National History Day
Leland Linman’s War: A Look at Soldiers’ Daily Lives in World War I
Hunkering down in the trenches of World War I, Leland Linman decided to write a journal about his experiences. By reading Linman's entries in the fourth installment of an eight-part lesson series, scholars get a firsthand look at life in...
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Launching the Performance Task: The1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire
Picture that! Pupils view photographs of the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, discussing what they know and wonder about each image. Then, scholars watch a short video about the historic event and complete a KWL...
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Stormy Sailing
Students access a website that show portraits of the Tall Ships of Atlantic Canada. They talk about what it might feel like to be on one of the sailing ships in stormy seas. They write diary entries while role playing that they are on...
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The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history lesson, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on YouTube about the...
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Family Life During the Great Depression
Students practice the skill of photo analysis. In this Great Depression lesson plan, students analyze photographs from the era and write fictitious diary entries based on the images.
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Word Play
Students define the steps of the formal writing process, consider the value and quality of the work done by Anne Frank in her personal diary, and create their own diary entries using the writing process outlined in class.
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Westmoreland Trail
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the Westward expansion of the U.S. They play the computer game, Oregon Trail III, read primary source documents, conduct Internet research, write diary entries from the pioneer viewpoint, and...
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Lifestyles of the Extreme and Adapted
Students explain challenging theories about the evolution and distribution of microbes. They also investigate other examples of extremophile species, then create posters and write diary entries about them.
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Destination Red Planet
Students explore reasons why people are interested in exploring other planets. After reading an article, they identify developments in the mission to Mars. Using the internet, they research the history of exploring Mars and create a...
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The Making of a Star
Students create schematic diagrams of the new Russian space station module. They compose an imaginary yet realistic series of diary entries from the point of view of an astronaut living on board the completed space station.
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Macbeth Revision Questions
In this Macbeth revision questions worksheet, students explain certain details about Act one and six from the play. Students identify who said certain quotes and practice writing two essay questions about how they would act if they were...
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Journal Writing
Students examine the published diaries of Anne Frank, or Zlata Filipovic, to gain an appreciation for journal writing, a form of autobiographical writing in which the writer records personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences. They...
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Primary Source? What is That?
Students examine the use of primary sources. They read and discuss excerpts from the "Diary of Anne Frank," write journal entries, identify examples of altruism from the book, write an essay, and complete a worksheet.
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America's Involvement in World War I
Young scholars investigate online websites on German U-boat naval warfare, conditions in the trenches and the effects of poisonous gases. They write three entries in a diary from different perspectives.
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Ancient Greeks: A Trip to Olympia
In this ancient Greece Olympics worksheet, students answer 5 long answer questions to form a diary entry as though they were an Olympic athlete in ancient Greece.
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Life in a Hurricane Zone
Students research the effects of living in a hurricane zone. In this hurricane zone lesson, students research the impact of natural disasters on humans and the environment, and write a press release describing the devastation of...
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The Diary of Col. William Fairfax Gray
Fourth graders examine facts and opinions given by William Fairfax Gray in his diary, compare and contrast ideas expressed in his diary, express opinions using correct language arts skills, and calculate answers to given mathematical...
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Seeing through Immigrants' Eyes
Students assume the perspective of an immigrant moving to Texas. They write a diary entry from an immigrant's perspective, describing how they arrived in their new town, what steps they take to get settled, and their feelings about their...
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The Trumpet of the Swan: Sam's Diary
For this reading worksheet, learners respond to the book The Trumpet of the Swan by completing a diary writing activity. Students write two diary entries about their day and end them with a question, just as Sam the main character did in...
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The Royal Family
Students conduct Internet research and answer worksheet questions regarding the Spanish royal family. They list the family members they would like to meet, write Jeopardy answers, and create a family tree or a photo album for their own...
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The Battle of Huck's Defeat
Eighth graders examine the role of South Carolinians in the American Revolution. In this American Revolution lesson, 8th graders examine primary and secondary sources regarding the skirmishes that took place in the state. As a...
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A Day in the Life
Students use their research skills to investigate the behavior and characteristics of a rainforest animal. After creating a diary entry, they illustrate the habits and life cycle of the animal. They write the diary entry from the point...
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Colonial New York Slave Codes: Pedro's Walk
Look critically at the slave laws instated in Colonial New York. Your class examines primary source documents, slave laws, a narrative account from a slave's perspective, and Slave Codes. They write diary or journal entries in response...
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A Colony is Born : Lesson 5 - Dear Mem
Discover colonies! Young historians will listen to a primary source journal entry read aloud with a backdrop of wave sounds. They discuss the entry, add historical facts to a chart and personal insights to another. Then they listen to...