Who is the founding father—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Benjamin Franklin? Scholars decide which of three early Americans, should be crowned the founding father of America based on research. Then, they compose a persuasive...

Sixteen lessons make up a read-aloud anthology centered around America's journey toward independence. Scholars hear texts about the Boston Tea Party, Betsy Ross, the Found Fathers, the Liberty Bell, and more! Pupils discuss their...

What does it mean to say that a right is unalienable? How did the founding fathers convey this revolutionary concept in the Declaration of Independence? Engage in a close reading and analysis of the Declaration of Independence, and...

Everyone knows that the Declaration of Independence is important, but what does it actually say? Members of American history classes analyze the Founding Fathers' arguments against British tyranny and for a more perfect union with a...

Learners explain the Patriot attitude toward the British monarchy, which helps them embrace the Founders' reluctance to have a strong executive under the Articles of Confederation as well as their desire to build in checks of executive...

High schoolers examine slavery in the revolutionary and colonial eras of the United States. In this slavery lesson, students investigate the presence of slavery in early America, the language of the Constitution, and the intent of the...

Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...

At 81, Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention, where he exercised significant influence in shaping key elements of how the United States operates. The class examines his role, using “The Scene at...

Observe Constitution Day with a worksheet that delves deep into the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars read a short informational text then answer 10 questions—short answer and multiple choice. 

Practice the oo digraph with a quick text and related questions. The short poem includes plenty of examples of the digraph. After reading, learners respond to the three reading comprehension questions.

Introduce class members to the conventions of the romance genre and the theme of familial relationships with Mahlon F. Craft's illustrated Sleeping Beauty. The themes are a focus of their study of The Winter's Tale.

High schoolers discuss the role that individuals have in contributing to society. They develop alternative solutions to problems in their area. They write a paper about what they have discovered.

Just what did Ben Franklin read? By juxtaposing Ben Franklin’s reading material as a young man with an analysis of his developed ideas, learners gain the opportunity to see how the influences of his youthful reading played out. Roman,...

Bring Benjamin Franklin to life in the classroom with a set of five activities. Discover the type of person he was and his accomplishments through a study of his inventions and comments about life virtues. 

Examine conflicting viewpoints in this lesson, in which middle schoolers write their own proposal for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. As a class, they discover how the Bill of Rights was not a planned document to be...

Fourth graders explore electricity by examining the life of Benjamin Franklin.  In this biographical instructional activity, 4th graders listen to the teacher read facts of Benjamin Franklin's life and analyze his contributions to...

In this reading worksheet, young scholars answer 10 multiple-choice questions about the book. For example, "What did Marshall name the stray dog?"

The Electoral College's role in elections is sometimes confusing and controversial. Pupils use a debate topics website to research the pros and cons of the practice to debate whether the United States should still use the Electoral...

Students read primary documents to find the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States. In this primary documents lesson, students discuss the meaning of the Preamble to the Constitution, read parts of the Constitution...

Should college admissions decisions be based on whether whose family members attended? Secondary students read and respond to a New York Times article on the issue of 'legacy preferences' in college admissions. Following class...

Upper graders will use a reading comprehension learning exercise about the meanest teacher to practice comprehension. They will read a 5 page story titled The Meanest English Teacher Ever and answer 4 comprehension questions about it. 

Students read and analyze the Eastern European folktale of 'Ivan the Fool.' They discuss the term 'quest,' identify quests in their own lives, and in small groups design a board game that illustrates the czar's quest to find good wives...

Discover a little bit about Thomas Jefferson in a brief reading passage. Learners then answer a set of multiple choice comprehension questions.

Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson plan, students examine primary documents regarding the founding of the United States. Middle schoolers analyze section of the U.S. Constitution and the...