EngageNY
Building Context for the Narrative: Slavery in America
Scholars use an Analyzing Images: Slavery in America handout to make predictions from pictures featuring slavery. They then discuss the pictures with partners. Learners further their thinking by close reading The Slave Trade and...
Smarter Balanced
Growth and Expansion of America
Despite the difficulty of travel, the US expanded significantly between the 1800s and the early 1900s. To prepare for a performance task assessment on the rapid expansion of the US in the 1800s, class members engage in a write-pair-share...
Curated OER
Abolition and the Underground Railroad in Essex County
Fifth graders investigate the end of slavery and the hidden paths slaves used to travel. For this U.S. history lesson, 5th graders examine the travel routes slaves used in Essex County known as the Underground Railroad. Students write...
Curated OER
Firestorms: The Bombing of Civilians in World War II: War, Ethics, Guernica, Precision Bombing
Students explore the history, rationale and ethics of civilian bombing in times of war. They consider war strategy, the laws and conventions of war and international implications.
Curated OER
The Most Dangerous Woman in America: Mary Harris "Mother" Jones
Students discover labor issues of the 1800's. In this Pennsylvanian history instructional activity, students research the case of Mary Harris Jones and discover her work as a labor activist. Students discuss the case together in class.
Curated OER
Fugitive Slaves and the Underground Railroad
Eleventh graders consider the impact of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery activity, 11th graders examine primary documents as they conduct independent research to explore the role of the Underground Railroad during the fight for...
Curated OER
Coming to America
Through this set of three lessons about Ellis Island, class members will learn about why immigrants came to the United States, find out about the difficulties that went along with coming to America, become familiar with the immigration...
Livaudais-Baker English Classroom
Kindred Unit Project
To conclude a unit study of Octavia E. Butler's Kindred, groups use MovieMaker or the class website to publish an original story about slavery in America. The detailed project assignment sheet includes a list of possible topics,...
Curated OER
The American Landscape (1800 - 1850)
Students are introduced to the romantic cultural movement in America. Reading examples of pictures of Washington Irving's home, they identify the characteristics of the movement. They view other paintings of artists from the same time...
Core Knowledge Foundation
The U.S. Civil War Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology
Over three weeks, second graders listen to stories about the United States Civil War. Informational texts explore the war, slavery, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Clara Barton, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Ulysses...
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Narrative Prompt
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...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad
Fourth graders use internet cites to explore the Underground Railroad. They also learn the importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Focus questions are included.
Curated OER
Washington Irving in Context
Students examine the various roles Washington Irving had in his lifetime. Examining the situation in Europe and the United States, they are encouraged to relate Irving's experiences to different events. They examine themselves in many...
PBS
Racial Equality: How Far Have We Come and How Far Do We Have To Go?
Is everyone treated fairly in America? The culminating fifth lesson from a series of five has pupils explore racial inequalities from the 1960s and decide whether or not society has changed over time. The lesson comes with a speech from...
Curated OER
Situation of America, 1848
Students explore 19th century American artwork. In this cross curriculum New York history and art appreciation lesson, students view a reproduction of the painting "Situation of America, 1848," and identify visual symbols and details ...
Curated OER
Planning an Escape
Students plan their escape as though they were an 18th century slave. For this slavery history lesson, students use the Internet to research runaway slaves, then create a plan for escape in the form of a short story or journal entry.
Curated OER
The Patchwork Path
Fourth graders investigate slavery by reading a book with their classmates. For this abolitionist movement lesson, 4th graders read the story The Patchwork Path, and discuss the creation of the Underground Railroad. Students create...
Curated OER
Dragon's Gate
Students read Dragon's Gate as a shared literature book. This lesson plan provides excellent extension activities students can engage in while they are reading, and after they have finished the book.
Curated OER
Traveler: Webelos Activity Workbook
This three-page worksheet is designed to be used by the Weblos of Boy Scouts of America. They are given 13 choices of academic activities that involve the use of maps, geography, math, and money. They must complete five of the activities...
Curated OER
Edward Hopper's House by the Railroad: From Painting to Poem
Students analyze Edward Hopper's painting and Hirsch's poem to explore the types of emotion generated by each work. In this literary and art analysis instructional activity, students discuss how Hopper establishes tone and analyze...
K12 Reader
Traveling to the Distant West
If you build it they can come. After reading a short article about the impact of western expansion, middle schoolers cite evidence from the article to explain how this expansion forced changes in transportation.
Curated OER
The Museum Idea
Students evaluate and record the various types of museum careers. In this The Museum Idea activity, students create a bicentennial time capsule, design a Museum of me, and make a classroom mini museum. In addition students visit a local...
Curated OER
Rocky Train Trek
Students research about America's westward movement and the effect of railroads on indigenous peoples, U.S. society, the environment, and the economy. They plan, map, and document an imaginary train journey across North America in the...
Curated OER
Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives
Young scholars create a project poster displaying photos, drawings, and journal writings that incorporate the major themes of California's missions, and use perspective and point of view both visually and in writing.