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George Washington: The Living Symbol
Students discuss George Washington's life and how he became a symbol of this nation. They categorize various images of Washington into the various roles he plays.
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Pay to Play?
Lead your class in a discussion about how they believe money influences politics. After reading "Go Ahead, Try to Stop K Street" from the New York Times, they evaluate the claims in the article about the current lobbyist scandal in...
Pulitzer Center
China's Rising Labor Movement
Young historians will explore the complex causes and effects of industrialization in China by perusing the numerous articles included in this webpage. Throughout the resource, there are many writing and discussion prompts to help direct...
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The American West: Images of Its People
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. For this American West lesson, students examine photographs that reveal the cultural components of the West and then write narratives regarding the photographs.
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Discovering Our Legacy of Giving
Seventh graders examine the characteristics of philanthropists. In this cross- curricular lesson, 7th graders evaluate the character traits of people from a film. Students write a metaphor about responsibility to community.
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Who Gets the Job?
High schoolers examine the Cabinet, and match Cabinet positions with current secretaries. They evaluate the qualifications of each secretary, then develop sets of qualifications for two Cabinet positions.
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Our Canadian Senate: A Mosaic of Canada
Students develop an understanding of the make-up of the Canadian Senate. They appreciate the role of the Senate as a watch dog for minority rights. They research the Senators in the Canadian government.
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Powerful Memories, Powerful Words
Students identify and describe the influence slavery had on Mark Twains writing, and then determine the status of race relations and ethnic differences in contemporary life.
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Writing Letters to Legislators
Students discuss the importance of writing to their representatives. Using the internet, they identify who their representative is and ways they can communicate with them. They review the guidelines in which they need to follow in order...
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American Indian Reservation Controversies
Learners explore the history of government relations, policies and experiences with American Indian peoples. Using the internet and other sources, students research reservations, past and present. Given a real word problem, learners...
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Look for Patterns: Quilts in Two Faith Ringgold Stories
Author Faith Ringgold uses quilts to illustrate her books Tar Beach and Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad. In this integrated trio of activities, young scholars read stories, identify and create patterns, and design quilt squares of...
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Slavery in America at the Time of the Civil War
Eighth graders create simple html pages as a vehicle for presenting the Inspiration web. In this American History activity, 8th graders research slavery in the United States.
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Drake's West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
Students investigate several maps detailing Sir Francis Drake's voyages. In this geography lesson plan, students practice reading maps and locating the precise locations of where Sir Francis Drake visited. Students create an...
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Drums of War
Students research the political climate prior to major American wars of the past, then reflect on the current call for power to confront Iraq. They create posters using newspaper articles and headlines to highlight the major opinions of...
National First Ladies' Library
How a Bill Becomes a Law
High schoolers engage in the democratic process and to learn how a bill become a law. Then they write a bill they would like as law in their classroom. Students also form committees that will review the list of bills to determine if they...
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The Immigration Experience
Learners research the reasons people immigrated to the United States. In this United States history lesson, students explore the causes and effects of immigrating. Learners engage in a role-playing scenario , watch a video, and explore a...
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The Ballot Box Battle
Students practice note taking skills, study the life of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and write a persuasive letter. They listen to the picture book biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and use the information from the biography to write a...
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The Grand Adventure of Lewis and Clark
Students take a closer look at the Lewis and Clark expedition. In this Louisiana Purchase lesson, students discover tools used by the men as they explored the land. Students also read excerpts from The Incredible Journey and America...
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Flying Off the Threatened Species List
Students research the status of species that have been removed from the Federal Register of endangered and threatened species to help them determine whether or not the American bald eagle should also be removed from the list.
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George Washington: The President Without Precedent
Students explore time period and events surrounding George Washington's inauguration, demonstrate how Washington set precedent for each action he took as American Republic's new president, and compare and contrast traditions and events...
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Family Interviews: The Grandparent/Elder Project
Young scholars explore key concepts/facts in 20th Century history, develop interview questions, and produce master list of questions that can be used in project. Students then interview grandparent, great-grandparent, or other elder...
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Sampling the American Dream
Students, after viewing a variety of different and unique websites, write a short paragraph on each one that describes their reactions to specific information on unfamiliar subjects. They react to each website as personally as they can.
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Slavery In America During the Civil War
Students continue their examination of the Civil War. In groups, they use the internet and print sources to research the life of a slave. For each slave researched, they copy quotes and other information from primary and secondary...
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The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
Students analyze the U.S. Constitution. In this U.S. History lesson, students explore the purpose of the Constitution, as well as who was involved in its creation.