Reading about history is nothing like experiencing it firsthand. Encourage your eighth graders to do the next best thing with a historical narrative prompt, in which they describe the experience of a first-time traveler on the...

Seward's Folly or brilliant strategic move? Class members investigate primary source documents from each country to determine the rationales behind the sale and purchase of Alaska, and then stage a debate.

Fifth graders examine the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Using the Internet, they research his decision to remove the Indians from their land and place them on reservations. They discuss the effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

In this American Civil War worksheet, students respond to 20 short answer, multiple choice, and true or false questions about the events that led to the outbreak of war.

Students compare their travel needs to homesteaders from the late 1800's in this multi-instructional activity unit. Students analyze a historic document, explain modes of transportation of the homesteaders, and articulate the personal...

Students examine the relationship between agriculture and the slave trade during the 1860s. In groups, they research how two factors led to the explosion of slavery in the Southern United States. Using maps, they answer comprehension...

In this World War II activity, high schoolers read excerpts of 2 American diplomatic memos written in the 1930's to Germany and Japan. Then students respond to 2 short answer questions. 

Students investigate the geography located along Route 66. They research how the population patterns change in certain areas along the highway. Students use the information in order to form hypotheses about how and why the population...

Seventh graders examine the area of medieval Sub-Saharan Africa through eyes of travelers in the company of one of history's greatest travelers, Ibn Battuta. The project has been structured to include all the State standards for this unit.

First graders analyze the events of early American exploration. This is a unit resource for teachers in which there are six lessons about the American Western exploration and expansion. Within each lesson there are objectives, materials,...

Students examine human migrations and hypothesize why Chinese immigrants came to the Pacific Northwest. In groups, they research reasons for the migration and record them on a Venn Diagram with general migratory reasons. Students...

Students visit the Rincon History Museum in California. They discover different periods in the state's history and discuss. They view the art and explain what can be learned from it.

High schoolers investigate the international background and consequences of The Louisiana Purchase, The War of 1812, and The Monroe Doctrine. The lesson helps to improve critical thinking skills about American History.

Sixth graders, while in the computer lab utilizing the internet, locate primary sources to interpret and analyze the struggle of the new nation to gain the respect of European countries. They interact with a worksheet that organizes...

Students explore the views of both sides of the Civil War. Through class discussion and debate, they look at how each side justified their position during the Civil War. Students write a letter explaining one of the viewpoints from the...

Seventh graders comprehend the interaction and conflict beween Native Americans and white settlers in the years following the Civil War. They listen to T"his Land is Your Land." Students are asked what their interpretation of the...

This lesson can be used in American history, social studies, and geography courses in units on westward expansion and the Civil War.

Students examine world history by writing an essay in class. In this World War II lesson, students identify the attack on Pearl Harbor, the response from the U.S and the effect it had on Japanese-Americans. Students define Japanese...

Twelfth graders produce a map illustrating the current NATO members, future nations, and nations that have applied for membership. They research current information regarding NATO, and the Russian viewpoint about the expansion of NATO....

This resource outlines several general activities for a study of Ancient Rome, and includes guiding questions, a handout on the story of Romulus and Remus, and ideas for incorporating mapping and timeline activities into your review.

Based on the documentary film Savage Acts: Wars, Fairs, and Empire, this lesson explores concepts of National interests and imperialism. They view sections of the film and share which images exemplify the meaning of each vocabulary term....

The battle at the Alamo may be one of the most famous military campaigns in Texas history, but it is by no means the only one. As part of their study of the military history of Texas, class members research less-well-known sites, locate...

Who decides someone is not a real person? Scholars investigate the Dred Scott v. Sandford court case which deals directly with slavery and citizenship. After viewing a short video clip, classmates work in pairs to assess and discuss the...

To increase awareness and launch a discussion of consumerism, class members view What Would It Look Like, a 25 minute film of images that capture the global effects of the consumption of goods. Viewers make a list of the images that...