Curated OER
What Is the Role of the President in the American Constitutional Government?
Young scholars read about the role of the president. In this US government lesson, students read about the role of the president as stated in the US Constitution. Young scholars examine issues of presidential power and identify various...
Curated OER
Constitution Day: The 1965 Alabama Literacy Test
Tenth graders examine the United States Constitution. In this American Government lesson, 10th graders read excerpts from President Johnson's speech to Congress and parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. ...
Curated OER
What Does 'Post Racial' Mean, Anyway?
Eighth graders explore where they personally stand on a post-election continuum, spanning from euphoria to despair. In this American History instructional activity, 8th graders read and discuss an article immediately following the...
Curated OER
Our Unfinished Work
Young scholars investigate the racism elements after the election of President Barack Obama. In this racism lesson, students read a recent article about 'post-racial' society. Young scholars compile a list of achieving a post-racial...
Curated OER
Tale of Two Speeches
Students view and read portions of John F. Kennedy's Cuban Missile Crisis speech from October 22, 1962. Later in the year, students recall what they remember about the speech and use a Venn Diagram to compare it to Patrick Henry's...
Curated OER
Indian Removal
Fourth graders read The Trail of Tears and create a timeline to show the sequence of events that effected the Native American tribes during Andrew Jackson's presidency. In this Native American lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the...
Curated OER
Woodrow Wilson: Prophet of Peace
Students read and discuss various speeches by Woodrow Wilson, and write and present a brief radio address that will persuade the nation to return to world peace. Students analyze current events and discuss whether the world has upheld...
Smithsonian Institution
In His Own Words: George Washington Quotation Timeline
Students read and analyze a series of excerpts from George Washington's letters, journal, and speeches to match quotations to the event or date in his life. They identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative. They...
Curated OER
Slavery
Fifth graders complete a short unit on slavery and the U.S. Civil War. They read and analyze the book, "Follow the Drinking Gourd," compose their own secret song, complete an Abraham Lincoln crossword puzzle, and dramatize a historical...
EngageNY
Studying Conflicting Information: Varying Perspectives on the Pearl Harbor Attack, Part 1
Scholars read President Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech and analyze the speech's words using close reading guides. Readers determine Roosevelt's point of view after reading the speech and filling in the guides.
Curated OER
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Discuss the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt. This story, called "Franklin D. Roosevelt" by Laura Hamilton Waxman, is used to explore comprehension skills. Some of these skills include identifying prefixes and suffixes, making comparisons,...
Curated OER
The Election Is in the House: The Denouement
Students research the US Presidential election of 1824. They explain why the election of 1824 was decided in the House of Representatives. They summarize relevant portions of the Constitution on presidential election procedures.
Curated OER
The Drafts of the Declaration of Independence
Seventh graders compare drafts of the Declaration of Independence. In this primary source analysis lesson, 7th graders access copies of Thomas Jefferson's original draft of the document and compare it the final document that gave birth...
Curated OER
Assignment #10: Internet Scavenger Hunt
Test your learners' Internet research skills with this scavenger hunt. Of the twenty questions provided, scholars research ten and provide the answer, the URL, the search engine, and the keywords they used. While some of the questions...
Curated OER
USA Today: Global Awareness Edition
Bring global awareness into the classroom. Young politically minded learners read an article about the ban on arms sales to China and discuss political concerns about this issue. They research other embargos on foreign trade and use a...
Curated OER
Protesting within First Amendment Rights
Students research the First Amendment and what it says about the right to peaceably assemble as well as read in particular about those who were arrested or removed from an area for being disruptive during a protest on the War in Iraq....
Curated OER
Could the Civil War Been Avoided Through Compromise?
High schoolers determine whether the American Civil War could have been avoided. For this Civil War lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources to prepare to participate in a classroom debate that requires them to compromise...
Curated OER
Gettysburg: The Civil War's Costliest Battle
Young scholars research the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. In this Gettysburg lesson, students analyze journals and letters written by the Gettysburg soldiers. Young scholars define Civil War soldier vocabulary words. Students...
Curated OER
FDR's New Deal
Students explore the facets of the New Deal. In this Great Depression lesson, students research the New Deal and then create radio broadcasts that explain the New Deal to the American public.
Curated OER
President Who?
Fourth graders, through a question and answer game format, learn facts about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Manchester University
The History of the First Thanksgiving
First graders complete a project about the first Thanksgiving. In this history lesson plan, 1st graders read The Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving, answer comprehension questions, and complete a booklet about the first Thanksgiving.
Curated OER
Famous for a Day
Young scholars learn the present tense of the verb to be. They learn vocabulary to describe people and use words that modify adjectives. They ask and answer questions and write about a celebrity.
Curated OER
"Police Action": The Korean War, 1950-1953
Young scholars investigate facts about the war in Korea in the 1950's and attempt to classify American foreign policy as a triumph or a failure. Why the U.S. became involved and the unpopularity of the war in America forms the focus of...
Curated OER
Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan
Students explore Lincoln's Reconstruction plan. In this Reconstruction lesson, students examine Lincoln's speeches and writings on bringing the country back together following the war.