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A Full Military Experience
Eighth graders watch electronic field trip entitled Call to Arms, and simulate daily life of eighteenth-century soldier, including marching, camp building, cannon firing, and sharing common meal. Student groups form regiments by signing...
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Have Minorities Gained Acceptance
High schoolers cite evidence gathered from magazines about how much Blacks are accepted into the mainstream of American life. They support their conclusions by writing an answer to an essay question.
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Living on a Cotton Farm: Mexican Americans Life In Texas
Seventh graders are introduced to the processes of cotton farming in the early 20th century. In groups, they examine the role of Mexican Americans on the farms and the impact of a boom and bust economy on cotton. They identify the...
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Exploring the Life of a Slave
Eleventh graders explore importance of abolitionists who worked to advance freedoms of black Americans prior to/during Reconstruction era, read and identify key concepts in Frederick Douglass's narrative, recognize how Douglass's slave...
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The Supreme Court
Students examine the Fourteenth Amendment. In this Supreme Court lesson, students define due process and equal protection as they analyze the impact of the amendment and the Supreme Court on workers' rights in the early 20th century....
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Forced to Move in More Ways Than One
Eleventh graders explore the Native American movement. They study the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Dawes Act of 1887, and the Indian Boarding Schools in 1887. They research each episode and create a Venn diagram poster.
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Stop the Bus: Confronting Our Assumptions About Muslims in America
Students explore Virginia Interfaith Center's A More Perfect Union "Misunderstanding" Ad Campaign, view two episodes of PBS America at a Crossroads series, examine historical context of colonialism and geo-political tensions in Middle...
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Life on Two Colonial Plantations in South Carolina
Fourth graders compare two colonial plantations. In this South Carolina history lesson, 4th graders compare the Drayton Hill plantation of Charleston Co. to the Walnut Grove Plantation of Spartanburg Co. This lesson plan uses primary and...
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Trails to the West
Eighth graders research American history of the 1850's. In this American history lesson, 8th graders write about how different American groups looked at the idea of Manifest Destiny. Students then draw the Oregon and Santa Fe Trail.
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The 1860 Election in Pennsylvania
Young scholars examine the political parties of the 1860 election and compare their platforms. In this election lesson plan high schoolers determine the meaning of a political cartoon and predict the outcome of the 1860 election.
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Historic Takes
Students examine photographs of memorials for veterans. They identify who is being honored and why. They research one hero they find interesting and create a memorial for them. They share their hero with the class.
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Debate - Election of 1876
Eleventh graders examine how Rutherford Hayes should be elected President of United States in order for the Union to continue effective Reconstruction.
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Attitudes About Slavery in Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Students examine the historical attitudes towards slavery in Pennsylvania. They read transcriptions from two Pennsylvania newspapers and compare/contrast the county's Republican and Democratic Parties' positions on slavery.
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Good Brother, Bad Brother
Studetns study how biographers create characters and history of individuals in biographies. They complete a variety of writting activities to demonstrate understanding.
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Progress Amidst Prejudice: Portraits of African Americans in Missouri, 1880-1920
Students explore and analyze a database of historical portraits of an African American family of the late 1800's. They trace the migration of one of the African Americans as he/she migrates toward urban areas.
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Railroads in Virginia
Students decscribe the importance of railroads, new industries, and the growth of cities to Virginia's economic development. They locate on a map the small towns and cities that grew because of the railroads and create a flow chart...
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Before Rosa Parks: Upper Grades Activity: Frances Watkins Harper
Young scholars analyze the rhetorical strategies Frances Watkins Harper used, such as tone, emotional appeal and descriptive language
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Piecing Character Traits Together from our History Using Technology
Middle schoolers research basic biographical facts, contributions made to the state and country, and important historical events of both the state and country made during the lifetime of a famous North Carolinian.
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Evaluating the "Save the Indian" Reforms
Students explore the policies of the "Save the Indian" reforms. Working in groups, they review the motives, methods, and effects of the "Save the Indian" campaign of the late 19th century. Through discussion and writing, they form an...
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Challenges Faced by the New Nation's Presidents
Sixth graders, while in the computer lab utilizing the internet, locate primary sources to interpret and analyze the struggle of the new nation to gain the respect of European countries. They interact with a worksheet that organizes...
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Legal Definitions of Childhood
Students examine how various cultures define childhood. Using the internet, they research how countries around the world determine who is a child. They identify the sources they most relate with as a child.
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With Malice toward None: Lincoln's Assassination
Students analyze primary documents regarding Lincoln's assassination. In this lesson on Lincoln's assassination, students analyze three primary sources of information regarding President Lincoln's assassination.
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The Age of Jackson
Students study the image of Andrew Jackson. In this presidential history lesson students investigate the political image that was groomed by Jackson as they examine advertisements. Students compose essays regarding the topic.
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Bad Brother
Students deal with the historian's dilemma of how to write about people in the past who committed wicked deeds. They analyze a well-known cartoon, "Satan Tempting Booth to the Murder of the President."