A thorough set of activities, articles, and reference material can enlighten your class about the history of whaling in New England. Kids travel back to a time when whale products were valuable and hunting whales was a way to help the...

Here is a fantastic resource on the civil rights movement! It includes reading materials and worksheets, and particularly highlights major legislation and the role of the judicial branch in the federal government in addressing the...

As part of the study of Japanese cultural history, introduce your class members to Chanoyu, the Way of Tea. After a discussion of the history and key elements of Chanoyu, class groups perform the ceremony.

Young historians trace the roots of African slavery and learn about the causes and effects of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade through a PowerPoint presentation and by reading and discussing excerpts from the book Copper Sun.

A fabulous lesson on the life of Clara Barton awaits your class. They describe how Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross, and the role it played in organizing help for those in need. Additionally, young historians explain how...

Students participate in name and face recognition games as they examine name trends in the UK. They read a short article to determine if they were able to name the trendiest monikers. They participate in a listening/drawing activity to...

High schoolers read an article about new voter registration trends throughout the country. In groups, they identify new patterns when it comes to registering to vote and develop their own solutions to get more people registered. They...

The student will explore free jazz, fusion, and contemporary jazz. They will listen to avant garde, fusion, and pop recordings. In addition, they participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of...

Who was Walt Whitman, and what link does he have to president Abraham Lincoln?  After Lincoln's assassination, Whitman wrote "O Captain! My Captain!" This poem and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" are the focus of...

It's time to hear about some adventures in travel! The Transcontinental Railroad changed life and travel in the United States during the 1800s. Practicing online research skills, pupils discover the features they would like to visit on...

Provide your class with a context and series of events that has led to the conflict in the Middle East. They read 4 separate passages and answer 1 critical thinking question for each. Four more questions are posed at the bottom of the...

Eleventh graders explore Jazz in America. They examine greats in Jazz, such as Duke Ellington. They are also to discuss the cultural implications of the music itself.

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered instructional activity on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of...

Students explore the future and the importance of the past. In this futuristic lesson, students create a future city and identify traditions of their heritage that they feel should be passed on to future generations. They also assess the...

Fifth graders discuss sustainable forestry. In this forestry lesson, 5th graders discuss how healthy forests need to have dead, diseased and lower quality trees cut down and harvested. They visit a local forest and identify these 3 types...

Fourth graders observe, plan, research, and create a field guide for the trees that are in their schoolyard. In this trees lesson plan, 4th graders make careful observations of what they see around their school and create a guide.

Students investigate wind and weather by creating a weathervane.  In this environment lesson, students identify the purpose of a weathervane and observe weathervanes in action on their campus.  Students create a weathervane and...

Students look at the painting The Red Studio Shows the Way, and critique the art piece. In this critiquing art lesson plan, students discuss how the painting expresses ideas and feelings and history.

Students create a mixed media collage. In this visual arts lesson, students look at the work of Jane Ash Poitras. They create their own collage that shows their personal and collective history and experiences. 

Students examine both the Preamble of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They work in small groups to connect the two documents and analyze how the documents are important to their lives today. They create a poster that visually...

Fifth graders research life in a one- room schoolhouse. They plan and carry out a mock day in a one-room schoolhouse. They make slates on a prior day by painting small boards with chalkboard paint.

Students, in groups, research and map the effects of a proposed airport three miles outside of town. They prepare a presentation based on a set of maps they make and explains its different points of view from the viewpoints of the town...

A well-done and informative presentation, this resource could be used to pique interest in Lousiana's history. This presentation about Poverty Point, a mound created by Native Americans, is a fascinating exploration of this topic. What...