Start a whole new life in a land known as the Wild Wild West! Learners analyze maps, personal accounts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, songs, and video clips to uncover life under the Homestead Act. Using their new skills, class members role...

Enhance a unit on historical fiction with an engaging writing instructional activity. Learners bring the Industrial Era to life as they compose their own historical fiction pieces based on primary source images of Pittsburgh steel...

If a field trip to the summit of Mount Everest isn't in your school budget, make the trek virtually! An interactive lesson plan allows class members to follow Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's trail up the mountain, and provides...

What are the characteristics of an outstanding citizen? Nebraskan J. Sterling Morton contributed to the formation of societal and family values in his state. Learners gather information on Morton's life accomplishments from primary...

Young adventurers embark on a journey, setting sail along the blue ocean with Christopher Columbus. Teachers will find that this unit makes their lesson planning smooth sailing!

Students write an essay from rough draft to final copy about the Underground Railroad. Civil disobedience is researched from a variety of sources. There is a prewriting exercise that is included in the lesson. The whole writing process...

Sixth graders study the life in Jewish ghettos during World War II and learn about tolerance and compassion. In this WWII lesson, 6th graders discuss Jewish ghettos but with a mistreatment of the kids with stickers to signify the Jewish...

Students create a timeline on the development of the Pajaro Valley Area. In this social science lesson, students discuss the changes that took place in the area over the past 300 years. They draw a pictures of how the area has changed...

Students develop an understanding of how the Great Depression impacted people. In this writing, analyzing and cooperative groups lesson, students inquire about the Great Depression. Students identify problems children faced during...

Students explore the Underground Railroad.  In this U.S. history and technology lesson, students research an assigned topic related to the Underground Railroad, such as "abolitionist," "conductor," or "station houses." ...

Students write a letter in the voice of Abraham Lincoln. In this history lesson, students interpret the way the public viewed Lincoln during various times by examining political cartoons and images. Students write a letter in the voice...

Students participate in activities that teach them about the Gilded Age of industrialization and urbanization. In this social changing lesson plan, students answer questions, watch videos, have discussions, read texts, and more to teach...

Students examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Students conduct research regarding a particular explorer and create foldables...

High schoolers consider the relationship between business and government. In this rural electrification lesson, students read "Battle of the Pole Holes," and then write editorials that address the way that business and government...

Students explore Colonial papermaking.  In this Colonial America U.S. history lesson, students analyze two poems written in the 1690s about the Rittenhouse paper mill to learn about papermaking.  Students produce their own...

Students explore agriculture by researching the native food crops of California. Students define a list of agriculture vocabulary terms and analyze maps of California which explain which foods come from which area. Students write a...

In this soil activity, students read about soil and the attributes that determine how soil is formed. They then answer the 11 questions in the packet. The answers are on the last page of the packet.

Students learn how other countries celebrate Christmas. In this Christmas lesson, students read a story about Christmas celebrations in other countries, discuss how they differ from U.S. celebrations, color pictures of traditional...

Students, through a variety of activities, discover the geography and culture of Mexico. They make maps, read folktales, write a journal, create pinatas and other artistic pieces, and review the history of Mexico.

Students complete many activities including mapping, reading books, and Internet research to learn about European exploration. In this European lesson plan, students study geographical mapping, trade, and colonization.

Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time.  In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a...

Learners explore how Dorothy Day and Mohandas Gandhi were leaders for social change.  For this history lesson, students analyze the impact of these two leaders through several activities and group assignments.

In this online, interactive instructional activity, students solve ten SAT preparation problems in 12 minutes. The problems vary in difficulty and content.

Young scholars complete a unit on fossils. They read and discuss informational handouts, define key vocabulary terms, answer discussion questions, create a geologic timeline and a timeline of their own life, analyze bones, and create a...