Curated OER
36 Public Policy Questions to Energize Your Government/History Classroom Debates
Need topics that are sure to engage your debaters? This list of public policy questions includes such topics as school mascots, regulation of major league baseball, physician-assisted suicide, and violence in video games. A great...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
What Brought Settlers to the Midwest?
Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...
Curated OER
MAPPING THE BLACK ATLANTIC
Students examine the geographic characteristics of Western and Central Africa, the impact of geography on settlement patterns, cultural traits, and trade. They compare political, social, economic, and religious systems of...
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How the West was Won? Conflict and Change on the Western Frontier
Seventh graders assess the conflict and change that occurred in the westward expansion following the Civil War. They list specific reasons why different groups moved west and the interaction between the "white" European civilization and...
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The Trading Post with the Most: Colonial Dorchester's Settlement and Economy
Eighth graders explore the Dorchester settlement, For this American colonial history lesson, 8th graders examine primary resources and maps from the Dorchester trading post in order to learn about its contributions to the...
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We Are Colony! Settlement Design
Middle schoolers explore government systems. In this colonial America instructional activity, students consider colonial settlement needs as they design settlements that can sustain themselves and meet the needs of colonists.
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Back To Africa
Students analyze the massive immigration after 1850 and how new social patterns, conflicts, and ideas of national unity developed amid growing cultural diversity, and how the Progressive movement influenced different groups in American...
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Cleveland May Gamble on Gambling
Students read articles, both pro and con, about a city proposing to approve gambling. They discuss the biases of the articles then interview parents and community members about the issue. They work in small groups to develop either a pro...
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Anasazi Basket Weaving
The Anasazi Indians of Mesa Verde are the focus of this art and social studies lesson. Working in pairs or groups of three, students utilize computers and go online to search for websites about the Anasazi. Students will choose two or...
Big History Project
Human Migration Patterns II
While humans have always been on the move, the period between 1400 and 1800 saw vast migrations of people between the East and the West. These migrations—whether through slavery or a desire to colonize new lands—shaped the modern world....
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Legends of the Navajo People
Second graders are read a story in which they begin to examine Native American legends. Using different legends, they discuss how they affected the future people of native peoples. They write a short story on the information they gathered.
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Latin American Colonial Diary
Students examine the class systems of New Spain. In small groups, they create a five-day diary about the family life, food, occupation, and government involvement of an assigned personality from the time of Colonial Latin America.
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Traditional Tribal Homelands of Washington's Plateau Nations
Students investigate the Plateau tribes. In this Native American lesson, students use a political map of Washington state to identify the location of the Plateau tribes. Students brainstorm the needs and wants of the tribes and use an...
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Timeline In Indian Education
Young scholars investigate the history of education for Native Americans. The roles of adults is the focus and how they delivered instruction to upcoming generations. Students focus upon the skill of oral tradition and write a summary of...
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Tribal Termination & Urbanization
Students are introduced to new vocabulary words associated with tribes and relocation. As a class, they listen to their teacher read an excerpt on tribal termination and urbanization. To end the lesson plan, they identify how this act...
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Kill the Indian, Save the Man!
Students investigate primary sources from Carlisle Indian School including letters and photographs. In this investigative lesson students answer questions about their research.
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Views of the American West: True or False?
High schoolers explain that a landscape painting may or may not accurately represent a specific place. They identify techniques that create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface.
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Bison Benefits
Third graders identify the role of the American bison in the life of the American Indians. They identify animals as natural resources. Students complete a class diagram identifying the parts of the bison and what they were used for.
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I Heard the Owl Call My Name
Eleventh graders write a two to three page paper addressing one of the following topics: Analyze the values and beliefs of the two conflicting cultures. Explain which values seem to dominate within the conflict and why. They brainstorm...
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Ethnic Groups of Utah
Young scholars investigate how ethnic minorities have impacted the State of Utah.
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Montana Tribes And Leaders
Third graders investigate the different indian tribes in the state of Montana. They conduct research to answer essential questions. The focus of the information gathering is concerning tribal government. Students create a graphic...
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Utah Indian - Future Changes
Fourth graders discuss and share ideas on how they think the Utah Indian tribes change in the future.
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Health Enhancement Traditional Games
Fourth graders participate in Tribal games. In this tribal nations lesson, 4th graders play games that help improve on the physical skills for survival, invention, and problem solving. They discuss what is needed for survival and how...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages of looking at a historical event from the multiple points of view of...