American Battlefield Trust
Life at War
It looks like a cracker, but hardtack was anything but. The staple of the Civil War soldier's diet is one of many aspects of military life that scholars consider using letters from soldiers back home and images from slavery. A PowerPoint...
American Battlefield Trust
Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan
While Joshua Chamberlain's name is not as iconic as Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee, he still played a pivotal role in the military engagements of the Civil War. Using two secondary sources—including one that draws heavily from his...
Curated OER
An Untold Triumph
High schoolers examine and analyze the history and experience of Filipinos in Hawaii and California. They identify the contributions of Filipino Americans to the US war effort in World War II, and analyze the many causes that led to...
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What Made George Washington a Good Military Leader? Powers and Problems
High schoolers list qualities they believe made George Washington an effective military leader. They discuss difficulties Washington faced as Commander-in-Chief and how he responded to the difficulties he faced as the leader of the...
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Unknown Soldier Diorama
Learners research history of honoring unknown soldiers in United States, Canada, France, and Australia, research origins and building of tombs for unknown soldiers in country of their choice, and create diorama depicting national...
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Oral History of World War II
Young scholars research how citizens from the United States respond to the onset, duration and aftermath of World War II. They view clips from the movie "Swing Shift" and discuss the roles of civilians, minorities and military personnel....
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The Emancipation Proclamation
Young scholars explore the historical importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. In this United States History lesson, students use the internet to research the specific events that were centered around the Emancipation Proclamation,...
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American Justice on Trial
Students role play a trial in which they consider if the United States government violated the rights of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.
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Dr. Seuss Takes on Charles Lindbergh
Students study the leaders of the isolationist movement within the United States and the causes of the isolationist movement, they recognize and compare the perceptions of both the isolationists within the US and those who took a more...
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Launching the New U.S. Navy
Students analyze United States Constitution, locate general references to common defense, and specific references in document to U.S. Navy. Students then respond to questions on Document Analysis Worksheet, and discuss relationship...
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The American War for Independence
High schoolers complete a unit of lessons that examine the goals of the Americans during the Revolutionary War. They explore an online interactive map of major campaigns, read and analyze primary source documents, and analyze diplomatic...
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 second...
American Battlefield Trust
Fredericksburg 360
Urban combat long preceded today's video games. Pupils today experience the battle of Fredericksburg—a major Civil War engagement in an American city—using a 360-degree interactive app. Users explore the battlefield online, using a...
The Formation of the Western Alliance, 1948–1949
Silence is golden—even when debating post World War II foreign policy. Using a silent debate format, young historians deliberate whether the United States should have kept a foothold in West Germany after World War II. A series of videos...
Curated OER
Civil War
Historical poetry is lyrical in form and rich with content. After examining the differences between the Northern and Southern states before and during the U.S. Civil War, learners complete a Venn diagram and create an illustration of the...
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Who is Robert M. Glass? - Black History Month
Students research the role of African Americans during the each of the United States' wars. In this African American history lesson, students research information and statistics about the role of African Americans in the following wars:...
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Nuclear Reactions
Students explore current military planning policies involving nuclear weapons, develop an understanding of the history of nuclear weapons and express their opinions about the use of nuclear weapons as part of the United States' military...
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Alliance or Compliance?
Students examine the relationships between and among powers inside and outside Afghanistan in connection to United States military aggression in the territory. They examine the interaction between the Northern Alliance, the Taliban,...
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World War II: Internment in Hawaii
Students examine world history by writing an essay in class. In this World War II lesson, students identify the attack on Pearl Harbor, the response from the U.S and the effect it had on Japanese-Americans. Students define Japanese...
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The American Turtle, 1776
Fifth graders evaluate David Bushnell's 1776 American Turtle. In this history lesson students analyze and make predictions about the first submarine invented by David Bushnell after view pictures. They compare the drawing with an account...
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Uniform Design
Learners investigate the military by examining their uniforms. In this design lesson, students analyze the military uniforms from different locations and time periods. Learners create new ideas for current military uniforms.
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Remembering the Forgotten War
Ninth graders examine the major events and significance of the Korean War, including U.S. involvement in the war. For this World History lesson, 9th graders read primary source materials to understand the political, social, emotional and...
American Battlefield Trust
Antietam 360
It was the single bloodiest day in Civil War history. Now, class members have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Antietam using an interactive website. Supplemental resources include...
American Battlefield Trust
Civil War Battle Strategy
But for a fluke, 1862 could have gone differently during the Civil War. When Union troops found Robert E. Lee's battle plans for critical engagements in Maryland wrapped around cigars and tossed aside, history changed forever. Class...