National Endowment for the Humanities
Women's Equality: Changing Attitudes And Beliefs
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...
Curated OER
Marching For Freedom
Students appreciate the sacrifices that people from across the country made to ensure that all citizens could exercise their constitutional right to vote. They access excellent websites and documents imbedded in this plan to guide their...
Curated OER
Commemoration of the Gettysburg Battlefield
High schoolers use a multimedia project, The Valley of the Shadow: Two American Communities in the Civil War, to create a presentation about the significance of the Gettysburg Address. They work on expert teams to explore the interactive...
Curated OER
History: Sherman's March to the Sea
Students analyze two sources. First, they will look at a letter written by Sherman to Grant as Sherman's army approached Savannah. Second, they will review the lyrics to the popular song of that period, Marching Through Georgia.
Curated OER
History: Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts
Students read a letter by Shaw to his wife after the Union raid at Darien, Georgia; then will draw conclusions about it. Students debate about the Emancipation Proclamation as well as the possibility of allowing blacks to serve in the...
Curated OER
Sorting Foods
A basic lesson on sorting awaits your charges. They sort a variety of foods while using the food pyramid, and identify the role of the food guide pyramid in helping people eat a healthy diet. Learners use an internet tool to apply their...
Curated OER
American Focus on World Constitutions
Eighth graders describe essential components of a constitution and cite cultural factors affecting international law-making.
Curated OER
Celebrating Benjamin Franklin
Students explore various websites featuring the life and achievements of Benjamin Franklin. They investigate Franklin's roles in colonial society as well as pictures of his various inventions. They view excerpts of historical documents...
Curated OER
Who Owns The Past?
Students research the validity and legality of ownership. Through the use of primary sources, web based and print media research, students become familiar with and evaluate the varying viewpoints regarding the...
Curated OER
Introduction to Indians and the First Thanksgiving
Students use yarn to create a timeline of the first Thanksgiving. After a class discussion, they view pictures of artifacts and Native Americans to identify the tools and items present during the first Thanksgiving. In groups, they...
Curated OER
What Can We Learn From Bones?
Pupils discuss what type of information they can gather from bones. In groups, they travel between stations in which they can view photos and listen to actual accounts of finding bones. They focus on the tools available to Native...
Curated OER
Project 1
Young scholars are given a coin to observe and make inferences about. Using a worksheet, they make two columns to list their observations and inferences in an organized manner. They develop a hypothesis based on one of the inferences...
Curated OER
Vocab Grabbing the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
Students identify concrete and abstract nouns in the preamble to the Constitution, and complete Frayer Model graphic organizers using history and current events as examples of American values. In this preamble lesson plan, students use...
San Antonio Independent School District
Breaking Down the Declaration of Independence
Are learners heavy sighing at the idea of reading a primary source, written in a language that is difficult to understand and in cursive? Look no further, because the resource breaks down the Declaration of Independence in an...
Advocates for Human Rights
Deliberative Dialogue
How do you create a classroom environment where hot button topics may be discussed in a respectful manner? As part of a series of lessons that focus on immigration issues, class members examine the rules for civil discussion before...
Curated OER
Discover Woodland Culture: Wisconsin Basic Pottery Techniques
Students take a field trip to a local woodland to find pieces of clay. Once they are back in the classroom, they dry the clay throughly and turn it in to clay slip. They watch a PowerPoint presentation on basic art terms and create...
Curated OER
The Atlatl System
Fifth graders are introduced to the atlatl system and how to test and control variables. In groups, they use the Internet to research how the system has changed over time. They test various variables and record their results in a graph...
Curated OER
Pre-European Cultures of the Upper Mississippi River Valley
Fifth graders locate the Mississippi River Valley on a map. In groups, they use the internet to research the prehistoric periods of this area. They also examine artifacts and pictures and place them into chronological order. They...
Curated OER
Exploration of Prehistoric Peoples of Illinois
Eighth graders begin their examination of the prehistoric period in Illinois. As a class, they discuss the role of archaeology in history and how it helps learn more about native peoples. After examining each period, they develop their...
Curated OER
Touch the Past: Archaeology of the Upper Mississippi River Region
Students examine the archeology of the Mississippi River Valley. Using the internet, they expand their research to include how the Native Americans in California used plants to meet their needs. They also research a Native American...
Curated OER
The Institutions of Government: The Judiciary
Learners explain the difference between tribal, state and federal sovereignty. Using the internet, they read Supreme Court cases that focus on Native American law. They compare and contrast the view of the case from the Native...
Curated OER
Tailoring Two Cultures to Adapt to Wisconsin's Biotic Zones
Middle schoolers examine the effect of the various ice ages on Wisconsin. In groups, they create a map representing the five geographic regions of Wisconsin. They must write out a description of each region to be placed on a poster...
Curated OER
Half-Life Lab
Learners participate in a lab in which they are introduced to carbon-dating. In groups, they use the holes of paper from a hole puncher and determine the rate of retention after shaking coins onto the same area. They record their...
Curated OER
American Focus on World Constitutions
Students describe demographic, economic, political and geographic features of the U.S., summarize events leading to the creation of the Constitution and describe the process of amending the Constitution.