month of a man who made an impact around the world. We can appreciate the legacy of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.
Curated OER
History and Culture of Greece
A study of the history of Greece can include research on individuals, such as Artistotle, that made this country famous.
Curated OER
Writing Exercises: The Gupta Empire I
Those studying the history of India and the legacy left by the Gupta Empire will have no problem answering these three short answer questions. Learners compose three short paragraphs describing the Gupta Empire, the historical population...
West Virginia Department of Education
Harpers Ferry Letters
Scholars write letters as if they were someone who heard the story of John Brown's raid. The resource, a standalone, covers information from primary sources that is important to West Virginian history: the Harpers Ferry Letters.
Curated OER
The Glory That Was Greece
After finishing a unit on Greek history, it's important to test how much learners remember. This handout provides six different essay topics related to Greek History, influences, Athenian Democracy, or Alexander the Great. A rubric is...
Curated OER
Exploring George Washington's Leadership
Learners examine primary documents to determine whether or not George Washington was an honest leader. In this presidential history lesson plan, students evaluate Washington's leadership prior to and during his presidency. Guided reading...
Curated OER
People Behind the Parks
Explore U.S. geography with your class by viewing a documentary. Show a portion of the Ken Burns documentary "The National Parks," and identify the individuals responsible for keeping the parks in order. Elementary and middle schoolers...
Alabama Learning Exchange
African American Civil Rights Movement
An excellent resource defines the African-American Civil Rights Movement from the early 1900s through the legacy left in modern times. Every major date, event, and key player is described under clear overarching categories. The NAACP,...
Center for Civic Education
The Power of Nonviolence: Rosa Parks: A Quest for Equal Protection Under the Law
Teach young historians about the historical legacy of Rosa Parks with a multi-faceted lesson plan. Pupils follow stations and use journals to explore prominent events, analyze primary resource documents, and engage in interesting...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
An African American Represents Alabama during Reconstruction
The era after the Civil War saw a flourishing of African Americans exercising their rights. Using graphic organizers and Internet research, pupils consider the legacy of Benjamin Sterling Turner, who sat in Congress. Afterward, they...
University of Pennsylvania
Mock Trial of Alfred Dreyfus
What if scholars based mock trials on history? The fourth installment of a five-part series on the Dreyfus Affair asks learners to read various pieces of evidence before conducting a mock trial for a French officer. Teams answer...
University of Pennsylvania
Decoding Propaganda: J’Accuse…! vs. J’Accuse…!
Reading snail mail is a great way to go back into history and to understand others' points of view. The resource, the second in a five-part unit, covers the Dreyfus Affair. Scholars, working in two different groups, read one letter and...
American Battlefield Trust
Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan
While Joshua Chamberlain's name is not as iconic as Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee, he still played a pivotal role in the military engagements of the Civil War. Using two secondary sources—including one that draws heavily from his...
Center for History Education
How Did the Public View Women’s Contributions to the Revolutionary War Effort?
Calling upon the legacies of Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, and Catherine the Great, Esther Reed rallied Southern women to support the American Revolution. Using a broadside by Reed and other primary sources, such as poetry, young historians...
Curated OER
Resolving Kennedy's Legacy
Eleventh graders investigate the medical condition that plagued John F. Kennedy throughout his life. In this US History instructional activity, 11th graders read and analyze uncovered documents in relation to Kennedy. Students write a...
Facing History and Ourselves
Continuing Lemkin's Legacy: What Can We Do to Prevent and Stop Genocide?
Young scholars investigate genocide. In this contemporary history lesson plan, students research Darfur advocacy organizations and present plans of action to stop the injustice in Darfur.
Curated OER
What the Romans Did for Us.
What things can we attribute to the ancient Romans? Check out each of these images to find out. There are 26 slides, each containing a single image of Roman legacy that can still be seen today. Architecture, art, libraries, cats, and...
Curated OER
Savannah, Georgia: The Lasting Legacy of Colonial City Planning
Young scholars explore colonial history, the antebellum era and the cotton economy and the rise of cities in the U.S.
Curated OER
Celebrating the Legacy of Ella Baker
Students research the life of Ella Baker and examine the importance of Civil Rights through citizen mobilization. In this rights lesson, students read the biography of Ella Baker and make suggestions of things to change in their own...
Curated OER
You Mean I Am Part of History?
Fourth graders open the lines of communication between family members and to gain a historical understanding about family history. They research and interview their grandparents and parents and create a research paper.
Speak Truth to Power
John Lewis: Non-Violent Activism
After comparing and contrasting non-violent and violent social movements, your young historians will take a closer look at the work and influence of John Lewis on the civil rights movement. They will then choose a current social justice...
American Institute of Physics
The Black Scientific Renaissance of the 1970s-90s: African American Scientists at Bell Laboratories
A two-part lesson plan asks young scientists to research the contributions of African American scientists at Bell Laboratories. After presenting their findings, class members watch two demonstrations that introduce them to total internal...