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Elders as Resources
Students participate in an oral history project where they interview a person's valuable insights to their life stories. They gain personal experience in an interactive process that brings history alive all over again. Students conduct...
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Hello, I Am Deborah Sampson
Fifth graders research a historical figure from the Revolutionary War, dress as that person, and present information on that person. In this Revolutionary War lesson plan, 5th graders are videotaped as they present to the class.
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The High and the Flighty
Students study women aviators and act out a talk show-style interview with one of them. They plot Amelia Earhart's flights on a map.
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Barbara Jordan
Students examine the contributions made to our country by Barbara Jordan. They read and discuss the books "The Sneetches" and "Building a Bridge," write journal entries, participate in a discrimination simulation, create a class...
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People behind the Civil Rights Movement
Students identify the people actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. In this United States History lesson, students watch the video "Eyes on the Prize" then participate in a class discussion about the video. Students also...
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The Cuban Missile Crisis
Students reflect on the events that lead up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early 1960s. In this history lesson plan, students explore the conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union revolving around missiles in...
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West Virginia State Museum Lesson Plan
Young scholars explore historic West Virginia. In this US history instructional activity, students examine primary sources and political cartoons that depict the issues of statehood for West Virginia and the role that those played in the...
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My Secret War: The WWII Diary of Madeline Beck: Lesson 6
Fifth graders explore women's rights by discussing the events of WWII. In this American work force lesson, 5th graders identify the events that led to World War II and how women helped fight the war through non-violent efforts. Students...
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National Congress of Neighborhood Women
Young scholars research and create a case study as an illustration of the different programs created by the National Congress of Neighborhood Women. Then they present their cases to the class and discuss.
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Jazz in America
Students learn vocabulary associated with the Swing Era. They also listen to music from the time period.
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What do they want? Critical Perspectives on the 1960's in the United States
Learners determine that history is a field of study that can help them understand themselves and the people around them. By reading sources by and about people with many of the same interests and concerns that they have and learning to...
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Views of the American West: True or False?
High schoolers explain that a landscape painting may or may not accurately represent a specific place. They identify techniques that create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface.
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In Search of Rights
Seventh graders research Supreme Court cases. They formally debate court rulings, write a scenario portraying a possible futuristic America and participate in a field practicum for media production, while evaluating various social,...
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Stop the Bus: Confronting Our Assumptions About Muslims in America
Learners explore Virginia Interfaith Center's A More Perfect Union "Misunderstanding" Ad Campaign, view two episodes of PBS America at a Crossroads series, examine historical context of colonialism and geo-political tensions in Middle...
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The Architecture of New England and the Southern Colonies as it Reflects the Changes in Colonial Life
Students compare and contrast the various types of architecture in the Southern colonies. Using slides, they discuss how the homes were made and the materials used. In groups, they identify how the types of homes reflected the...
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the Not Forgotten - Sharing History & Archaeology
Students create a catalog of gravestones in a cemetery that includes a burial ground from the Revolutionary War. They photograph and document the grave sites, research the Battle of Bunker hill and work with community members to create...
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Political and Social Impact of World War II
Sixth graders study the life in Jewish ghettos during World War II and learn about tolerance and compassion. In this WWII instructional activity, 6th graders discuss Jewish ghettos but with a mistreatment of the kids with stickers to...
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Coming to America
Through this set of three lessons about Ellis Island, class members will learn about why immigrants came to the United States, find out about the difficulties that went along with coming to America, become familiar with the immigration...
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Liberty Rhetoric
What is liberty rhetoric? Examine how people have used it in four different time periods and situations. High schoolers investigate original source documents and compare them with the Declaration of Independence to decide how liberty...
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Historical Perspective
Students research the different perspectives of important groups and figures involved in the American Revolution and apply their findings to write and perform monologues depicting this pivotal time in history.
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The Westward Movement
Students study the westward movement through examining stamps. In this westward movement lesson plan, students draw conclusions, determine cause and effect relationships and examine the westward movement of the United States by...
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Understanding Political Cartoons
Students draw two political cartoons. They compare the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 to the stand-off that took place at Wounded Knee in l973. They examine the role that Manifest Destiny played in the West.
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Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement instructional activity, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period....