Eighth graders bring early America to life. In this George Washington instructional activity, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the first president, explore the relationships he had with his slaves, and research the backgrounds of...

Students compare and contrast tools used in colonial America to modern ones. They create a bootjack, coat rack, or candleholder based on actually using the tools. The students also compose a description of a colonial woodworker based...

Fifth graders examine schooling now and in New England Colonies. In this compare and contrast lesson, 5th graders describe schools of the present to schools of the past. Students also investigate the goals of schooling and the part...

Learners examine waves of Jewish immigration during three time periods and analyze a variety of primary sources, including letters, memoirs, and laws, to gain insight into both the American immigrant experience and American society...

Eighth graders select their own plot of land in the Backcountry to settle in the 1700s in SC.  Students first find a point for settlement and sketch out the best route from the Lowcountry to arrive at the point.  They...

Students participate in a "To Tell The Truth" game show activity in order to determine the role of Sam Adams in the Revolutionary events that took place in the Boston area. They ask questions of three students posing as Sam Adams to...

Fifth graders evaluate evidence that indicates a physical change has occurred. In this colonial living lesson, 5th graders explore the science involved in the making of items used in colonial life, such as, bread, butter, soap, candles,...

Students study the labor force used during Colonial America. In this Colonial America lesson, students discuss labor types used in the colonies. Students read about indentured servants and the use of African slaves. Students...

Students study the characteristic of self-sufficiency in people that lived during Colonial times. They investigate the contemporary movement of Habitat for Humanity. They listen to the story of Donald Hall's, The Oxcart Man and write a...

Students answer the question of: How did England impose its political and economic control over the colonies? They create a comic strip depicting the event of the Boston Massacre. Students complete a Wordstoming activity to anticipate...

Young scholars develop a visual display illustrating an event from F. Scott Fitzgerald's life and write a paper showing the relationship between the visual and The Great Gatsby.  In this The Great Gatsby lesson plan, students...

Examine popular language and slang and how they have changed over the course of American history. Conduct Internet research, use an online interactive Colonial House website to translate 17th century language into 21st century language,...

Students write an expository paragraph about the uses of the Nashua River for the Native Americans and the European Colonists. For this river uses lesson plan, students determine the causes and effects of both parties using the river.

Students examine the early migration of Native Americans, African Americans, and the British Colonists. They conduct Internet research, complete a timeline, label maps, compare/contrast the three groups' experiences, and write an essay.

Students discover information about the death penalty debate. They explore the history of the death penalty and how it has changed over time. They examine supporting and opposing viewpoints of the issue.

Students discover what happens when people take advantage of shared resources. In this ecology lesson, students explore "The Tragedy of the Commons" by playing a role playing simulation game in small groups. Students soon discover the...

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...

Young scholars examine the causes of the American Revolution. In this colonial America instructional activity, students read handouts regarding the sequence of events that led to the commencement of the war. Young scholars complete the...

Students plan a family vacation to states that were among the original 13 colonies. The groups determine which state they visit, map their route, calculate the mileage, and determine how much money they spend on gasoline.

Students investigate the Maya civilization. In this Maya civilization lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation and record notes. Students explore several important landmarks, such as the "Magician's Palace" at Uxmal.

Study the Revolutionary War era practice of recruiting seamen to prey upon the British shipping industry, and discuss the impact this practice had on the Colonial war efforts. Learners read and interpret recruiting advertisements for...

Explore The Tempest and how language and power are intertwined in the play. Through a series of questions (provided) and an intense activity that has groups translate Caliban's speech into American Sign Language, learners recognize...

Study the transformation of American literature starting from Colonial times up until the present. Each of the nine periods (Romanticism, Realism, Postmodernism, etc.) is introduced and important literary agents from that period are...

The Pilgrims may have arrived in North America by way of the Mayflower, but chances are, your class members' ancestors came to the United States in another way. Guide them through an exploration of their own heritage, countries of...