Introduce your middle schoolers to the lives of past Native Americans. First, learners work together to put photographs in a sequence. Then, using their sequence, they create stories to share with the whole class. No matter how old your...

Students review information from a previous lesson about JFK and his assassination. As a class, they identify sources they believe historians use and describe the difference between a primary and secondary source. In groups, they...

Students explore various impressionist works and examine their use of color. A scale of color from dark to light is created using tints and shades of all primary and secondary colors. Impressionists techniques are utilized.

Students read excerpts from the historian Conover Hunt writing about John F. Kennedy and from primary source documents using the handout: Historical Sources and Historians. Students discuss and identify source types, evaluate sources,...

Fourth graders become familiar with the explorations of Hernando DeSoto. In this DeSoto lesson plan, 4th graders recognize the routes and territories of DeSoto's explorations. Students use primary and secondary sources and research to...

Students explore health by identifying positive eating habits. In this dietary lesson, students read several books about eating well and making wise food decisions. Students view the food pyramid on the USDA website and discuss the...

Students work together to research one area of history that is of an interest to them. Using primary sources, they examine photographs and disuss what they already know about the topic. They present their images and information to the...

Eighth graders examine the role of intended meaning in Ralph Earl's portrait of Andrew Jackson. They, in groups, research periods in Jackson's life and use gathered information to create their own portraits of Jackson.

A phenomenal lesson on Shakespeare! Middle and high school learners create WebQuests about the texts and authors that Shakespeare himself studied when he was in grammar school. They use a variety of media in order to create dramatic...

Writing teaches us so much. One can identify the many characteristics of a newspaper, use the Internet to gather information, and communicate with others. Primary students create a class newspaper for publishing and dispersal.

Students inquire about life for pioneer children. In this pioneer period lesson, students analyze photographs of children, make information foldables, and create a covered wagon that was typical of the ones of the past. Students will...

Students explore the relationship between nature and architecture. For this cross curriculum history, culture, and architecture lesson, students observe and discuss structures visible in nature. Students view websites in which Native...

Fourth graders interview community members for a "newspaper". They design a business brochure, write a disappearing ghost story, and experiment with mono-printing. They experiment with a variety of materials, tools, equipment, and...

Students examine world geography by viewing a documentary film in class. In this World War II lesson, students discuss the role Hawaii played in the great battle and what type conflicts happened among the island chain. Students view a...

Students discover one of the restrictions forced on women of the early 1900s. In this civil rights instructional activity, students investigate suffrage and why women were not allowed to vote in the early twentieth century. Students...

Fifth graders discuss the importance of castles in medieval times. Using the internet, they research the parts of a castle and design their own using the components. They use everyday materials to build the castle to a specific scale.

Students examine the importance of trade in West Africa. Using a virtual time capsule, they travel back to ancient times and travel along with a caravan. They answer specific questions related to the journey and items they are trading....

Students heighten awareness and mastery of the subtle factors of drawing technique. Activities focus solely on the human figure, particularly the face. students list 5 of elements of light and shadow which affect portrayal of character...

Seventh graders participate in a role play activity to study the development of the fur trade in North America and leaders like Champlain.

Eighth graders explain the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. They view a political cartoon of the period, then do a writing assignment for homework. They write about how they would feel if the British were calling them traitors.

Young scholars research the history of a notable building and prepare a Power Point presentation to be used on the online scrapbook. They research the location of the building in the community, the architectural style and the date of...

Learners analyze elements unique to the Chicano art form of the teatro (theater) and examine history connected to the form, namely the farm workers' movement of the 1960's.