Curated OER
Freedmen's Bureau
Students examine the African American experience after they received their freedom after the Civil War. They complete a Mind Map, read and analyze a poem, and write a paragraph using key vocabulary words. They analyze the impact of the...
Curated OER
Pioneer Perspectives-Diverse Opinions on Westward Migration
Young scholars examine the Westward Migration and expansion of the United States from the perspective of a family migrating westward.  They analyze pictures, and in small groups write and present a script based on a photograph,...
Curated OER
Civil War
Historical poetry is lyrical in form and rich with content. After examining the differences between the Northern and Southern states before and during the U.S. Civil War, learners complete a Venn diagram and create an illustration of the...
Curated OER
Japanese Internment During World War II
Students identify, describe and discuss the reasons why Japanese-Americans were placed in internment camps and what life was like at these camps.  Then they write an unsent letter to a family member on the East Coast describing their...
National First Ladies' Library
Save the Animals: The Creation of the ASPCA
Students read Black Beauty and study the history of the founding of the ASPCA and learn about endangered species today. Then they write a short paper about the book, or on some aspect of the history of the ASPCA, and, after exploring the...
Curated OER
Life Processes
Students identify life processes and create their own creature. In this creative science instructional activity, students identify an organism's life processes and categorize them into groups. They then create their own creature and...
Curated OER
Breaking the Chains, Rising Out of Circumstances
Students research slavery in ancient Rome and compare and contrast it to slavery in the United States.  In this slavery lesson plan, students investigate the differences of slavery in different parts of the country, write a paper to...
Curated OER
Geography: Caribbean
Students research and view a video on the geography of the Caribbean.  In this Caribbean geography instructional activity, students go on an imaginary trip to the Caribbean and write postcards and letters telling of their trip. Students...
Curated OER
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Learners explore facets of the Cold War. In this Cold War history lesson, students research a Cold War event in order to write a news story about the events that features direct quotations and images.
Curated OER
Animal Life Cycle
Students conduct hands-on experiments.  In this life cycle lesson, students are able to observe a variety of animals as they travel through their life cycle (brine shrimp, mealworms, frog eggs and chicken eggs).  Students respond to what...
Curated OER
The Phone Bill Problem
Students write an equation for a linear function. For this algebra lesson, students collect data, plot it and graph it. They identify the equation of the graphed data and define the slope and y-intercept of the graph.
Learning to Give
Closing Ceremonies
Promote volunteerism in your art or writing classes. In this service learning lesson, middle schoolers create promotional materials that include photographs and newspaper articles based on their personal service experiences in local...
Curated OER
Hero Within
Young scholars interview a hero. In this heroes lesson, students read Number the Stars to begin a discussion about heroes and then create mind maps on each character. Young scholars pick a local hero and interview them and then write a...
Curated OER
Sculpting a Message: From the Counter-Reformation to the Present Day
Students discuss persuasive messages in art. In this art history lesson, students research 17th- century European sculptures to find the messages given. They create their own sculptures and write press releases to explain their art. 
Curated OER
Images of Children in Dorthea Lange's Photographs
Learners research the photographs of Dorthea Lange. In this visual art lesson, students look at photographs of children taken by Lange and answer several questions. They write or tell stories to explain what they think is occurring in...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Family Voices In As I Lay Dying
Learners analyze William Faulkner's 'As I Lay Dying' and his use of multiple voices. For this William Faulkner lesson plan, students analyze Faulkner's use of multiple voices in narration. Learners examine the Bundren family through the...
Curated OER
Ninteenth Century Women: Struggle and Triumph
Young scholars examine the role of women in US society during the 19th century and how this role evolved and changed in time. They then write a persuasive letter that domonstrates their comprehensin of the subject.
Curated OER
A Different Drummer
Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau.  In this philosophical traditions lesson plan, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work,...
Curated OER
Classroom Ethics/Means & Ends
Students explore different aspects of ethics. In this ethics lesson, students ponder the idea of ethics, and the concepts of the ends and means and action justification. Students will write a reflective paper after a class discussion.
Curated OER
The Postbellum Period and Freemen
Students become familiar with the ways slaves reacted to educating themselves.  In this postbellum and freeman lesson, students complete readings from chapters in the book Up From Slavery.  Students write about the...
Curated OER
American Colonists Protest Song
Students explore the role of protest songs. In this early American history lesson, students research the acts passed by the British that angered colonists. Students then listen to protest songs from contemporary American history prior to...
Curated OER
Best Breakfast Authors
Third graders write a story. In this breakfast authors lesson, 3rd graders write about a breakfast food and why it is a good selection. Students may illustrate stories and share with their peers.
Curated OER
Corridos About the Mexican Revolution
Students explore the meaning behind Mexican corridos. In this Mexican Revolution lesson, students discover details about the war and its leaders as they read, analyze, and write their own corridos.
Curated OER
Word Search
Learners explore the alphabet by participating in a word activity. In this vocabulary review lesson, students practice manipulating letters in the alphabet to create five words and write them in their vocab journal. Learners complete a...