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...
Syracuse University
Civil War
What was it like to enlist as a soldier in the Civil War? By using enlistment papers, young scholars consider this question. After they've looked at the primary source and discussed it, they create a short story of a fictional soldier to...
Center for History Education
How Did the Public View Women’s Contributions to the Revolutionary War Effort?
Calling upon the legacies of Joan of Arc, Elizabeth I, and Catherine the Great, Esther Reed rallied Southern women to support the American Revolution. Using a broadside by Reed and other primary sources, such as poetry, young historians...
Curated OER
History Repeats Itself
Twelfth graders research historical turning points, gather-data, and extrapolate possible alternate outcomes. They work individually to choose one historical event from Attachment D, Historical Turning Points. Students complete either...
Curated OER
Theology…the Use of Silence in the Classroom
Immerse your class in the Middle Ages with a thorough history lesson. After viewing examples of illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells, they discuss how these were the mode of keeping and storing information employed by the...
YMCA
Turning Courtrooms into Classrooms
Turn the class into the next episode of Law & Order! Scholars work together to create a mock trial over the course of several weeks before going before a judge for the case performance. They take on different roles, go through...
Curated OER
Immigration and Oral History
Students examine immigration. In this oral and social histories lesson, students analyze primary sources to research immigration history in their community. In this year-long research project, students participate in visual and...
Curated OER
The Red Studio Turns 100!
Pupils observe the art of Henri Matisse and discuss the ideas and feelings his art brings about. For this Henri Matisse lesson plan, students look at many of his artistic paintings and discuss and write in a journal the point of view...
Curated OER
Woodblock Printing: Early Printing Traditions in China
Students examine important role of woodblock printing in Chinese history, identify message important to them, and create woodblock prints to gain first-hand understanding of how it was used as tool for communication.
Generation Rx
My Generation Rx: Lead the Scene
Prescription drugs may start out with legitimate usage, but lately they are finding their way to high school and college party life. Have a discussion with the teenagers in your class on prescription drug abuse with a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
Writing Exercise: The Neolithic Revolution
Provide a format for your historians to explore the Neolithic Revolution using this writing exercise. Three display questions prompt scholars to reflect on how the revolution was a turning point in human history, its impact on gender...
Curated OER
Everything's Coming Up Roses: Creating Beautiful Areas in Your Neighborhood
Learners study the history of Pennsylvania and the city beautification movement that originated in that state. In this community service lesson plan, students study the city beautification movement started by Mira Lloyd Dock. Learners...
Curated OER
March First Independence Movement
Students study the pro-independence movement of 1919 in Korea. In this Korean history lesson, students investigate the implications of Japanese occupation of Korea and create posters that feature the essence of the Korean...
Multieducator
Battle of Gettysburg
On July 1, 1863 the Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of General Robert E. Lee met the Army of the Potomac, under the leadership of Major General George Meade. Considered the turning point of the war, the Battle of Gettysburg...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Historic Bicycle
"Ordinary" bicycles are not so ordinary. Learners use given information to determine the circumference of wheels for a historic Ordinary or Penny Farthing bicycle. Pupils then determine the number of times each wheel turns when the...
Center for History Education
Japanese American Internment During World War II
World War II turned nations against each other and neighbors into enemies. An eye-opening lesson explores the dark past of Japanese-American internment camps during WWII. Scholars learn of the fear and distrust toward Asian Americans...
National Energy Education Development Project
Exploring Hydropower
In 2006, about 20 percent of the world's electricity was generated from hydroelectric power. In the presentation, scholars review the water cycle and gravitational energy to begin to understand how humans harness the power of water. They...
Curated OER
Why did Henry VIII divorce Catherine of Aragon?
Learn about the causes and effects of King Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon. The divorce was a turning point for England and in some ways led to the colonization of the New World. A role-play activity is included.
Curated OER
Bushy Run: A Decisive Battle of Pontiac's Rebellion
Students study the battle at Bushy Run. In this Pontiac's Rebellion lesson, students examine an 1765 map of the Bushy Run battle as well as letters and a modern topographic map of the area in order to simulate the event and research how...
Syracuse University
World War I
World War I was known for its gruesome battlefields and horrific injuries. Using photographs from a battlefield surgeon's scrapbook, scholars see first-hand what life was like in the trenches. After creating a timeline of the war using...
Syracuse University
Women's Suffrage Movement
Women gained the right to vote in the twentieth century, but the fight for equality dates back centuries. Using an invitation to an 1874 suffrage convention, eager historians consider the motivations behind supporters of the suffrage...
TED-Ed
A Digital Reimagining of Gettysburg
Why would Robert E. Lee order Pickett's Charge, an action that changed the course of the Civil War? Geographer and historian Anne Knowles uses digital technology to explain what she thinks is the missing piece in trying to understand...
Curated OER
Revolution in Russia
As an overview of the Russian Revolution, this presentation provides a well-thought-out and comprehensive look at this subject. The outlines, questions, and other information provide a high-level look at WWI and the Russian Revolution....
Curated OER
Life and Art of Pablo Picasso
Art history projects can be a lot of fun. Budding art historians research the life, art, and times of Pablo Picasso, visit the local art museum, and create a multimedia presentation showcasing his art and personal history. Handouts,...