Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Introduction to the National Archives

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study the national archives through both images AND visiting the site. This is meant to provide them with an understanding of what documents are important to the U.S. and why (i.e. Declaration of Independence, etc...).
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Primary Source Archive: All History Is Local

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore personal, local, state, and national history. In this historiography lesson, students search the Library of Congress digital collections for primary sources regarding their family histories framed in local, state, and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Where the Books Are

For Students 7th - 10th
The news is full of interesting stories and ideas shared in an informational style. Readers use the provided who, what, when, where, and why questions as they explore an article about a man who is passionate about archiving physical...
Lesson Plan
3
3
Alabama Department of Archives and History

"Scottsboro Boys": A Trial Which Defined an Age

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Here's a must-have resource. Whether your focus is racism, the Great Depression, the "Scottsboro Boys" trial, or part of a reading of To Kill A Mockingbird, the information contained in the seven-page packet will save hours of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Dream

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students define the American dream. For this primary research lesson, students search the Library of Congress digital collections for primary sources regarding the ideal of the American dream.  Students create presentation to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

More Amazing Americans: A WebQuest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners research amazing Americans using America's Library. In this American heroes lesson, students identify criteria for amazing Americans. Learners copy and paste text and graphics from websites to use in their own documents....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Denial on Trial

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What is the "Faurisson Affair”? What is “Holocaust Revisionism”? What does freedom of speech entail? Do revisionists have a right to voice their ideas? Such questions are at the heart of a richly detailed, thought provoking lesson...
Lesson Plan
Education World

Edible Resource Maps!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars discuss resource maps and examine examples from library resources. Working in groups, they create edible resource maps by drawing examples, such as popcorn on the border of Iowa and Nebraska. Then they use cookies in the...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Not 'Indians,' Many Tribes: Native American Diversity

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore what they thought they knew about "Indians." They examine the Hopi, Abeneki and Kwatiutl tribes in a game-like activity using archival documents.
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Jefferson's Legacy: A National Library

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Young scholars examine the creation of the Library of Congress. They investigate reasons why Thomas Jefferson sold his personal collection to the Library. Employing various research resources, students write newspaper articles about the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Path of the Black Death

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze maps, firsthand accounts, and archival documents to trace the path and aftermath of the Black Death. Connections between the plague and changes adopted by the ruling class are explored in this lesson plan.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Women's Equality: Changing Attitudes And Beliefs

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students analyze archival materials contemporaneous with the birth of the Women's Rights Movement, and begin to appreciate the deeply entrenched opposition the early crusaders had to overcome. They discuss whether or not such attitudes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Little Rebellion Now and Then Leads to Archival Material

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students examine the American Revolution and the Articles of Confederation. They, in groups, participate in different activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Message Drafted by General Eisenhower in Case the D-Day Invasion Failed

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss how much effort and planning would therefore be needed to plan a secret invasion such as D-Day. They use library and Internet resources to find out what strategies were employed on D-Day and what the results of D-Day were.
Interactive
US National Archives

Inaugural Quiz!

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Inauguration Day is a time-honored tradition to celebrate the transition between presidential inaugurations. How much do you know about the history of the ceremony itself? High schoolers test knowledge about Inauguration Day with an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Play Ball

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the history of baseball in Brooklyn. They read a shared reading about the history of baseball in Brooklyn and respond to an archival picture of an early baseball game. They write two "teacher questions" for the class to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biography -People Who Have Made A Change In Our Lives

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students create biographies about famous people. They use the library and the Internet to find pictures and information about the person they choose. They create a Kid Pix slide show and a poster.
Activity
PBS

1000 Words

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
A picture really can speak a thousand words—no matter how old! Scholars become history detectives as they learn how to analyze historical photos and evidence to uncover the past. The fun hands-on activity makes history come alive through...
Lesson Plan
1
1
University of California

Principles vs. Practices

For Teachers 10th Standards
Have you ever wondered what your own World Order would look like? Scholars use primary and secondary documents as well as video clips to investigate and analyze the Cold War. Using the sources, the principles and practices of nations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction of Primary Sources

For Teachers 1st
First graders create two personal artifacts to add to a primary source shoebox that represents information about themselves. The first draw a self-portrait then build an artifact from Play-Doh and pipe cleaners to represent something...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Worksheet for Analysis of a Poster

For Students 8th - 12th
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students respond to 25 short answer questions that require them to analyze the provided poster from the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lead Stories about Confederation Lesson 5

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students identify what a lead story is and how to write one, for their simulated newspaper, about Confederation. They use primary-source documents from the "EvidenceWeb" portion of the Learning Centre, on the Library and Archives Canada...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Making of a Spy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the life of a woman spy for the Union. They study archival photographs of Pauline Cushman and examine her life. They create a key with symbols representing her activities (e.g., a baby bottle for her birth in 1833 in New...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fabulous Firsts in African American History

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students study fascinating firsts and facts and answer questions about African American history. They demonstrate abilities to research information about African American history using Internet or library sources. Finally, they use the...