Website
Other

African American Pioneers: Richard Allen

For Students 9th - 10th
This page from Afgen.com contains the life history of Richard Allen. Richard was the founding bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Teachers: Women P Ioneers in American Memory

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This is an online resource from the Library of Congress discussing Women Pioneers. Includes some audio and internal links for more information.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Pioneer Values in Willa Cather's My Antonio

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The objective of this site is to guide students through a self-directed exploration of pioneer life in reference to the book, "My Antonio." Students will have an opportunity to work on combining the study of history and literature...
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Masculine Heroes: James Fenimore Cooper

For Students 9th - 10th
This brief biography of James Fenimore Cooper highlights his life as an author who was able to incorporate politics, wilderness and Native Americans into fictitious novels. Click on "James Fenimore Cooper Activities" for related materials.
Website
Rutgers University

Blueprint for Change: The Life and Times of Lewis H. Latimer

For Students 9th - 10th
An extensive look at the inventor, Lewis Latimer, from the Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University. Read essays about his life and inventions, the culture in Boston which encouraged his work, and his life outside his inventions. A...
Website
Scholastic

Scholastic: Bring Hispanic Heritage Month to Life: A Collection of Resources

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Celebrate diversity with this collection of ideas to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, including lesson plans, authors, pioneers, and more.
Unit Plan
Nebraska Studies

Nebraska Studies: Building a Sod House

For Students 9th - 10th
Here's great information on building sod houses. You can even watch a video of a famous two-story sod house that stood until 1967.
Handout
Oklahoma Historical Society

Oklahoma State: Nathaniel Pryor

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the life of Nathaniel Pryor, and American explore who participated in the Lewis and Clark expedition and served as a captain in the war of 1812.
Handout
Patsy Stevens

Garden of Praise: Walter Reed: Physician

For Students 9th - 10th
The Garden of Praise profiles the life of Dr. Walter Reed (1851-1902), whose pioneering work in yellow fever research made the connection between insects and the transmission of disease. Text is geared toward younger students.
Lesson Plan
Yale University

Yale New Haven Teachers Institute: The American Family in Literature

For Teachers 6th - 8th
What is the objective of this "American Family in Literature" unit? This site uses "Farmer Boy" and "Nobody's Family Can Change" to explore differences in families. The resource includes rationale and activities to help get this point to...
Unit Plan
Have Fun With History

Have Fun With History: Pioneers and the Frontier

For Students 9th - 10th
Learning module with a variety of video and other resources on the expansion westward as pioneers settled new frontier in the 1800s.
Unit Plan
Cengage Learning

An Introduction to the Life and Writings of Willa Cather

For Students 9th - 10th
This website is an attempt to give a comprehensive introduction to Cather's (1873-1947 CE) life and work. Aside from an introduction to the body of work, it includes a short biography, an extensive bibliography, an overview of the...
Handout
Energy for Sustainable Development

Esd Bulgaria: Kids & Energy: Energy Pioneers: Lee De Forest

For Students 9th - 10th
A profile of Lee de Forest who lived from 1873 to 1961. He was one of the most important inventors of radio and electronic technology, whose inventions touch everyday life.
Interactive
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Texas Ranch House

For Students 3rd - 8th
What was it like to be a cowboy in 1867? Visit the Cooke Ranch and explore a cowboy's working and dwelling quarters. Play the interactive games to learn about the many aspects of daily life in the American West. (Click "Interactive...
Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park: Sidney Bechet

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover more about the life of jazz pioneer Sidney Bechet with this well written site. With his colorful personality and unique style, you will appreciate the contributions this musician had toward the development of jazz.
Lesson Plan
Yale University

Yale: Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Journey of Discovery

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This site features three novels and uses them to show students that reading can be fun and useful. Students and teachers will benefit from this informative resource.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Westward Expansion and Reform

For Students 3rd - 8th
Part of a longer time line describing the history of the American West, this section covers the period 1829 to 1859 with hyperlinks to stories and people of this time period.
eBook
Blackdog Media

Classic Reader: "Two Pioneers" by Elia W. Peattie

For Students 9th - 10th
Elia W. Peattie wrote about life in the West. "Two Pioneers" recounts the tale of a priest who makes friends with a "lady of the night". Read the full text on this site.
Lesson Plan
Varsity Tutors

Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Willa Cather Lesson Plans

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Check out this informative resource to learn more about this famous author. This site features links to several other sites dedicated to Willa Cather's life and work.
Activity
Other

Historic Trails: Oregon/california Trails

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find a map of the Oregon Trail and California Trail and click Historical Trails tab to discover the hardships and daily grind of traveling on the Oregon Trail.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Archie Shepp

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the life of Archie Shepp, African American tenor saxophonist, composer, dramatist, teacher, and pioneer of the free jazz movement.
Website
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: Lewis Howard Latimer

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an excellent biography of Lewis Howard Latimer. It discusses his joy of learning throughout his entire life, and also includes additional links to help illustrate the topics presented.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Reading Writing & 'Rithmetic in the One Room Schoolhouse

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Comparing and contrasting are skills that are utilized in this lesson plan. Teacher resources and detailed activities will help the learners learn about the schools in early America.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Political Activism in the Progressive Era: Becoming Helen Keller

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the life and political activism of Helen Keller, one of the 20th century's human rights pioneers, in the AMERICAN MASTERS documentary Becoming Helen Keller. Utilizing video, discussion questions, teaching tips, and a...