Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Three: What's the Status of Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is essential for every habitat, but many species are at risk due to pollution and other factors. Explore several different species native to Illinois in a gallery walk with posters that learners have created after research...
American Battlefield Trust
Gettysburg Virtual Tour
Step into one of the most iconic battlefields of the American Civil War with an educational interactive resource. Young historians learn about key moments, locations, soldiers, and turning points in the battle with a clickable map and...
Curated OER
Westward the Course of Empire Goes: American Imperialism in the Pacific Ocean during the Nineteenth Century
Eleventh graders research the acquisition of colonial outposts throughout the Pacific Ocean by the United States during the late-nineteenth century. They present their findings to the class and propose which countries or territories the...
Curated OER
To Be Black and American: World War II
Twelfth graders research wartime conditions African American had to endure during World War II. They explain what role African Americans played in World War II and describe what life was like for African Americans in the United States...
Curated OER
Barack Obama
For this black history worksheet, learners read a short, informational passage about Barack Obama. Students then answer 8 questions about the text.
Curated OER
Exploring Adlai E. Stevenson II
Fifth graders research work to research six areas in the life of Adlai E. Stevenson II: His Early life, Governor of Illinois, Campaigns for president, Ambassador to the UN, famous quotes, later years. They create a supply of notecards...
Curated OER
Symposia: Scholarly Parties
Students hold a symposium during which students debate the benefits of democracy in ancient Greece and the United States. By doing this, students explain the role of symposia in ancient Greek culture and politics.
Curated OER
Moving Objects
Students discover the history of the United States by examining the Great Migration. In this U.S. History instructional activity, students research the immigration movement on the Internet and complete a worksheet about the large...
Smithsonian Institution
Barn Again! Celebrating an American Icon
How do barns serve as a window to a community's past? Here are a series of lessons on the symbolism and historical context of barns throughout American history. Topics include community-building, in-depth primary and secondary...
DePaul University
Contrast and Evaluate Fact and Opinion
How can you tell when an author is expression an opinion or stating a fact? Use two short reading selections to emphasize the difference between a statement that you can prove and one that you can't. The first passage explains food...
Curated OER
U.S. And Global Deforestation
High schoolers analyze graph showing global deforestation, view photograph of deforestation in Brazil's interior rain forest and examine three maps showing deforestation within the United States, describe political, economic, and social...
Curated OER
Aerial Photography
Eleventh graders compare the artistic values of Terry Evans' photography with LandSAT images and other images made for purely scientific, government and commercial purposes. They consider the artistic choices made in aerial photography.
Agriculture in the Classroom
Pumpkins... Not Just For Halloween
Celebrate fall with four pumpkin themed hands-on activities! After learning about pumpkins, scholars complete two activity sheets that reinforce estimation and word problems. They then plant pumpkin seeds and bake a pie in...
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln's Presidency: Trials and Triumphs
Eighth graders access the TDC database and view the Brady photos, which depict Abraham Lincoln throughout various times in history. They analyze the photos and discuss the reasons for the changes in President Lincoln's appearance over time.
Curated OER
Organizaton of American States Project
Students discover the Organization of American States by researching currents issues in those countries. They create a PowerPoint presentation and share with the class.
Curated OER
Lincoln Home National Historic Site: A Place of Growth and Memory
Eighth graders study the history of Lincoln's home. In this American History lesson, 8th graders examine artifacts from his home to learn about his beliefs. Students participate in a webquest on Lincoln's home.
Curated OER
The Civil War - Lesson #1 of 3
Eleventh graders design a newspaper, with images, that reflects historically accurate information about how Illinois residents felt and acted during the Civil War.
Curated OER
A Picture: Worth One Thousand Words?
Students examine photographs from the Civil War. Using a primary source document, they discover the conditions of a private during the Battle of Chickamauga. In groups, they use the sources to determine the authnecity of the documents.
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln
In this biography worksheet, students read a one page factual story about Abraham Lincoln. Students then answer 7 questions about the story.
Curated OER
English Lesson Plan on Barack Obama
In this English worksheet, students read about Barack Obama. Students engage in a variety of reading and listening comprehension activities related to the article on Barack Obama.
Curated OER
Lesson 18: The Great Chicago Fire: City of Wood
Students research the causes of the Great Fire of Chicago and draw conclusion as to the most probable cause and preventative actions that could have minimized the damage.
Curated OER
The Great Chicago Fire Survivors
Students examine documents describing the experiences of survivors of the Great Chicago Fire, and write condolence letters.
Curated OER
The ABC's of Artifacts
Students create their own ABC book about artifacts. In this artifact lesson, students read ABC History Mystery and review the artifacts pictured in the book. They create their own ABC book with each student working on a letter.
Curated OER
The Golden Spike
Students investigate modern transportation in the 19th century by examining artifacts. In this U.S. history lesson, students read the story Joseph's Railroad Dreams, and discuss the Golden Spike used in the first transcontinental...