PBS
The Meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment was extremely important to civil rights and is a crucial one to remember. The resource teaches about the Supreme Court decisions related to the amendment through writing exercises, reading, and working in small...
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Three Days at Gettysburg
Eighth graders discuss why the Battle of Gettysburg was important to the Civil War. In groups, they identify the major events of each day of the battle. They analyze how the battle changed the direction of the war and discuss the outcome.
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Brother Against Brother
Eighth graders read Across Five Aprils and correlate it to a unit on the Civil War. They culminate the unit by writing a a piece of historical fiction in the first person entitled "Brother Against Brother."
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A Union Soldier's View of the Battle of Raymond
Students use a primary resource to collect information about a Civil War battle. They identify similarities and differences between historical wars and modern wars.
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Constitutional Issues: Civil Liberties During War
Students discuss democratic ideals and constitutional principles. They decide which side of the issue they are on dealing with the placement of Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II. They examine primary source documents for...
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Muhammad Ali and his Vietnam War Resistance: Defining Nonviolent Action through Gandhi and King
Students research Muhammad Ali's act of civil disobedience. In this civil disobedience lesson, students research Ali's defiance of the Vietnam War draft and compare his reasoning to Martin Luther King's thoughts on the war. Students...
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The Cold War: Anti-Communism at Home
Eleventh graders take a closer look at the Red Scare. In this Cold War instructional activity, 11th graders read the provided literature about anti-communism in the United States and then respond to the provided discussion questions that...
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Cultural Impact of Jim Crow Laws and the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine the Jim Crow laws and how they impacted the lives of both African Americans and white Americans. They discuss the Civil Rights Movement and how their lives may have been different had it not occurred.
Groups...
National First Ladies' Library
Executive Order 9066: Japanese-American Internment
Students analyze conditions under which sections of United States Constitution are superceded, research history of Native Americans, African Americans, and Japanese Americans, and debate policy of reparations for various minority groups...
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America's Wars
Students classify information regarding American involvement in wars. In this classification lesson, students examine the causes of the war in which the United States has been involved, and classify them as mainly political, social,...
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Post-War Suburbanization: Causes and Interpretations
In this teaching American history worksheet, students examine a primary source document regarding post-World War II suburbanization. Students discuss their impressions of the document.
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Underground Railroad
Eighth graders explore the Underground Railroad. For this American History lesson, 8th graders create a song about the railroad. Students analyze various symbols used during the Underground Railroad.
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The Road to the American Revolution
Students consider the case for forming a new, independent nation. In this American Revolution lesson, students examine the people, places, and events that led to the outbreak of war in the colonies. Students compare colonial protests to...
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"The New Television Set" a Gateway to the Post World War II Era
Eleventh graders demonstrate their knowledge of the effects of television on the political, economic, religious, social, intellectual and artistic life of the US nation from the 1950's. Research how television shaped public opinion with...
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A Tough Act to Re-enact
Students discover the significance of various historical events. Using the information they find, groups re-enact these events, stressing their importance to history and our lives today.
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The Jim Crow Era
High schoolers examine how African-Americans were affected by the Great Depression. In this African-American history instructional activity, students conduct independent research on the social conditions of the time period using the...
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Book: The Original United States of America
Students, after reading Chapter One in the book, "The American Colonies' Sense of Who They Were," analyze the actions of the colonists as well as compare the similarities between the protests of the colonists and protests of today. They...
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Stories of Freedom and Justice: Learning Resources
Pupils are introduce to the topic of nonviolence and civil rights by watching a video. In this stories of freedom activity, students examine the Supreme Court's role in interpreting the U.S. Constitution. Pupils analyze how conflict and...
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Musical & Linguistic Lesson Plan
Tenth graders study songs and music of the US Civil War period. They use technology to compose a song that highlights an event or concept from the war.
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Lesson Three: Poem Pieces
Students read and analyze stanzas of Civil War poem, The Flags of Michigan, to get perspective on what life was like and how Americans viewed Civil War, rewrite stanzas in modern language, and share new versions of poem with classmates.
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Whose Land Is It Anyway?
Seventh graders comprehend the interaction and conflict beween Native Americans and white settlers in the years following the Civil War. They listen to T"his Land is Your Land." Students are asked what their interpretation of the...
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Comparing Ethnic Groups
Eleventh graders explore the relationship between the United States and the Native Americans from after the Civil War to the early 1900's. They evaluate the actions of the United States towards Native Americans and compare the actions to...
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Prairie Grove Battlefield
Students examine the battle of Prairie Grove and Arkansas's role in the Civil War. They discover the realities of war on the soldiers and civilians. They analyze historical documents for content.
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Lesson One: Flag Day
Students discuss importance and symbolism of flags to United States and its people, discuss history and meaning of American flag, identify flags of other countries, analyze symbolism of color, shape, and design, and view images of Civil...