Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Uncle Sam is Rich Enough to Give Us All a Farm:

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine websites and video clips to become familiar with tenets of the Homestead Act, challenges faced by settlers and misconceptions about settlers. They role-play colonists on the Planet XR-38 and make choices similar to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Right to Remain Resilient

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the Civil Rights Movements in the U.S., both current and historic. In small groups students investigate a specific civil rights group, create an illustrated timeline, noting key events, people, and state and federal laws.
Lesson Plan
Hubbard's Cupboard

The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students explore holidays by participating in class singing activities. In this Thanksgiving history lesson, students discuss the importance of Thanksgiving Day and read several poems which discuss the history of Thanksgiving. Students...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Branches of Government Worksheet

For Students 5th - 8th
This is a basic multiple choice activity. Learners answer a set of 9 multiple choice questions about early colonists and branches of government. You might use this as a check for understanding or a quick quiz. The first 2 questions are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Practical Experiment In Colonization

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Role-play and simulation exercises are fantastic ways to help learners understand the reality behind many social and historical events. Pretending they are colonists, upper graders choose a location, create a history, establish laws, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Saving Sturgeon

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Marine biology apprentices interpret data of sturgeon interaction with gill nets. They use the data to calculate the percentage of fish entangled in each twine size to discover if there is any correlation. This is a valuable exercise in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking at the Revolution From Two Perspectives

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the events that led up to the colonial separation from Britain. They read sources and discuss perspectives finally writing a letter that demonstrates the issues of loyalty v. separationism.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Writing Exercises: English Settlements in North America

For Students 9th - 11th
A great writing exercise should have it all. This one requires learners to think critically about cause and effect, compare and contrast, and summarizing. They compose responses to five short answer questions regarding Spanish and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Untold Triumph

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine and analyze the history and experience of Filipinos in Hawaii and California. They identify the contributions of Filipino Americans to the US war effort in World War II, and analyze the many causes that led to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Primary Source Activity: Jose Marti

For Students 8th
Analyze a primary source document "Our America" which depicts a Spanish-American point of view. The class answers 3 critical-thinking questions based on the reading and create a time line of Cuba's struggle for independence. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Road to Revolution

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students discuss reasons war erupted between Britain and the colonies. They examine and explain critical events of the 1760s, and discuss what rights and beliefs Americans felt were being violated.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Being Me in the Face of Adversity - Americans Who Stood Up for Their Beliefs

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify important Americans from the colonial, revolutionary and slavery periods who are noted for standing up for their beliefs in the face of peer disapproval. They identify the importance of music in motivating and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Crossword: First Settlements

For Students 4th - 5th
In this elementary social studies activity, learners complete a crossword puzzle with 14 words related to settling the first U.S. colonies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taxation Without Representation

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders empathize with how colonists felt when they were taxed without representation. They use a metaphor of students and a school principal to describe the strained relationship that developed between the colonies and Britain.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colonial Living: A Look at the Arts, Crafts, History, and Literature of Early Americans

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine the different aspects of life in Colonial America. At home, they make traditional colonial recipes to share with the class. In groups, they read a book about the purpose and act of quilting and create their own...
Interactive
Curated OER

Early Discovery & Settlement (5)

For Students 8th - 12th
In this online interactive American history instructional activity, learners respond to 21 matching questions regarding colonial America. Students may check their answers immediately.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Colony is Born : Lesson 2 - Sez Who?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders increase their baseline knowledge of primary and secondary sources and the likenesses and differences of them with regard to a selected historical event.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Preamble to the U. S. Constitution

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explain the purpose of the government by examining the Preamble to the Constitution. They identify ways in which the government is preserving those rights today. They discover one of the fundamental principles of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native People of the Caribbean

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders use a map and locate and define the Caribbean region and then work in groups to read the passage and timeline. The groups' reader will read the passage aloud and the recorder makes a list of why colonists used slave...
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

Colonies Word Scramble

For Teachers 5th - 8th
In this American colonies worksheet, students examine 13 sets of letters and unscramble them to correctly spell the names of the 13 colonies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jamestown

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research the Jamestown settlement and examine life in the colonies from 1607-1610. They explore websites, develop a timeline, select two settlers to research, and write three letters written from the point of view of their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lewis and Clark Expedition

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students examine the effect of the Lewis and Clark Expedition on Native American nations. In this Native American history instructional activity, students research Internet sources to find out how the expedition impacted Native Americans...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Fourth Grade Social Studies Quiz

For Students 4th
In this social studies worksheet, 4th graders complete multiple choice questions about the colonies, The Boston Tea Party, Native Americans, and more. Students complete 15 questions.