DocsTeach
The Settlement of the American West
What do Abraham Lincoln and the Transcontinental Railroad have in common? Using a set of primary source documents, including pictures, maps, and treaties, class members link together the common themes of expansion into the American West....
Curated OER
Choosing Sides: The Native Americans' Role in the American Revolution
Students analyze the different roles assumed by various Native American tribes during the American Revolution. They examine the issues involved for Native Americans in choosing the British or the American side of the conflict, such as...
Curated OER
Pre-Columbian Cultures in the Americas
Native American studies is fun, educational, and highly motivating. Fifth graders will gain a deeper understanding of the six major pre-Columbian culture areas on the North American continent. They will choose one group and conduct...
Curated OER
Taming the Frontier
Students examine paintings by Thomas Cole and Jasper Francis Cropsey as windows into American frontier life. They consider the pioneer's relationship with nature and the role of Native Americans in the pioneer's lives and settlements.
Curated OER
Lesson 1: English-Indian Encounters
What did the English settlers think of the Native Americans inhabiting the Chesapeake region of the United States? Learners analyze a series of documents and images to determine the English perception of the local inhabitants. A great...
Curated OER
Southeastern Native Americans' Lifestyles
Students complete activities to learn about Southeastern Native Americans. In this lifestyles lesson plan, students watch a PowerPoint about Southeastern Native Americans, view artifacts from the region and discuss the objects with a...
Curated OER
Learning about Native Americans through Artifact Analysis and Artwork
Sixth graders assess how a Native American's environment and the geographic region where they lived influenced their food, clothing, shelter and the overall culture of a tribe. They study the impact of conservation, family, rural life,...
Curated OER
Pre-Colonial Native American Groups
Students investigate U.S. history by researching the Internet and taking a test. For this American Indian group lesson, students identify the many specific Native American tribes and their geographic locations. Students research the web...
Curated OER
A River, Dead or Alive: Native Americans and European Colonists' Treatment of a River
Students write an expository paragraph about the uses of the Nashua River for the Native Americans and the European Colonists. For this river uses lesson plan, students determine the causes and effects of both parties using the river.
Stanford University
Native Californians and the Portola Expedition
What was California like before the Spanish came? Class members discover the answer to the question using images of Native Americans and diaries of the early Spanish explorers. Scaffolded activities allow instructors to adapt the...
Smithsonian Institution
We Have a Story to Tell: Native Peoples of the Chesapeake Region
How did colonial settlement and the establishment of the United States affect Native Americans in the Chesapeake region? Your young historians will analyze contemporary and historical maps, read informational texts, and work in groups to...
Curated OER
The Settlement of New England
A thorough exploration of the Puritan Migration and settlement of Plymouth, this presentation is sure to engage your young historians with its clear maps and historical documents. The presentation differentiates the philosophies of...
Curated OER
Native American History
Fourth graders use a previous and current map of the state of Michigan to compare cities and roads. They look for names that come from the Native American culture. They participate in a class discussion to compare findings.
Curated OER
Earliest Americans
Students study the Earliest Americans. In this interactive lesson on the Native Americans, students study different tribes over the course of seven lessons. Students culminate their studies with a presentation and assessment.
Curated OER
The First North Americans
Students identify and interpret the different North American Indian groups, by region, and the type and impact of their interaction with Europeans.
Then they complete an overview of one main Native American group during the age of...
Curated OER
Native American Living Museum
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on Native Americans. They analyze Native American cultures, create a Native American artifact for a Living Museum, and develop a tour of the museum using a digital camera and a Powerpoint...
Curated OER
Policies that Relate to American Indians
Eleventh graders demonstrate an understanding of the impact of the western settlement patterns on American Indians. They analyze the growth and division of the United States from 1820 through 1877 and examine the non-Indian concept of...
Curated OER
Native American Presence in Deerfield, Massachusetts
Eleventh graders examine how in this volatile period, colonial powers and Native groups competed for trade goods and land, coming into conflict repeatedly. They also explore primary and secondary sources.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
History of Immigration Through the 1850s
Everyone living in the United States today is a descendant from an immigrant—even Native Americans. Learn about the tumultuous history of American immigration with a reading passage that discusses the ancient migration over the Bering...
Curated OER
American Indians
Students research early Indian adaptations in this instructional activity. They research the different American Indian tribes. They also research and compare the tribes' rituals, daily lives, and their impact on the Europeans who came...
Curated OER
What Should a House Do?
Students complete a unit of lessons on the similarities and differences between Native American homes and European settlement houses. They explore websites, read stories, design a dream house, and construct wigwam models.
Curated OER
American Settlement of the Great Plains
Seventh graders examine the Great Plains. In this American settlement instructional activity, 7th graders create a map of the settled areas in the United States. Students discuss the struggle between settlers and the Native Americans.
Curated OER
The First Americans
Students participate in theatre activities to study American history. In this American history and theatre lesson, students work in groups to research a specific Native American group to investigate their lifestyle. Students then create...
Curated OER
The Settlers are Coming, but the Natives are Here
Students examine interactions between Native Americans and settlers. In this Westward Expansion activity, students participate in a classroom simulation and then write paper about how the Native Americans and settlers could keep...