Curated OER
May I Take Your Order, Please?
Pupils read a story, boil down that story to 5 to 7 key events, create a sequencing quiz to go with the story and have their classmates take the quiz. They will the strategy of sequencing by reading various stories (that they are not...
Historical Thinking Matters
Social Security: 3 Day Lesson
What does social security reveal about the political and social culture of the 1930s? After beginning with a brief introductory video on the impact of the Great Depression and how various Americans, such as Huey Long and Francis...
Historical Thinking Matters
Social Security: 5 Day Lesson
Did the New Deal fundamentally shift the role of the American government in the economy? Your class members will examine the interpretations of various historians in answering this question, and use a variety of primary and secondary...
Curated OER
Labor Day
Students examine the events which led to the observance of Labor Day as a national holiday, and analyze the role of labor unions in American history, past and present, through a variety of activities.
Curated OER
Memorial Day Fun
Young scholars research Memorial Day and complete activities about the day. In this Memorial Day lesson, students discuss the definition of the word 'memorial' to understand its meaning. Young scholars create flags for the day and listen...
Curated OER
What is Meant by Returning to Fundamental Principles?
What did the Founding Fathers mean by the importance of continually returning to fundamental principles? Your young historians will analyze a series of quotations illustrating the fundamental ideals and principles of the...
Smithsonian Institution
The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
Curated OER
Manners and Mores of Washington's America
Students explore the social policies of early America. In this etiquette lesson, students read George Washington's "110 Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation." Students identify expectations for their own...
Curated OER
Majestic Murals
Albert Bierstadt is a highly celebrated artist who was able to capture the beauty of the American landscape. The class will first learn how Bierstadt explored America during the 1800s and painted the majestic countryside. Then, they will...
Facing History and Ourselves
Why Little Things Are Big
Often our decisions are impacted by a fear of how others see us. That's the big idea in a two-day lesson that asks how false assumptions, how our fear of how others may see us, impact how we act. After watching a video about such a...
Curated OER
Celebrating Our Connections Through Water
Learners examine the role of water in ceremonies around the world. In this world history instructional activity, students explore how other cultures celebrate water. They create a Water Day for younger learners to participate in.
Curated OER
Going Greek
Third graders learn about the life of a young boy in Greece and all about his cultural heritage. Pupils gather information about the history, culture, and the many influences the ancient Greeks had on modern day society. Terrific video...
Curated OER
From the White House of Yesterday to the White House of Today
Students investigate the history of and the current state of the White House. They take a virtual tour of the White House and Monticello, explore various websites, and compare/contrast Monticello with the White House.
Curated OER
The Great Depression: An Oral History
Students examine the hardships experienced during the Great Depression through an oral history interview with person who lived through the event. Students transcribe their interviews and discover the contributions oral history can make...
Curated OER
Virtual Day in Archeology
Students use the internet to examine a day in the life of an archeologist. In groups, they discover what types of tools they use in the field along with the process of an archeological excavation. They complete a worksheet in which...
Curated OER
Law and Life in Two Ancient Societies
Students work in groups and compare/contrast Mesopotamian Law to Hebrew Law. They chart their findings on a chart to show a natural progression to answering questions about values in these two societies.
Virginia Department of Education
DNA Structure, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins
What is in that double helix? Explain intricate concepts with a variety of creative activities in a instructional activity that incorporates multiple steps to cover DNA structure, nucleic acids, and proteins. Pupils explore the history...
Curated OER
Cultural Comparisons Interview
Students interview a family member and give an oral report. In this oral history lesson, students create interview questions relevant to an American historical period. Students interview a family member and present an oral report to the...
Curated OER
Dad's Magnetic Personality
Students create a gift honoring Father's Day. In this Father's Day lesson, students examine the meaning of fatherhood and explore the history of this tradition. Students create a picture collage over a template of their father's initials.
Curated OER
Hands That Touch The Heart
Pupils create Valentine's Day hearts in this variation of a classic activity for the early-elementary classroom. The "hands that touch the heart" is a great gift that can be given to family, friends, or fellow students. A materials...
Curated OER
Valentines Roses
Students create bouquets of roses using tissue paper, pipe cleaners, masking tape, paint, and construction paper in this early elementary art lesson. A possible extension includes making Vlentine's Day cards to go along with the flowers.
Curated OER
Treaties
Third graders explore Canadian history by participating in a role-playing activity. In this First Nation treaties lesson, 3rd graders identify the difficulties the Aboriginals faced when dealing with early European settlers. Students...
Curated OER
Treaties
Second graders explore Canadian history by investigating the First Nations. For this Aboriginal treaty lesson, 2nd graders identify the specific agreements made between European settlers and Aboriginals which caused the formation of...
Curated OER
Personal Stories and Primary Sources: Conversations with Elders
Learners learn from their elders. In this oral and social histories lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the America in which their grandparents grew up. Learners conduct interviews with elders in...