Middle schoolers explore the history of the African-American troops that served during the American Civil War. After reading primary source documents that detail the controversies about permitting freemen and former slaves to serve,...

Students explore Civil War and Gettysburg Address using primary sources.

Students consider how World War II impacted Europe. For this D-Day lesson, students visit selected websites to discover information about the invasion, its conditions, and the people who fought. Suggested activities are...

Students examine the Battle of Midway during World War II through an interactive website. They analyze photographs and read the descriptions. They discuss the implications of the Battle at Midway to both sides of the war.

The largest offensive in United States military history comes alive in a online interactive resource. Young historians explore the Meuse Argonne battlefield and scour the landscape for evidence from the battle. They then use primary...

High schoolers use a multimedia project, The Valley of the Shadow: Two American Communities in the Civil War, to create a presentation about the significance of the Gettysburg Address. They work on expert teams to explore the interactive...

Are Civil War monuments a kind remembrance or a reminder of a dark past? The lesson focuses on the public's memory of the Civil War and the monuments that represent it. Young academics explore past efforts to change historical symbols...

Students investigate the Civil War caused deep division in the border states and discover the significance of Kentucky to the Union and the Confederacy. They examine how battle casualties were and are honored in the local community.

Learners investigate the use of monuments and why they are important for the study of history. They conduct research using a collection of primary sources. Students write a report about the information they find and present it to the class.

Students investigate the Gettysburg Campaign and the major actions for each day of the battle. They read primary source documents, write a diary entry, analyze the Gettysburg Address, and write a persuasive speech regarding an issue in...

Due to vandalism, war, and urban decay, many of the world's great monuments have fallen to ruin. Here is an interesting lesson that increases understanding of the dichotomy between what are intended as lasting tributes, and their...

Students select one female veteran and research her background and contribution to the military. They explore the relationship between women and the military and how it has evolved since the Revolutionary War.

Students explore the impact of September 11 on American society through analysis of interviews and class discussions. Students evaluate the historic importance of the Gettysburg Address.

How much intervention is appropriate for America to take in cases of human rights violations? Class members ponder a question that has lingered since the birth of America with a series of primary sources that reflect the degree to which...

Students examine the reasons for and origins of the Veterans Day holiday. They define key vocabulary terms, read and discuss the article "The Origins of Veterans Day," conduct research and complete a worksheet, and create a class...

Students read an article about a woman who lost her fiance in Iraq. Reading a letter he left his son, they discuss how his words will affect his son once he is old enough to understand. They research the number of casualties in the war...

Students use scientific observation and inference to examine the Hazen Brigade Monument. In this observation lesson, students review the reasons for building monuments in society. Students then recall monuments they have seen and...

This lesson could be used in teaching units on the Civil War or on the commemoration of wars.

Learners commemorate black history month. Using the Internet, information books and printed web pages, students research the events of Mary Seacole's life. Learners role play Mary Seacole being interviewed for a job.

Sixth graders review a variety of journals including Anne Frank's. They create a school journal including individual entries, a dedication, pagination and illustrations.

Students discuss the terrorist train bombings in Madrid, Spain. The class evaluates the value of memorials in the struggle to deal with the grieving process. Groups design a memorial and/or poem to commemorate those lost in the...

Students investigate President Abraham Lincoln's use of the U.S. Constitution and its importance to the Civil War. In this US history instructional activity, students read text about President Lincoln and the US Constitution. Students...

November 11th, Veterans Day, is a holiday set aside to honor all those who have served in the military. Here's a resource packed with ideas, activities, projects, and materials that will provide inspiration for ways to celebrate those...

Students read about and discuss the historical effects of Congressional decision-making in the establishment of national holidays.