Unit Plan
Curated OER

Speeches on the Not-So-Big Screen

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine American speeches. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students explore the emotional context of historical periods as they analyze "The Gettysburg Address" and "I Will Fight No More Forever" speeches.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create Your Own Native American Board Game

For Teachers K - 5th
Young scholars are asked to identify different parts of the Monopoly game. They discuss the different tokens, the play money, the houses, and the different places. Students are asked to hypothesize why the creator of the game, Charles...
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Executive Order 9066: Japanese-American Internment

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students analyze conditions under which sections of United States Constitution are superceded, research history of Native Americans, African Americans, and Japanese Americans, and debate policy of reparations for various minority groups...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Indians

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the American Indians and the music from their culture. They discuss the music of American Indians and compare that music with the music that we listen to today. Students create rainstick and perform their own...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Story of Sitting Bull

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students complete activities with the book The Story of Sitting Bull by Jeffrey A. Rucker. For this literature lesson, students review new vocabulary and practice finding capital letters. They read the story, answer...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indian Heroes And Role Models

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the concept of heroes and role models within the Native American community. They use primary and secondary resources to answer specific questions intended to bring the students to a definition of Native...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Great American Desert

For Students 5th - 6th
In this American deserts worksheet, students study the images and read the passages to learn about the 6 divisions in the American landscape: the Eastern lowlands, the Flood Plain, the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Navajo Sand Paintings

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Research the use of sand paintings in the Navajo tribe. Your students work together to design their own sand painting. They share their creation with the class describing what the symbols mean.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eastern Woodland Indians

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research the Eastern Woodland Indians in this instructional activity. They list the tribes and write a description of the physical environment. They list examples of the types of food, clothing, transportation,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folktales: "The Storytelling Stone"

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Pupils create a folktale after finding out the importance of folktales in different cultures.  In this folktales instructional activity, students determine the definition of a folktale and read a "The Storytelling Stone." ...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Reading: Chief Seattle

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this reading a speech worksheet, students read the words of Chief Seattle from 1857. Students analyze the words in bold type and answer 6 multiple choice questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

First Nations Contributions

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders recognize the contributions made my Indigenous people around the world. In this research skills lesson, 11th graders research native peoples of several countries and create presentations that feature the contributions of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Revolution

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read about the Revolutionary War.  In this history lesson, 5th graders review what they know about the the Revolutionary War in order to identify British and American leaders.  Students read a chapter from their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waste, Then and Now

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discuss and compare the waste disposal habits of today with those of Native Americans of long ago.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Place Names

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students investigate the meaning of various Native American names. In this Native American language lesson, students locate state names that come from Native American descriptions and mark them on a map. Students then suggest a name for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ute Indians: Past and Present

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the history of the Ute Indians. For this Ute Indians lesson, 4th graders complete a KWL chart about Ute Indians and read the online Ute Indian Fact Sheet. Students study examples of Ute culture, where the Ute Indians...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conflict On The Plains

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the culture and lifestyles of the Lakota Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne tribes. They use a variety of resources for research. They create questions based on information to be used during classroom discussion...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ann Arbor Growth & Immigration

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders describe some of the factors that brought early settlers to Ann Arbor. They read Narrative-A Trip from Utica, New York, to Ingham County, Michigan in 1838. As an added challenge, 3rd graders can use maps to track Silas...
Unit Plan
University of California

The Cold War (America)

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The Cold War—with its roots in World War II—impacts the world today. Using an extensive curriculum, scholars consider its impact through primary sources, including speeches and propaganda, as well as other skills-enhancing activities. An...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kernels of Wisdom: Investigating Natural Variations in Corn

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Here is a brain-popper! Corn, or more appropriately, maize, was intentionally domesticated by humans around 9,000 years ago and over a period of hundreds to thousands of years! Genetics and botany researchers have collaborated to find...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Music and Dance Activity

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners demonstrate keeping steady beat through practice exercises and stepping to the beat using instruments such as conga drums, tambourines and rhythm sticks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buffalo Hide

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research the traditional Lakota tipi (teepee) and compare types of homes used in the past with those used today. They design and construct an accurate model of a tipi.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Feral Cats

For Students 6th - 9th
In this geography worksheet, students identify the feral cats of Australia. They read an excerpt and respond to the three questions that follow. Students also imagine that they are a part of scientific team that has been set up to deal...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fur Trading

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners take on a role such as a farming community, hunting community or a trading post. They decide which products they focus on and then trade with the other groups.