Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gettysburg Address (1863): Defining the American Union

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students explore the Gettysburg Address. For this U. S. history lesson, students examine Abraham Lincoln's speech and it's themes of freedom, equality, and emancipation.
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

The Debate on Slavery

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Young historians research the debate over slavery; some students take the pro-slavery side and others the anti-slavery side. They take the role of a character such as a plantation owner, a legislator, a free Black, a slave, or a northern...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The 1808 Slave Trade Abolition Deadline

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students study the trans-Atlantic Slave trade. In this slave trade lesson, students study the Constitutional Convention Notes and the impact on United States slavery. Students research the slave trade database and other primary sources...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art -- The Secret to Freedom

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create a coded message in a quilt. In this art instructional activity students demonstrate the communication used by the Underground Railroad. Students work in a group to make a quilt with a code in it.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reconstruction to Civil Rights

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on the period of time from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. They analyze and interpret political cartoons and editorials, conduct research on famous civil rights places, and complete...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gettysburg 360

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An interactive site allows scholars to explore the Gettysburg battlefield up close, read soldiers' accounts, and view images of the event. In addition, enrichment activities enhance young historians' experience with Gettysburg...
PPT
Curated OER

Battle of New Orleans

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The last battle during the War of 1812, was the Battle of New Orleans which is outlined in this detailed PowerPoint. This particular battle is described from the beginning until the end, when General Andrew Jackson became a hero....
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Gettysburg Address: Abraham Lincoln's Greatest Speech

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Most Americans have heard of the Gettysburg Address, but may not know what it means and why is it so important. Following guidance and scaffolded prompts, scholars analyze the short document that left an undeniable impact on the American...
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Southern Secession and Abraham Lincoln’s Presidential Election

For Teachers 6th - 8th
President Abraham Lincoln: a true humanitarian or a savvy politician? The lesson focuses on Abraham Lincoln's presidency and the secession of the southern states. Academics interpret how Lincoln's presidential platform promoting African...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Was There an Industrial Revolution? New Workplace, New Technology, New Consumers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the changes in the U.S. in the period of industrialization before the Civil War. They analyze census data, list/describe inventions and innovations, explore various websites, conduct a Factory Simulation activity, and...
Organizer
Common Core Sheets

Placing Events on a Timeline

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Put important events in chronological order with a lesson about timelines. With a variety of topics stemming from world history, the packet of worksheets provides analytical activity for learners to decide where certain events fall...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Center for History and New Media

Growing Up in a Segregated Society, 1880s–1930s

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What did segregation look like in the beginning of the 20th century? Middle and high schoolers view images of segregated areas, read passages by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, and come to conclusions about how the influence of...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pearl Harbor and the Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Balancing national security and civil liberties can be tricky. To appreciate the tension between these two concepts, class members investigate the Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and President Franklin D....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Historical Fiction: A Wealth of Interpretations

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
How can understanding the genre of historical fiction help your language arts class with literary analysis? Use this lesson to help young readers learn about historical fiction. After reading a selection from the "Dear America" or "My...
PPT
Curated OER

English Constitutional Monarchy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Whether you are teaching British Literature, British History, or are simply interested in the history of English politics, this presentation takes the viewer on a journey through 600 years of England's royal and political upheavals....
PPT
Curated OER

World War II

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Offering a comprehensive overview of the beginning of World War II, this resource could be a useful addition to a unit on this topic. It could be used as a way to lead a discussion on the war, or as a review tool before a test. Either...
Lesson Plan
National WWII Museum

The War in Europe: Evaluating Historic Decisions

For Students 7th - 12th Standards
War brings a whole new set of ethical dilemmas. From deciding whether to enlist in a segregated and racist Army to whether to sacrifice civilian lives to prepare for a critical D-Day invasion, leaders during World War II faced many...
Lesson Plan
1
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University of California

Anti-Communism at Home

For Teachers 11th Standards
Have you ever been accused of something without cause? The sixth installment of an eight-part series asks scholars to create a museum exhibit on the anti-communist activities in the United States at the start of the Cold War. To make...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Criminal or Hero

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars investigate slavery in America circa the American Revolution. They will examine point- of view and perspective as they research a variety of informational resources. While this is designed to be used with the PBS video...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking the Chains, Rising Out of Circumstances

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Discuss the history of slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery. Learners write fictional stories based on these photographs. This is a creative and motivating way to launch a discussion of these topics. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History in Literature - The House of Dies Drear

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Hook your learners with a great project. They research the underground railroad and civil rights movement through literature, view the video The Underground Railroad: Escape from Slavery, and read the book House of Dies Drear in...
PPT
Curated OER

Chalkboard Challenge: Social Studies Online

For Teachers 5th
If used as an independent review, this presentation could be a quick way for students to study U.S. History facts. Since it only presents a few simple facts, it would not be adequate for a comprehensive review, but a teacher could...
Organizer
1
1
Common Core Sheets

Reading a Timeline

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Sometimes the most important details of an informational text aren't within the text at all. Teach your class how to read timeline with a set of activities that prompts them to find specific dates and events on the timelines, as well as...
Lesson Plan
1
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Facing History and Ourselves

Defining Freedom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate states. The Thirteenth Amendment banned slavery in the United States. However, neither document defined freedom. The second lesson in the Reconstruction Era series examines...

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