Assessment
New York State Education Department

US History and Government Examination: January 2013

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
While the 1950s seemed to be a time of peace and prosperity, Sputnik, the Korean War, and the Montgomery bus boycott were symptoms of the turmoil that loomed under the surface. Using documents, class members investigate what these events...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recruitment

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders analyze and then draw recruitment posters.  In this Revolutionary War lesson, 5th graders analyze recruitment posters and discuss the attitude towards African Americans.  Students analyze primary documents from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration History Firsthand

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this immigration lesson, students conduct research regarding Ellis Island and the American immigrant experience. Middle...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sojourner Truth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research Sojourner Truth. In this African-American history lesson plan, students read the speech "Ain't I A Woman?" and brainstorm descriptive words that describe Sojourner Truth. Students discuss why her acts were considered...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VS.7a

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore, analyze and identify the events and differences between northern and southern states that divided Virginians and led to secession, war and the creation on West Virginia. They discuss the conflicts that developed...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

MANY REASONS TO LEAVE

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research different economic, cultural, and social characteristics of slavery after 1800, how slavery hindered the emergence of capitalist institutions and values, and slavery both prior to and after the Civil War.
Lesson Plan
Rutgers University

African-Americans in WWII

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Using transcripts of interviews of African-Americans who served in WWII, class members work in pairs to understand their experience. Prior to the group work, the teacher provides background on WWII and the African-American experience....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keeping in Touch

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students read about the Northern Migration of African Americans in the 19th century, and create an eight panel cartoon depicting the means of communication between freed slaves in the North and those still enslaved in the South.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Events Led to Lincoln's Assassination?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use primary and secondary sources to research the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. They identify arguments supporting and opposing the position that Lincoln's assassination could have been prevented and write a report...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore Lincoln's Reconstruction plan. In this Reconstruction lesson, students examine Lincoln's speeches and writings on bringing the country back together following the war.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking for Lincoln's Views on Slavery

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students reflect on Abraham Lincoln's views of slavery.  In this United States History lesson, students analyze how things have changed in the United States over the course of their lifetime, then use this information as a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From Slave to Entrepreneur: The Life and Times of William Ellison

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this South Carolina history lesson, 8th graders examine sources that require them to examine the life of William Ellison, a black slave owner.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Greatest Educational Change America has Ever Seen

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the history of the penny.  In this Lincoln Bicentennial One Cent teachers guide, students connect the life of President Abraham Lincoln to the 1-cent coin in his honor through a variety of lessons and activities. 
Lesson Plan
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Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Yankee Doodle: How Has It Changed over Time?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Grab your feathers and your hat! And perhaps some macaroni! It's time to investigate the evolution of "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Groups do a close reading of sheet music covers, lyrics, and even YouTube videos to see how this political song...
Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

Murder of Emmett Till: Is It Ever Too Late for Justice?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The murder of Emmett Till is the focus of a guided inquiry that asks scholars to research the events, the trial, recent attempts to reopen the case and the effect of the murder on people today.
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Martha Goes To War!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate how women went to war and the contributions that they have made in history. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a class presentation and answer some...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln: Preserving the Union (2 Parts)

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. They explore the trials and tribulations of the Civil War, and the problem of slavery that destroyed the Union. They also explore the man behind the image of the 16th president.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Battle of Mill Springs

For Teachers 7th - 12th
This lesson could be used in teaching units on the Civil War or on the commemoration of wars.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poem Pieces

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students analyze a poem written in the Civil War era in order to discover what life was like and how Americans viewed the Civil War.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Battle of Glorieta Pass: A Shattered Dream

For Teachers 7th - 12th
This lesson can be used in American history, social studies, and geography courses in units on westward expansion and the Civil War.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Outsourcing Jobs to Other Countries: Is Globalization a Threat to American Workers?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the effects of outsourcing. In this globalization lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. Students respond to discussion questions and...
Lesson Plan
Eastconn

Learning to Analyze Political Cartoons with Lincoln as a Case Study

For Teachers 8th - 10th Standards
Discover the five main elements political cartoonists use—symbolism, captioning and labels, analogy, irony, and exaggeration—to convey their point of view.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Multas

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Combine history and Spanish instruction with an exploration of descriptions of fines given in Florida in 1790. Partners read the brief text, fill out a graphic organizer about the crimes described, and interview each other about fines....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

With Liberty and Justice for All

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the role of Supreme Court justices. In this judicial branch lesson, students consider the civil rights and civil liberties as they investigate Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia State...