Heritage Foundation
The Senate
Do your learners struggle to understand the differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives? Help them develop an understanding of how the US Constitution's clauses affect the Senate's operations. A high-quality...
Curated OER
U.S. and Canada: How are We the Same? How are We Different?
Get high school geographers to compare and contrast Canada and the United States. They begin by drawing a freehand map of North America, then complete readings to gain insight into Canada. The text is not provided; however, another text...
Curated OER
Across Five Aprils/Civil War
Eighth graders study the Civil War novel, Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt. They review vocabulary and literary elements and write a "Brother Against Brother" essay about coming face to face with a brother in one of the battles of the...
Curated OER
Washington and the Modern Presidency
Eighth graders examine the precedents set by George Washington. In this presidential history lesson, 8th graders discuss the challenges Washington faced as president and how he shaped the presidency to suit his leadership skills....
Curated OER
The Immigrant Experience In America
Students study immigration, Ellis Island, and tenement life from 1890 to 1924. Each student create an identity of an immigrant and write an essay in the first person. Essays describe what they found when they arrived in New York City.
Curated OER
I'm Number One!
Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the first seven presidents of the U.S. They conduct research, write a four-paragraph essay, and create posters and speeches for a simulated campaign convention.
Curated OER
Washington's Newburgh Address
Students write a persuasive essay that compares George Washington to someone overcoming an obstacle. In this American History lesson, students study Washington's Newburgh Address and the character traits of the president. They write an...
Curated OER
U.S. Constitution - Selecting the President
Students study how the electoral college works to select a U.S. President. For this history lesson, students examine the U.S. Elector College methods then answer questions and write an essay that relate to the state where they live.
Curated OER
Buying, Selling, and Trading in Antebellum South Carolina
Young scholars research the role of general stores in the development of communities. In this South Carolina history lesson, students study the economic development of early U.S. communities. Young scholars write essays and create...
Teach With Movies
Learning Guide to: Schindler's List
Take your history class through Schindler's List with a learning guide, which offers an introduction to the film and a variety of discussion questions and related assignments. There are several useful resources in the...
Curated OER
African-Americans and the Military
Students study the key figures in African-American military history. They discover how African-American military history reflect both discrimination and the often heroic struggle to overcome discrimination. They examine the key periods...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Caribbean
Learners examine the history and culture of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. They conduct research on Christopher Columbus, create a quiz, watch a video about Cuba, and write an essay comparing and contrasting Puerto Rico...
Curated OER
Sectionalism, Popular Sovereignty and Secession
Students read and discuss background material on several key decisions that played a role in the Civil War including the Missouri Compromise, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dredd Scott Decision. They create a timeline and write an essay.
Curated OER
Civic Virtue in Democracy
Students identify and describe characteristics of civic virtue. Following a class discussion, they create their own definitions of civic virtue. They write essays based on their own definitions and formulate conclusions on the state of...
Curated OER
Politics and Leadership
Students research a historic leader and analyze how a philosopher's writings influenced the ruler in an essay. In this philosophy of government lesson plan, students view a video and participate in a class discussion on how great...
Curated OER
The Civil War: A Nation Divided
Students examine the clash between the North and the South. In this Civil War lesson plan, students watch segments of the Discovery video "The Civil War: A Nation Divided". Students conduct further research pertaining to the...
Heritage Foundation
Substantive Amendments: Amendments I and II
The First and Second Amendments remain some of the most famous, even to this day. Learners read about several clauses from the US Constitution through a variety of captivating activities including before and after reading, group work,...
Curated OER
History in the Making
Students create and perform a skit that demonstrates the historical period and foriegn policy of a particular president. They first complete a diagram of George Washington's presidency as a class and then form small groups to research...
Curated OER
History and Geography: Making a New Nation
Fifth graders examine the contributions of the different groups that built the American Nation. They identify the successive waves of new immigration, explain their attraction to America, and study the importance of Ellis Island.
Curated OER
Native Americans
Students choose two photographs and explain how they illustrate traditional Native American culture. They discuss how traditional Native American culture has been affected by two specific actions of the United States Government, (they...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Chief Executives Compared: The Federalist Papers
Delve into the responsibilities of the president by looking at President Hamilton's opinion of the presidential office in his own words. The second in a three-part series, the resource also offers an interesting compare-and-contrast...
Heritage Foundation
Crime and Punishment
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
National History Day
Challenging the Status Quo: Women in the World War I Military
Why are some so resistant to change? The status quo is often to blame for a lack of forward movement in society. Following the events of World War I, women in America suddenly had a voice—and were going to use it. Scholars use the...
Curated OER
Native American Cultures for Grades 4-5
Students investigate Native American culture by researching the Internet. For this U.S. History lesson, students read online field reports about exploration and the history of Native Americans in the United States. Students...