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The Eagle Has Landed: Aztecs Find a Home

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils examine the Aztec civilization in what is now Mexico. Using a map, they locate the empire and explain the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan. They explore the symbols on various Mexican flags and what they meant to the Aztec...
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Bob Dylan: No Direction Home

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students hold panel discussions on selected topics about the 1960s and their impact on modern-day events. As visual reinforcement, they watch the film about Bob Dylan and research the music of the period as well as his musical...
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Don't Miss The Boat

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study immigration and what it is like to be an immigrant. They choose immigrant identities, dress appropriately, and role play during an International Fair where each student displays some aspect of his/her "home country."
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Art and Anatomy: The Vitruvian Teen

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders create an artistic version of a Vetruvian teen. In this anatomy lesson, 12th graders design an experiment to test the theory of the ideally proportioned man. They present their findings in class.
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Did Disco Change America?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine the economics of a time period along with the music.
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The Fog of War

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students view the film Fog of War and discuss the most striking elements of the film. They focus on chosen lessons from robert McNamara's life such as: empathy, rationality and proportionality.
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The Decision to Americanize the War in Vietnam

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students research the major events of the Vietnam War and construct a timeline. They do the same with the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson or the 1960's. They act as an advisor to President Johnson to recommend a course of action...
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The U.S. Trade Embargo on Cuba

For Teachers All
Students examine perspectives for and against the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, develop a position on the embargo and articulate viewpoints in a public forum.
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The Many Faces of Paul Robeson

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars discuss and construct timelines based on the life of author/performer/Civil Right's activist, Paul Robeson. They view photographs of him at various times in his life and discuss the roles he may have been playing at those...
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Destructive Impact of Environment on Artifacts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time.  In this environmental factors on artifacts lesson, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on artifacts.  Learners make...
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The Great Depression WebQuest

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore the events of the Great Depression. They analyze the events and select those most important to contemporary people and the future of the nation. Students create a PowerPoint presentation over the Great Depression.
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Becoming American: The Chinese Experience

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students examine the experience of Chinese American immigrants in the PBS series BECOMING AMERICAN. ESL learners investigate and explore their own identities within a multicultural context.
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White Man's Burden:The Expansionist/Anti-Imperialist Debate at the Turn of the Century

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore the roles of Expansionists and Anti-imperialists and take on the identity of a historical character to defend their position before a Senate committee. Roles of newsmen, senators, and futurists are also assumed in this...
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The Harlem Renaissance: Black American Traditions

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the time period of the Harlem Renaissance. As a class, they are introduced to five artists and discuss their art and techniques. Using the internet, they also research the philosophers of the time period and how...
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Dinosaurs Here Yesterday Gone Today

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students take a pre-test to show their prior knowledge of dinosaurs. Using the internet, they reasearch the time period in which they roamed the Earth. Focusing on the area of Connecticut, they compare and contrast the large and small...
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How the Vietnam War Transformed California?

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the effect of the Vietnam War on California. They work together to research social movements that occured during this period and its outcomes. They also interview veterans to better understand the impact of the...
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Fountain Pen Makes a Comeback in Scotland

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Students read and discuss a news article about a school in Scotland that is using fountain pens to write with. They answer article comprehension questions, participate in a discussion about the importance of handwriting, write their...
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Exhibiting Your Knowledge

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students are introduced to the various museum functions. In groups, they create a traveling exhibition based on Gutenberg's invention and the first printed book. They share their exhibition with the class and answer any questions presented.
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Why Explore?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils participate in a class discussion on why people explore. In groups, they create a list of the goods they can acquire and how they can survive if they find food while exploring. Using the Internet, they research famous explorers...
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Lesson 1: Powerless?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students formulate interview questions based on the information they learn from the video Power Lines. They conduct an interview with a relative, friend, or community member over 60 years old.
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Tracing the Impact of Historical Figures

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss impact of various historical figures from different periods in time, read about and take notes on one assigned historical figure, and create photo journals of their experiences.
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Getting Here from There

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students role-play early 20th century immigrants on their way to Indiana. They consider the methods of travel available to them and write a letter to a friend outlining their travel plans and adventures during the trip.
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A Country of Migrants?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars list reasons in support or rejection of the United States being a country of migrants through a written statement and discussion. They answer questions posed regarding immigration.
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Time and Again

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine historical time and make time lines. They study the two main divisions of time; the time before and after the birth of Christ. They also note that time lines are a way of illustrating the length of historical time.