Curated OER
Creating an Ethnic Student Newspaper
Students examine the role of the Black Press. In this African American history lesson, students watch segments of a video titled, " Too Long to Have Others Spoken for Us." Students respond to discussion questions regarding each of the...
Curated OER
"Lost Boys of Sudan" Lesson Plan - Lost Childhoods:
Students analyze the connection between history and identity, explore what is gained and what is lost in learning a new culture, and develop a working definition of the word refugee.
Curated OER
Ghosts of Rwanda Pre-Viewing Lesson Plan
Students watch a film about the history of Rwanda and discuss the meaning of genocide. They study the basic principles of the United Nations and examine how point of view effects the reporting of history.
Curated OER
The Ethics of Outsourcing to China
After viewing clips from a documentary on factory work in China and US outsourcing, learners have a fishbowl discussion. They work in groups to build both personal points of view and strong arguments on the effects of outsourcing in...
Curated OER
A Recipe For Democracy - The Delicious Taste of Choice
Children can conduct a mock senate after completing these Declaration of Independence and Constitution lesson plans.
Curated OER
The Westward Movement
Students study the westward movement through examining stamps. In this westward movement lesson plan, students draw conclusions, determine cause and effect relationships and examine the westward movement of the United States by...
Curated OER
We Have a Dream
Learners work as partners to study Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech. For this African American history lesson, students work with their cross-grade partner to study, understand, and memorize the speech. Learners meet with...
Curated OER
Films Legends
Students watch and discuss films. In this video viewing lesson plan, students watch a film related to a different topic every Friday. Students watch these films in order to encourage discussion and Internet research. Suggested film...
Curated OER
War Stories
Students watch the film "The Perilous Fight: America's World War II in Color". Using the film, they work together to develop proper interview questions to use while talking to World War II veterns. After the interview, they research...
Curated OER
To Live
Learners explore Chinese life during the Cultural Revolution. They read and discuss a brief historical essay on 20th century China as well as viewing a fictionalized film account of the time period titled, "To Live". They write a...
Curated OER
Stories of Life in Canada
Students examine Canadian history through William Kurelek's artwork. In this art analysis lesson, students discuss the ideas expressed in the picture book A Prairie Boy's Winter and A Prairie Boy's Summer. Students view the film Kurelek,...
Indiana University
British Literature Restoration Unit: The Pillow Book – Sei Shonagon
First drafted in the year 996, The Pillow Book contains reflections of those met by a lady-in-waiting in the Japanese court. A brief summary, historical context, and discussion questions are provided on the first two pages. Then, two...
National Gallery of Canada
Make a Pinhole Camera
Introduce your class to photography by asking them to construct their own pinhole cameras. After putting together their own devices, pupils take and develop pictures and analyze the results. The plan provides step-by-step instructions...
Curated OER
Ancestors in the Americas: Lesson One
Students 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 filmed. ...
National First Ladies' Library
E.T. Phones Home: The History of the Telephone
Students create illustrated timelines of the telephone's history. In groups, they research 25-year sections beginning in 1876. Once each group has completed their portion of the timeline, they are all assembled to create one banner.
Curated OER
Some Ways to Integrate Trade, the "Missing Link" into Ancient History
Ninth graders examine the importance of trade in the Mediterranean Sea. In groups, they create a chart of the items that were most popular in the late Bronze Age and where they originated. To end the instructional activity, they read...
Curated OER
Personal Stories of the National Parks
Students explore historical information about U.S. national parks using the stories of Edward and Margaret Gehrke as a primary source document. In this United States geography, history, and literacy lesson, students view the diary...
Curated OER
Growing up in Las Vegas; Memories of Childhood in the Neon City
Students investigate the history of Las Vegas through conducting interviews. In this oral history activity, students locate and speak with older residents of Las Vegas in order to gain a better understanding of the city....
Curated OER
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Students reflect on the events that lead up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early 1960s. In this history lesson plan, students explore the conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union revolving around missiles in...
Curated OER
How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
Curated OER
Adopt a Constellation
Learners adopt a constellation and find detailed information about their constellation. In this constellation lesson plan, students use the web to find information about a constellation of their choice. They identify the history of the...
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Students bring rocks and minerals from home to investigate in the classroom. In this rocks and minerals lesson plan, students observe all the rocks and minerals brought into the class and answer 7 questions about the features of the...
PBS
President Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Policy Statesman or Bully?
Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....
Curated OER
The John Travolta Syndrome
Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. In this popular culture lesson plan, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history as well....