Curated OER
Putting History in its Place
Examine ways in which historic places and landmarks represent significant themes and events in American history. Then create theme-based travel guides for related historic locations. This lesson requires informational reference materials...
Curated OER
Literature Focus Unit: Civil War
Fourth graders complete a two-week unit on the U.S. Civil War and the Underground Railroad. They read the books "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and "Pink and Say," complete story maps, and dramatize a scene from "Follow the Drinking Gourd."...
Curated OER
Let's Travel!
Students review the rules and expectations, they earn points each day by making the correct behavioral choices. They read maps and do Internet reserach, students become aware of United States and or world geography. Students check...
Curated OER
All Across America
Students share experiences of places they have visited or would like to visit. They create travel guides for trips to take in the United States based on themes from their studies, incorporating both historical and current data about...
Curated OER
Old Stone House Lesson Plan
From stagecoach to railroad tracks, your class will discover how advancements in travel in the United States during the nineteenth century played an integral role in the industrialization and development of American society. The main...
Curated OER
Geography and Its Five Themes
Geography is not limited to just learning about the Earth and its physical features.
Curated OER
European Travelers
Seventh graders explore the European travelers and culture. They create a travel brochure that presents a given European culture in an inviting format. Students analyze the cultures of various European countries and select one they would...
Curated OER
Key Ingredients: America by Food
Students participate in a series of activities to explore the types of food Americans eat, how food choices differ in various parts of the country, and how the availability of various foods has changed over time.
Curated OER
Backseat Travelers
Fourth graders investigate the geography of the Southeast regions of the United States. They conduct Internet research, listen to the book "No Star Nights," and plan and write a trip through this regions.
Curated OER
America Grows - Trailblazers Pave the Way
Students study the time period after the Revolutionary War when people were striving to move away from the coastal areas and look for pathways to the west. Westerward expansion is a central theme and students use a variety of resources...
Smithsonian Institution
Latino Expression
How much of your daily life is influenced by Latin American music? Take a listen—the answer may surprise you! High schoolers keep a journal to note any instances they see Latino culture represented, including the media, their school, and...
Curated OER
Langston Hughes: Artist and Historian
Students examine the life and works of Langston Hughes. In groups, they research the characteristics of the Harlem Renaissance and how Hughes' poems relate to the era. They use the themes in his writings and relate it to the Great...
Curated OER
Project Organizer: Follow an Explorer
This is both a great idea and a great way to help your class organize a themed project. They use these worksheets to assist them in writing a creative historical narrative about the life and travels of an explorer. They'll compare and...
Smithsonian Institution
Affirmation, Assimilation, and Acculturation: Middle School
Latin American culture is deeply embedded in American culture as a whole. From the Latin rock scene in San Francisco to the hip-hop world of New York, Latin American artists have influenced every genre of modern music. Learn about the...
Syracuse University
Erie Canal
While canals are not the way to travel today, in the first half of the nineteenth century, they were sometimes the best way to move goods and people. Scholars examine primary sources, including maps and pictures, to investigate the role...
Curated OER
Big Apple, Here We Come
Students role play the role of immigrants coming to America for the first time. They complete an imaginary trip with their family and must rent a car and make seven stops along the way. They calculate distances and use maps to...
Curated OER
Practical Marketing Skills in Travel and Tourism 1
Students investigate how to plan for market research and identify the main sources of information for the travel and tourism industry. They research and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of written questionnaires to gain market...
Curated OER
Practical Marketing Skills in Travel and Tourism 2
Student review and identify the main marketing and promotional methods in the travel and tourism industry. They examine advertising, press releases, brochures, leaflets and other techniques. They complete an activity sheet while...
Curated OER
Westward Expansion
Students locate California and New York on a map and explore available means of travel in the 19th century. Students explore the role of trade in pioneer America and simulate various barter transactions.
Curated OER
Traveling Across America
Students plan a trip to a state capital of their choice with a budget of $2,000. The budgets include site seeing, lodging, food and all necessary expenses. Students keep a daily journal and maintain their budget.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Human Rights
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a political cartoon is like reading an essay. Have your critical thinkers examine three cartoons to read between the lines, gaining insight and information. They analyze how these cartoons...
Curated OER
Westward Expansion
Learners explore the Westward Expansion Movement of U.S. history. In this Westward movement lesson, students use primary and secondary source documents research personal accounts of those who travelled west during the era....
Curated OER
Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pioneer Life
Fourth graders complete a three-week unit about Laura Ingalls Wilder and pioneer life. They research the topography of Michigan in the 1870's, conduct Internet research, write journal entries, participate in polka and waltz dancing, and...
Curated OER
Aztec and Mayan Mythology
Sixth graders write myths to show tolerance in creation. They read from both the Aztec and Mayan eras and develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of these two closely related cultures. They track the travels of...