Curated OER
American Studies
Entitled American Studies, this small unit covers various topics related to the study of the United States. Learners warm up by creating a dictionary of democracy, then dive into three different lessons focused on government, famous...
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Famous Americans
Students investigate famous Americans. In this American history and research lesson plan, students choose a famous American to research, collect information from a variety of sources, and create a related PowerPoint presentation.
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Discovering American Symbols
Help youngsters get to know their states and capitals, explore their own country, and study American symbolism. They take a "trip" across America collecting symbols, images, and information about each state as they go (through text and...
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Jeopardy: American Landmarks
Through this Jeopardy format, students answer questions relating to famous American landmarks. This presentation could be used with first and second graders, if they were guided through the experience, and with upper elementary learners...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Utopia/Dystopia: The American Dream
America was founded by dreamers, and the American dream still resonates in our country today. Track the American dream from its Puritan beginnings to its optimistic descendants with a instructional activity that focuses on speeches...
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I Can Be Whomever I Wish
Famous people who have overcome obstacles are the focus of this language arts and social studies lesson plan. Pupils are introduced to the concept that they have the ability to overcome obstacles in life. They read selections embedded in...
National Park Service
“Famous Footsteps” Teacher’s Guide
As part of a study of Ellis Island Immigration Station, class members assume the role of immigration service workers, investigate the dossier of an immigrant, and recommend whether or not their subject should be allowed to enter the US....
Curated OER
Seven Famous African-American Masters of American Art
Students examine seven different African-American artists. In groups, they use the internet to identify their contribution and techniques to the art world and examine the time period in which the artwork was produced. To end the...
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US Constitution
Think about the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence with your budding historians. They analyze the importance of historical documents by examining several famous documents, and then they complete activities that check...
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Outstanding Women
Research the lives of famous women in this social studies lesson. Middle schoolers use various sources to research a famous woman and create a presentation about the accomplishments of the woman. They can find the central idea throughout...
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The Iron Horse vs. the Buffalo: Indian-Settler Conflict on the Great Plains
The Iron Horse encroached upon the land while conflicts escalated between Native Americans and the settlers. Sophomores study the print, American Progress then discuss how American progress affected Native Americans. They will study the...
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The Revolutionary War
March your students off to war with this presentation, which provides details to the American Revolution such as important figures (Jefferson, Franklin, Henry), facts about the Declaration of Independence, and definitions of key terms. A...
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Native Americans and Giving
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this Brother Eagle, Sister Sky: The Words of Chief Seattle instructional activity, students examine the plight of Native Americans and explore Native Americans' quest for the "common good."
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Energy Jeopardy
While science Jeopardy games are a dime-a-dozen, this one has some pretty unique categories that are still relevant to a middle school physical science curriculum. The topics include: leading nations, famous Americans (who invented...
PBS
Myth of the West: Kit Carson to the Rescue
There's nothing like the Wild Wild West! Scholars investigate the American Frontier through the eyes of Kit Carson. To complete the first installment of a three-part series, they use presentations, a short video, and primary and...
NPR
Progressive Era Lesson Plan
The women working for equal rights in the early 20th century weren't a part of one large group; rather, they were members of dozens of small groups focused on social reform. Explore the ways groups in the Progressive Era like National...
Curated OER
Archaeology and Prehistoric Native Americans
Young scholars study the terms paleontology and archaeology and examine how they can help us learn about prehistoric Native Iowans. In this archaeology lesson plan students discuss these terms and view a video on Native...
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What does it mean to be American?
Students create a mural depicting what it means to be an American. In this being American lesson plan, students pull out magazine ads that depict what it means to be an American, then they make a mural out of it, and finally they present...
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The Colonization of the United States
Bring the Age of Exploration into the 21st century with this ancestry activity! Learners get a chance to explore the complex genealogy of the Spanish settlers through watching two video clips (approximately five minutes each) featuring...
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Patriotic Symbols of the United States
Young historians take a close look at the most famous patriotic symbols of the United States and determine what they actually stand for. Symbols such as Uncle Sam, The Statue of Liberty, The Bald Eagle, and The Liberty Bell are studied....
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American Idols
Students design a biographical web for a famous American figure. They identify key research questions and organize information as a prewriting strategy. This can be done individually or as a class, depending on your needs and students.
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Investigating Langston Hughes
Third graders read and appreciate the writing of great American Authors. use technology to garner information about famous American authors. They have selected sites to explore. The information they save be used for a future Powerpoint.
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Black History Project
Third graders explore and analyze about famous African-Americans by listening to four picture book biographies. They generate a list of 15 famous African-Americans and then create a survey to rank them according to importance of...
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Getting To Know Famous People
First graders use the internet to research a famous American. Using the information they collect, they write a paragraph noting their accomplishments. They find a picture of the person they are researching or dress up like them to...