Briscoe Center for American History
Mary Maverick and Texas History - Part 1
What's the difference between a diary and a memoir? Young historians explore the ramifications of this question as they learn how to use primary source materials to gain an understanding of life on the Texas frontier.
Briscoe Center for American History
Applying the SOAPS Method of Analyzing Historical Documents
Young historians use the SOAPS (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject) method of questioning to determine the historical value of primary source documents. The third in a series of five lessons that model for learners how...
Curated OER
Debating the Issues: Ralph Bunche and Civil Rights
Synthesizing information from a PBS documentary Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey, its companion website, and several other resources (links to which are provided), high schoolers evaluate whether Bunche did all he could to advance the...
Curated OER
U.S. Mint Releases New Jefferson Nickel
Students share their knowledge of Lewis and Clark, then read a news article about the redesign on the U.S. nickel to commemorate Lewis and Clark's expedition. Introduce the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students...
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The Movement Before the Movement: Civil Rights Activism in the 1940s
Many educators focus on the civil rights movement as it occurred after Rosa Parks incited the bus boycott. Extend the understanding of the fight for civil rights in the United States with this post-WWII lesson. Learners examine and...
Curated OER
The Price of Gasoline: What's Behind It?
When gasoline is in high demand and on short supply, OPEC can raise the price to turn a significant profit. Help learners understand the economics behind demand, profit motive, and monopolies with a lesson plan that focuses on OPEC and...
Smithsonian Institution
Mobilizing Children
Scholars find out how the government used propaganda to mobilize children to help in the war effort. Lesson exercises include analyzing a quote from Franklin Roosevelt, viewing propaganda images and posters, and participating in a lively...
American Psychological Association
Memory
How does memory work, and how can we recall more? Here is a five-lesson unit that covers the multi-system model of memory, as well as sensory, working, and long-term memory.
Facing History and Ourselves
Preparing Students for Difficult Converstaitons
Many of the issues facing 21st Century learners are challenging and even discussing these issues can be a challenge. So how do teachers prepare learners for these difficult conversations? How do instructors create a safe classroom where...
Curated OER
Jean Hasbrouck House
Students research lifestyles from the 18th century. They examine artifacts from the Jean Hasbrouck House and associate them with the responsibilities and roles of the people who lived there. They make candles and consider the importance...
Curated OER
Difficult Decisions: The Sakinaw Sockeye Case Study
Eighth graders examine Sakinaw Sockeye as species at risk, participate in role playing exercise to consider different perspectives of various interest groups, and try to come to consensus on how to deal with dwindling Sakinaw sockeye...
Curated OER
Playing By The Rules
Students investigate the meaning of honesty. In this character education lesson, students brainstorm school experiences where they have the choice of being honest. Students illustrate and describe actions related to honesty in a journal.
Curated OER
Play House
Middle schoolers take a closer look at representative government. In this House of Representatives lesson, students discuss their local representative in Congress and research his or her responsibilities. Middle schoolers then...
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Water Resources and the Role of the Independent Sector
Students explore how water conservation is influenced by the four sectors of economy. In this social studies economics lesson plan, students brainstorm problems and solutions related to water conservation. Collages are created to...
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Early Explorers
Students answer short answer questions and participate in a role play where they are explorers being interviewed. In this early explorers lesson plan, students discuss why it is beneficial to be the first one in a place.
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Native Americans Dramatic Play
Students investigate architecture by exploring Native American culture. In this cultural awareness lesson plan, students identify the Native Americans and the homes they created to survive the weather. Students participate in a...
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Four Dollars and Fifty Cents
Students role play a scenario between a creditor and debtor. In this consumer education lesson, students read the book Four Dollars and Fifty Cents, discuss the vocabulary introduced in the book and role play a situation between a...
Curated OER
Success and Fame
In this success worksheet, learners read quotes, role play, and choose successful sentences. Students complete 3 activities total on this worksheet.
Curated OER
American Indian Civil Rights
Students examine social justice issues regarding American Indians. In this civil rights instructional activity, students investigate the Red Power Movement of the 1960's and 1970's. Students then roleplay interviewing Native...
Curated OER
Checkbook
Develop life skills through the use of an AppleWorks Banking kit, a spreadsheet program, and a role play activity. This life skills lesson utilizes technology plus busines and social studies principles. Note: All materials...
Curated OER
Sharing Beliefs and Ideas
Eleventh graders examine the roles of trading and pilgrimage in promoting exchange of goods and ideas. They appreciate the roles played by Xuan Zang and Marco Polo in the material and cultural exchange among the peoples of the Silk Road.
Curated OER
A Look at the Population Density of the United States
Middle schoolers acquire census information and create maps of the population density of the United States on different scales. They role play the roles of workers of a retail company and they use the population data to market to their...
Curated OER
Greetings!
Learners investigate the ways in which people greet each other. They read a book about greetings, participate in a role-playing game about greetings, interview family members about greeting styles and report their observations to the class.
Curated OER
A Mayan Adventure - Special Assignment
Students role-play the role of a reporter for their school's newspaper. Pretending they are visiting Mexico and Central America, they research the answers to questions given to them by their teacher. They discuss their answers and the...