Learners describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of rock, folk, blues, and country music. They identify two main musical roots of today's American popular music.

What were the driving forces behind American expansion in the nineteenth century, and what were its effects? Scholars watch a video, read biographies, engage in discussion, write journals and poetry, draw, and create a multimedia...

Fifth graders research the Underground Railroad. In this Underground Railroad instructional activity, 5th graders start a KWL chart about the Underground Railroad. Students use a map to locate slavery areas and free states. Students view...

Eighth graders explore the Underground Railroad.  For this American History lesson, 8th graders create a song about the railroad.  Students analyze various symbols used during the Underground Railroad. 

From stagecoach to railroad tracks, your class will discover how advancements in travel in the United States during the nineteenth century played an integral role in the industrialization and development of American society. The main...

In this social studies activity, 5th graders answer multiple choice questions about World War II, the transcontinental railroad, slavery, and more. Students complete 25 questions.

There's more to music than a memorable tune. The songs of those who were enslaved reveal the harsh realities of their lives. Using both songs and slave narratives, historians uncover this hidden history. The lesson incorporates a variety...

Students investigate the effects of time and distance for the creation of a successful railroad.  In this railroad lesson, students recognize the railroad's need for an exact time schedule was the cause for the creation of time...

Called the Eight Wonder of the World by some and the Big Ditch by others, the Panama Canal is indeed an engineering marvel. The long, complicated, and sometimes controversial history of the canal is captured in a presentation loaded with...

Some enslaved people decided to run for their liberation. Using lyrics of songs they sang, young historians look at these anthems of freedom. An assessment asks them to write the story of escape from the perspective of an enslaved...

Why did the Populist Party fail to ally itself with African American farmers? To answer this essential question, class members investigate the Populist Era (188-1900) and read an article written by Tom Watson, a Populist leader.

Your history students will be on the edges of their seats during this fascinating presentation, which details the abolition movement and slave life during the Antebellum period in the American South. Students will be left agape at the...

While canals are not the way to travel today, in the first half of the nineteenth century, they were sometimes the best way to move goods and people. Scholars examine primary sources, including maps and pictures, to investigate the role...

Author Faith Ringgold uses quilts to illustrate her books Tar Beach and Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad. For this integrated trio of activities, young scholars read stories, identify and create patterns, and design quilt squares of...

Here is a fabulous series of lesson plans on four of the most celebrated artists of the Old Western period in American history. Learners study the works of Charles King, George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran. The pack is...

Fourth graders research the history of Tallahassee using a Website and other materials to determine why the capital is where it is today. They organize the information on a timeline and investigate the "heart" of Florida.

In this history worksheet, students read a one page biography about Frederick Douglass. Students then answer 15 short essay questions about the text.

Eighth graders experience what it was like to flee from slavery on the Underground Railroad. They improve their understanding of the history of slavery in the US and become familiar with some of the people who fought to end slavery in...

Reading about history is nothing like experiencing it firsthand. Encourage your eighth graders to do the next best thing with a historical narrative prompt, in which they describe the experience of a first-time traveler on the...

First graders discuss Black History month and read a book about The Underground Railroad. In this history lesson plan, 1st graders discuss and answer questions as the book is read, and complete a worksheet about their feelings and...

Young scholars discover how the railroads contributed to the interdependence between farms and towns. Using the railroads, they describe the effect of them on western settlement and the relationship between their location and the...

Learners are introduced to the goals of abolitionists throughout history. In groups, they use the internet to discover the purpose of the Underground Railroad and why there were bus boycotts in the 1960s. They compare and contrast the...

Eleventh graders consider the impact of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, 11th graders examine primary documents as they conduct independent research to explore the role of the Underground Railroad during the fight for...

Sixth graders study the westward expansion and the role of railroad construction to the expansion. In this railroad history instructional activity, 6th graders complete KWL activity for the topic. Students view a PowerPoint about the...