5TH GRADE LESSON PLANS CALENDAR COMING EVENTS CONSTITUTION LESSONS ELECTION FIELD STUDY LESSONS: VIRGINIA 2009 FIELD TRIP SURVEY FIELD TRIPS FP LESSON PLANS FREEDOM PROJECT GENOCIDE AND HUMAN RIGHTS GLI SEMINAR LESSONS PLANS GRANT HC LESSON PLANS HISTORY LIBRARY HOME IN-SERVICE FOR TEACHERS LINCOLN LINKS FOR KIDS LINKS FOR TEACHERS MISSION NEWS NEWSLETTERS PARTNERS SUMMER INSTITUTE THEMES VETERANS' DAY Main   >   Departments   >   Teaching American History LESSON PLANS FROM FREEDOM PROJECT: 2008-2009 AMERICAN INDIAN ORIGIN STORIES Creation Myths In this lesson for 5th graders, students are asked to read and discuss differences and similarities in a variety of Native American creation stories. They will be asked to make text-to-text connections, make predictions regarding environmental factors, and connect elements of each myth to the environment of that specific American Indian culture. As a culminating activity, each student will have the option to write their own creation myth based on knowledge gained or an essay comparing and contrasting information based on three of the myths they have read. TRADE BETWEEN EUROPEANS AND INDIANS Establishing Trade In this lesson, students will learn the importance of trade between the Indians and the Europeans, as well as factors which motivated the establishment of trade during early days of America. Using resource boxes from area museums, students will experience material culture from both groups through hands-on activities. PERSONALIZING THE HOLOCAUST: ONE CAMP, ONE SURVIVOR Terezin Power Point Introduce the lesson by showing this moving power point created by Rick Elston of Guilford High School. The main objective is to have students gain a new understanding of the Holocaust by studying the history and operation of one concentration camp operated by the Nazis in WWII. By hearing from a survivor of that camp, students will better understand the horrible experiences and the tremendous courage of the victims of the Holocaust. The actual lesson plan follows with the next link. Terezin Lesson Plan After viewing the power point, share the video of Lisl Bogart's speech (click on link below) given in May, 2007, at Guilford. Ideas for assessments and follow-up activities are included in the lesson plan. Survivor's Story Video of Lisl Bogart's Speech at Guilford--May, 2007 Clicking on this link will allow you to view the 38-minute video of Holocaust survivor, Lisl Bogart, speaking before Guilford students in May of 2007. Allow about four minutes for the video to download. (For a copy of the DVD to share with students, please contact Rick Elston at Guilford or Betsy Homewood at Roosevelt.) TRACING THE BLACK HAWK WAR THROUGH NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN Part One: History and Culture of Sauk and Mesquakie Tribes (PPT) Another outstanding unit by Guilford's Rick Elston, this one on the Sauk and Mesquakie tribes and their place in local history, provides an opportunity for students to learn how these tribes' experiences mirror in many ways the larger experiences of Native American groups dealing with the expansion of European/American settlement. The three sections of the lesson include (part one, the link above) the history and culture of the Sauk and Mesquakie tribes which is to enable students to understand the early migrations and cultural patterns of these groups; the second part focuses on Black Hawk to enable students the chance to understand the changes and stresses to Native American cultures brought on by increased contact with whites throughout westward expansion; and thirdly, to follow the events of the Black Hawk War through our region to enable students to develop a greater knowledge and appreciation for local history. Part Two: The Life of Black Hawk (PPT) This link contains the second part of the PPT which covers the life of Black Hawk, providing students with information that suggests the changes and stresses that came to bear on Native American cultures felt throughout America, brought on by increased content with whites. Part Three: The Black Hawk War PPT This is the third and final part of the PPT which covers the events of the Black Hawk War through our region, allowing students to develop greater knowledge and appreciation for the local history while recognizing how similar events could be repeated again and again throughout the period of American expansion. Black Hawk War Lesson Plans Lesson plans for each of the three sections of the PPT above include activities and assessments: creating a timeline or illustrated wheel showing major events in the life of Sauk/Mesquakie Native Americans during the different seasons; journal entries from the perspective of Black Hawk relating important events in his life, a character sketch of important events, traits, or a compare/contrast; and finally, an illustrated map following Black Hawk's band through Illinois and Wisconsin with drawings and labels. THE NATIVE AMERICANS, THE EUROPEANS, AND TREES Use of Trees in Daily Lives This lesson discusses the importance of trees to not only Native American daily life but to the lives of importers and industrialists. Jean Larsen's lesson uses a variety of sources to look at the harvesting of trees over a span of 200+ years and motivates students to apply what they have learned by writing a reflective postcard to a grandchild based on what was known at the time. Larson Site of Native American Tools SMALLPOX IN COLONIAL AMERICA Smallpox Power Point How did Europeans as well as Native Americans deal with the horrors of smallpox? What were the consequences and how did it affect each population? Amanda Becker has created a power point presentation for middle and high school students which presents content concerning smallpox epidemics in Colonial America. Suggestions for student assignments/assessments are also included in her lesson. WHAT WERE THE POWHATAN INDIANS LIKE? Lesson Plan Investigate the Powhatan Indians and evaluate perceptions of Native Americans with what we now know. Students will read and discuss about conflicts with the Powhatan and will work in pairs on document analysis sheets to determine how they lived. Students will also be asked to compare the Powhatan culture with the English through a written reflection. Portrait of Pocahontas Picture Analysis Worksheet Click on this link to download a copy of the Picture Analysis Sheet to be used with the portrait of Pocahontas (above), the engraving by Theodor de Bry and the others in the next link for Comparing Cultures. Comparing Cultures Jamestown Worksheet A SAILOR'S SALARY IN 1492 Lesson Plan Students will determine a 2008 value for the Spanish maravedi, a copper coin in use in the 15th century in Spain. Students will also be asked to read excerpts from both Columbus's diary and from Pedro's Journal. This exercise involves some math as the students or teacher will need to look up the current cost per ounce for gold and compare maravedis to ducats, a 24K gold coin weighing 3.511 grams. Students will then discuss the sailor's salary and decide if this was sufficient money to justify all of the risks that were taken in such a voyage. COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE SORT Exchanges Then and Now Exchanges take place in our lives everyday. In this lesson, students are asked to generate a list of things exchanged, and then sort them into categories for both the Old World and the New World. From this, as a class, students will create a large scale matrix and conduct research for any items that are unfamiliar to them. The students will decide on and write about items of historical impact as well as create a definition for cultural borrowing. BUILDING BACKGROUND FOR THE MEETING OF THREE CULTURES: SPAIN 1492 Destination Spain Students stumble upon a time machine with the dial stuck on 1492. In groups they are instructed to create a list of what they would find and will be asked to sort those items into categories, then write a diary entry of a Spanish subject. THE JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT Lesson Plan In this lesson, students will be asked to identify the people, events, and challenges of the Jamestown settlement. By gathering information from books and websites, students will create a summary of important facts, include pictures and maps, in creating a class project to be displayed with a history timeline. Project Report Template Click on this link to download the student Project Report Template to use for the culminating class project. ANALYZING PRIMARY DOCUMENTS Lesson Plan These six lessons were created to teach students how to analyze primary source documents. Beginning with the reading of an excerpt from the first-hand account of the slave Olaudah Equiano's experience on board a slave ship, the documents take students up to the Emancipation Proclamation. These lessons are meant to be used in conjunction with the unit on slavery entitled "The Long Road to Freedom." Primary Document 1: Olaudah Primary Document 2: Slave Ship Diagram Primary Document 3: Solomon Northrup Primary Document 4: Lewis Clark Primary Document 5: Portrait of a Negro Man Primary Document 6: Emancipation Proclamation ARE ALL "INDIANS" THE SAME? Lesson Plan The purpose of this activity is to help students gain awareness that all "Indians" are not what the Hollywood stereotype would suggest. Students will group Native Americans into four geographical areas then further subdivide them into tribes. Working in pairs, students will research information on six key lifestyle indicators and design a paper tile mosaic to share their findings with the class as a whole. THE LONG ROAD TO FREEDOM PPT-The Long Road to Freedom Introduce students to this unit on slavery by sharing the power point presentation above. Students will learn about the history of slavery from the arrival of the first slaves to the Jamestown Colony in 1619, the growt of the Transatlantic slave trade, the growth of slavery in the US, and the important events leading to emancipation through the 13th Amendment in 1865. (The link above will access a PDF file; for a copy of the PPT, contact Betsy at Roosevelt.) Study Guide Sheets Study Guide Key Long Road to Freedom Test Test Key WAS THE BOSTON MASSACRE REALLY A MASSACRE? Boston Massacre PPT Things are not always as they seem. In this lesson, students will be asked to compare newspaper articles to determine differences in point of view and possible bias. They will then examine Paul Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre with other pictures depicting the event and evaluate the differences using a document analysis sheet, ending the lesson with a discussion on the impact of propaganda on society. Lesson Plan: Was the Boston Massacre Really a Massacre? Colonial Resistance Document Analysis Sheet AN ABRAHAM LINCOLN TIMELINE Early Years PPT--1809-1831 This is a unit of study which provides the basic background information about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War necessary for students to have before engaging in more in-depth study. In this first segment, students are shown a power point of the early years which has a study guide (with key for teacher) and a test (also with a key for the teacher). Click on the links below. Abraham Lincoln Timeline Lesson Plan Early Years Study Guide Study Guide Key Early Years Test Early Years Test Key Early Political Career PPT - 1832-1848 Early Political Career Study Guide Early Political Career Study Guide Key Early Political Career Test Early Political Career Test Key LETTER TO MRS. BIXBY Lesson Plan The inspiration for the movie, "Saving Private Ryan," the beautiful letter written by Abraham Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby was intended to comfort her for the loss of her sons and to thank her for their service. However, as you will learn through this lesson, controversy surrounds not only Mrs. Bixby and the distinct possibility of fraud involved, but also whether the letter was even written by Lincoln or by his secretary, John Hay! The objective of the lesson, therefore, is to demonstrate how primary documents need to be researched in order to fully understand them. THE BOSTON MASSACRE Lesson Plan for 5th Grade This lesson was designed for 5th graders to learn about point of view in working with primary documents. Students are asked to view three different pictures of the Boston Massacre and discuss details of each, then create questions concerning the pictures. A TRAVEL BROCHURE FOR THE COLONIAL PERIOD Creating a Colonial Travel Brochure Designed with middle school students in mind, this lesson can be utilized as the culminating project for a unit on the development of the colonies during the 1700-1753 period. Students will have read, discussed, and taken notes on this topic based on the four distinct colonial regions: New England, Middle, Southern, and the Backcountry. Based on their research and background information gathered through reading and note-taking, students will create tri-fold travel brochures for their particular colonial region. WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? THE COLD WAR Cold War Questions For high school students, here are some "Questions to Chew on!" Students are asked to put themselves in the shoes of certain Cold War leaders and make the difficult decisions that had to be made regarding such issues as the atomic bomb, the Cuban missile crisis, communism, nuclear weapons, and Vietnam. LINCOLN BEFORE AND AFTER THE CIVIL WAR Lesson Plan/Word Sort The purpose of this lesson is to have students determine the changes in Lincoln's appearance from the beginning of the Civil War to his appearance at the end of the conflict, and to infer what may have caused the drastic changes. Students begin the lesson with a word sort which requires them to use prior knowledge regarding Lincoln by working in groups to put vocabulary words in categories. Other activities include completing a Venn Diagram, listening to a story about Lincoln, then studying two photos of Lincoln which they are to compare. Venn Diagram for Lincoln Word Sort ARE ALL MEN CREATED EQUAL? Lesson Plan In this lesson for 5th graders, students are asked to question the famous line from the Declaration of Independence ..."all men are created equal." If that is so, how then did some of the Founding Fathers rationalize owning slaves? Students begin by putting together segments of the quote from the Declaration, view paintings of the signing, and discuss the lack of women and people of color in the representations. Students then are asked to read a copy of the poster advertising one of Thomas Jefferson's runaway slaves and discuss the document after using a "Document Analysis Sheet." Document Analysis Sheet THREE WORLDS COLLIDE What would you do in their shoes? Have your high school students respond to these opinion questions on "Encounters" from different historical characters' perspectives! SLAVERY: ACCORDING TO THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND HOW IT CHANGED IN THE MID 1800'S Power Point Slides This unit for high school students, and possibly middle school students, begins with the power point presentation containing slides which state basic issues involving slavery, key terms in major documents, and viewpoints pertaining to the institution of slavery in America. Students are then asked to read 10 informational paragraphs pertaining to slavery and decide whether they are pro-slavery or abolitionist statements. (The Spectrum Document should be downloaded along with the Pro-Slavery vs. Abolitionist Spectrum sheets.) Pro-Slavery vs. Abolitionist Specturm Spectrum Document FROM JAMESTOWN TO THE REVOLUTION: POPULATION GROWTH IN COLONIAL AMERICA Lesson Plan on Colonial Population Growth In this lesson on Population Growth in Colonial America, students are asked to read and interpret information from population tables, predict reasons for population changes, and create graphs to visually display the information regarding population increases. WHO ARE THE NATIVE AMERICANS? WHAT HAPPENED TO NATIVE AMERICANS AFTER CONTACT WITH WHITE SETTLERS? Lesson Plan In this lesson for upper elementary grades, students are asked to discuss what they know about various tribes of Native Americans and then try to identify various artifacts and which tribe or tribes might have utilized them. To build background knowledge, students will then do some research, select a region, and work in cooperative groups to create a poster project based on specific requirements which follow an assessment rubric. Evaluation of the project will be based on the students' self-assessments as well as their performance based on the project rubric. Teachers will need to download the following documents to complete this lesson. Tribes Map Poster Research Project Listening and Speaking Rubric Poster Project Rubric Project Time Plan Project Plan Self-Evaluation EARLY COLONIES: JAMESTOWN Using various sources, students are presented with visuals of Jamestown in the early 1600's and asked to describe what they see, hear, smell, feel, as well as what they can infer from the scenes. Students are then asked why they think the colonists would have left England to come to America; what characteristics would these people have and what would motivate them to make the arduous journey. Students then build background knowledge through reading and research before practicing and performing a Readers' Theatre script (download below). Students will also follow procedures outlined in a mini-DBQ using the enhanced version of the essential question: "Early Jamestown, why did so many colonists die?"--using a debate as the culminating activity. Download the following documents to accompany this lesson plan. Readers Theater Script Rubric COLONIAL WOMEN What would you do in their shoes? Women during colonial times faced many daily challenges which often times proved to be life-changing. For each of the circumstances presented in this lesson, middle and high school students are asked to put themselves in the place of the women described and explain the stand they would take in these exercises on point of view. ROOTS OF AFRICAN SLAVERY IN AMERICA Lesson Plan on Roots of Slavery In this lesson created for fifth-graders, students are asked to think of all that goes into the planting, care, and harvesting of a crop and then decide how all this could be done without the machinery of today. Through shared reading, students will read two background essays while looking for reasons for the need for African labor in the Americas. Working in teams, they will study and analyze primary documents before presenting their findings to the rest of the class. Students as a group will then chart the agricultural products that required intensive slave labor before writing an explanation of why Africans became the slave labor force of the British colonies. ATOMIC NIGHTMARES CREATE SURVIVAL FANTASIES: COLD WAR ERA BOMB SHELTERS Lesson Plan This lesson for high school students was designed to help students understand the fear and paranoia that was present during the early Cold War period in America and how it led to the building of bomb shelters. Using the graphic illustrations and audio clips in the power point presentation which follows, teachers will be able to share with students the civil defense warnings, drills, and horrors of an atomic attack which many feared would happen. Students will also be able to connect with local history through seeing a bomb shelter built in the 1950's in Rockford. Click on the link below to view and/or download the power point presentation which contains the audio clips as well. (If you have difficulty downloading this PPT, please contact Betsy at betsy.homewood@rps205.com) Power Point for Cold War Bomb Shelters SOLDIER CONDITIONS: REVOLUTIONARY WAR VS. CIVIL WAR VS. TODAY Lesson plan What does a soldier need to be successful on the battlefield? In this lesson for 5th graders, students read letters and view pictures from the Revolutionary War and the Civil War to learn about the conditions a soldier had to endure. Whereas today's soldier is provided with all the necessary items, soldiers in previous wars were expected to bring many of their own things. Students also gain a new respect for the dismal conditions soldiers lived with despite pictures and paintings of elaborate uniforms which give a different impression. In reading letters from soldiers in Iraq, students learn that today's soldiers are more concerned with the social and emotional aspects of war rather than provisions and material needs. As a culminating activity, students write letters to soldiers in Iraq. Websites for Soldier Conditions SHOULDN'T THE POEM "THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF PAUL REVERE" BE TITLED "THE MIDNIGHT RIDE OF REVERE, DAWES AND PRESCOTT?" Lesson Plan for Midnight Ride After hearing Longfellow's famous poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere," students are asked why one man was singled out for fame that night. Maps are distributed which show the routes which the three men took that night and an actual account of the night's rides are read aloud to students. Again students are asked why Paul Revere was the one who became famous. Students also discuss the fact that ordinary men and women help make history but only the famous get the credit. Using current events, students are asked to make connections to today's news in which certain people are thrust into prominence by the media. As a wrap up, students are asked to consider, then write about, what would have happened if all three men had been captured by the British and detained that night. Would the outcome of the battles at Lexington and Concord have been different? Did the colonists really need to have the warning? Map of Midnight Routes UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL Lesson Plan In this lesson for 5th graders, students learn they must work together, like the founders, if they are to be successful. The objective of the lesson is to understand the compromises the founding fathers had to make in order to create a new government. Students discuss main differences between colonies which include economic, social, and political issues, then work together to create a chart showing the benefits of being independent states or a united country, as well as the problems with being independent states or a united country. Students then analyze Ben Franklin's "Join or Die" cartoon and answer questions relating to it. The final activity has students writing a paragraph which uses facts from the lesson to take a stand: would they have fought for unity or would they have wanted to create individual states? Document Analysis Sheet Benefits Chart THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR COUNTRY Lesson Plan Beginning with a discussion of Memorial Day and why it is celebrated, students are introduced to the Gettysburg Address and then asked to make connections with its message and our world today. Use the links below to download the Gettysburg Address Worksheet and the Close Activity of "Facts About Lincoln," as well as the power point presentation of "Lincoln: a Leader for the Ages." Gettysburg Address Worksheet Facts on Lincoln Close Activity Lincoln: a Leader for the Ages (PPT) SLAVE RESISTANCE, NEW YORK AND STONO Lesson Plan Students in 5th grade discuss the impact of slavery on the economy in the south and deal with the concept of resistance by studying several primary source documents. Through the examination of slave laws of the colonial period as well as documentation, students come to realize that there was slave resistance. ROAD TO REVOLUTION: A LIVING TIMELINE Lesson Plan Middle school students create a living timeline that acts out ten events leading up to the Revolutionary War. The objective is to achieve a better understanding of the reasons behind the colonists' struggle to gain independence from the British. NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE LOCATION Lesson Plan Students use maps of Native American tribes and work with various artifacts from different regions to locate and label the tribes that would have used each artifact. Students then select a tribe to research shelter, food, clothing, customs, tools, jewelry, art, religion, trade partners, and allies/enemies. DEBATE DBQ...WAS ANDREW JACKSON DEMOCRATIC? Debate DBQ Lesson This lesson for middle school students should be used as a culminating activity after having used the DBQ format on other occasions with the traditional five-paragraph essay as the assessment. This will enable students to be better prepared for participating in a formal debate. The task for students is to examine documents and background information to determine if history indicates that Andrew Jackson was democratic or not. The objectives are to: gain greater understanding of Andrew Jackson and his effect on the development of our political system, increase the ability of students to gather information from historical documents, and to model the debate process as a learning tool. Debate Appendices NATIVE AMERICAN RESEARCH Lesson Plan Students will work cooperatively to research and report on a Native American tribe after hearing a story entitled "The Navajos: A First Americans Book." Using the "Needs of Man" Packet which can be downloaded below, students complete the worksheets using books, websites, and reference materials. Needs of Man Packet for Research DESIGN A CIVIL WAR MINI-Q OF YOUR OWN! Lesson Plan A logical extension for students who have worked with the DBQ and Mini-Q format, this lesson has students designing a personal project which requires them to have prior knowledge of answering thesis questions and using primary source documents. Students begin by creating their "essential question" then continue with the design process by selecting five subtopics to be developed. Documents are then selected and analysis questions are written. Students will also be required to write a background essay to accompany their Mini-Q, as well as designing "cover art" in blackline to illustrate the subtopic. (Sample topics, rubrics, and project directions, as well as websites, are provided in the link for the lesson plan.) NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIFACTS Lesson Plan Students travel around a classroom set up with ten identification stations which each contain ten native American artifacts/pictures of artifacts from various tribes being researched by the students. Students will work cooperatively with their research group to determine which artifacts at each station are representative of their tribe. 13 ORIGINAL COLONIES Lesson Plan In this lesson for elementary students, a story about Betsy Ross and the origins of the original American flag is read and students are asked to discuss the purpose behind its construction. On a map, students are then asked to locate the 13 original colonies and research the importance of each. As a culminating activity, students will choose a colony for which they will construct its original state flag. CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR Lesson Plan For elementary students, this lesson has the teacher locate and read several picture books on topics which led to the Revolutionary War. Through discussion, students will create a list of events by identifying causes and effects. Students will then construct their own book about the causes of the American Revolutionary War. ACTS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR Lesson Plan This lesson for elementary students begins with a discussion of why a bag of sugar, a dollar bill, a US postage stamp, and a tea bag are important to the Revolutionary War. In addition to the acts represented by the above items, students will identify and research other acts which led to the Revolutionary War. As a culminating activity, each student will create a "pocket book" about the acts that lead up to the Revolutionary War. COLD WAR - CUBA EMBARGO DEBATE Lesson Plan Student's middle school study of the Cold War includes an overview of Cuban history. The lesson is intended to give students an opportunity to apply their understanding of America's relationship with Cuba through debate. Students will need to apply their knowledge of the early relationship between Cuba and the US prior to and following the Spanish American War, prior to and following Castro's rise to power, as well as identifying points of argument from text with broad information about both maintaining and lifting the embargo placed on Cuba by the US. The students will collaborate to build persuasive arguments by researching and gathering support for both positions, then practice logic as they counter the alternative facts presented as they listen to other views. CONFLICT IN CYPRUS Lesson Plan Conflict is universal and it is important that students understand not only the direct causes of conflict but the factors which lead to those causes. By studying techniques to be used in conflict resolution, in this lesson, students will be asked to create a treaty proposal. In order to design a treaty, students must first identify characteristics of Cyprus in relation to basic geographic themes, observe regional change over time through a timeline study, analyze conflict in the region in relation to its impact on people, then work in cooperative groups to simulate the idea of "Working Groups" and "Technical Committees" as identified in a 2006 agreement between both sides. THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD Lesson Plan Just as with disturbances on the playground, students will learn that accounts of events--the Battle of Lexington and Concord in this case--can also be reported differently. Students will be asked to establish point of view and purpose of authors of written accounts, compare and contrast the information, sequence events, and identify cause and effect relationships of the events described. Students will create a timeline of events and a Venn diagram to compare and contrast. SMUGGLING TEA Lesson Plan In this lesson for 5th graders, students will learn the meaning of "smuggling" as well as understand the various reasons for smuggling--both in the Revolutionary period and today. Students create a list of questions to be answered about the history of smuggling prior to the tax on tea as well as questions that pertain to what things might be smuggled today. Through research on the internet, students are to find the answers to the group's questions and share them in group discussion. A writing exercise will have students explaining a smuggling operation--item being smuggled, the reason it must be smuggled, how it will be smuggled, and the risks involved. Students then participate in a "smuggling activity" during which time they attempt to "smuggle" an item into the class. If the item is found, they must pay the predetermined tax or forfeit the item for the class to share. (Items must be prepackaged and no liquids are allowed!) When students pass the point of entry, they may declare the item and pay the tax, or they may try to get the item into the classroom without being detected. "Tax collectors" may search books and other items and may ask to have shoes removed and pockets emptied!! No tarring and feathering is called for! CIVIL WAR-THE WAR THAT CHANGED OUR COUNTRY FOREVER Lesson Plan A discussion with middle school students about family arguments leads into a study of the Civil War. Through reading and research, students will learn why the Civil War was fought, will gain insight about the war through video and primary documents, and be able to compare the American Civil War with events occurring in today's world. Students will view clips of the PBS video "Causes of the Civil War," view a teacher-made PPT timeline (see link below), complete Civil War timelines, and complete an activity on the Civil War while viewing portions of "Gods and Generals," "Gettysburg," and "Glory." Civil War Timeline PPT Gods and Generals PPT RECONSTRUCTION Lesson Plan Following the Civil War, former slaves and other African Americans became American citizens and were given rights under the Constitution. However, within a few years most former slaves found their rights were being denied in many areas of the country. In this lesson, students will learn what help was provided during Reconstruction and how African Americans played a role in their own liberation. A PBS internet site on Reconstruction is used for research which will help students evaluate how reconstruction worked and the gains made by African Americans. Students will analyze what went wrong with Reconstruction and why it ended, as well as attempting to analyze how it affected society for the next century and beyond. (Download the activity sheet below for students to conduct their research on the PBS website.) Reconstruction Activity Sheet THE MARSHALL PLAN AND HOW IT SAVED WESTERN EUROPE Lesson Plan A Cold War lesson for middle school students which begins with a discussion of how helping others can make a difference; that leads into a discussion of the Marshall Plan which would aid the struggling countries of Europe following WWII. The purpose of this lesson is to help students gain understanding of the Cold War and how the Marshall Plan helped many in need and kept Western Europe free. In addition, students will be able to evaluate how actions of people and countries make a difference in the world as they analyze the Marshall Plan and its historic importance both in the Cold War and the future of our world. Students will view a power point (which can be downloaded below), read a 1940's newspaper article on the Marshall Plan from the Historian's packet, use an internet site to research the effect of the Marshall Plan, then write an essay on the Marshall Plan, its affect on the Cold War, and how it changed the world. Marshall Plan PPT REVOLUTIONARY SPIES--A RESEARCH PROJECT Lesson Plan This lesson is a research project which allows elementary students to find information about spies who were operating during the American Revolution. Although their text only mentions Nathan Hale, students will learn there were many other spies who served both the British and the Patriots during the revolutionary period. Students are provided with a list of websites and books from which they may gather information on known spies. In addition to locating information, the students will write research note cards, write a research report on the information they gather, and organize their information into a visual presentation format of their choice. (Download the research activity sheet below.) Research Sheet THE COLD WAR--HAS HISTORY TAUGHT US ANYTHING? 6 lessons on the Cold War This is a unit which contains six lesson plans on the Cold War: Lesson One--Early Development of the Superpowers-To-Be; Lesson Two--World War I and the Russian Revolution; Lesson Three--Origins of the Cold War; Lesson Four--Eisenhower, the Arms Race, and the Third World; Lesson Five--The Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis; and Lesson Six--US Involvement in Vietnam as Part of the Cold War. Download all six lessons by clicking on the link above. JANE ADDAMS TIMELINE ACTIVITY Timeline Activities In this lesson for high school, students are instructed to create an illustrated timeline of the accomplishments of Jane Addams as a group project, then to create either a biographical booklet highlighting Janes's life and accomplishments or an article which would be part of a group magazine where each student contributes on a specific topic or aspect of Jane's life. Included in the lesson plan are suggested assignments for research, activities, grading rubric, and a copy of the timeline of Jane Addams's accomplishments. THE BERLIN WALL Lesson Plan The purpose of this lesson is to introduce high school students to the background and history of the division of Berlin after WWII, the building and the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the final reunification of Germany. Beginning with video clips downloaded from U-Tube, the lesson has students working in groups with study guides to create an illustrated timeline of Berlin from postwar occupation to the reunification of Germany. Included are study guide questions (and key), website study guide, Berlin Wall Internet Quiz (and key), and a rubric for the illustrated timeline. COLD WAR SPIES Lesson Plan Beginning with a clip from "Casino Royal" and the song "Secret Agent Man," students are then shown a power point presentation (which will require note taking) on Cold War Spies, ending with the hyperlink to the Alger Hiss web page and photo album. Students are then required to do further research on Alger Hiss on the internet in order to write a persuasive essay arguing that Alger Hiss was either guilty or not guilty. A good essay will include evidence from the site supporting the position the student has taken. Click on the Lesson Plan for activities and the rubric for the essay. Click on the link below to download the power point on Cold War Spies. Cold War Spies Power Point GEORGE VS. GEORGE Who Was George Washington and What Has He Come to Symbolize? In this DBQ for elementary and middle school, students view a power point presentation of various portraits of George Washington and are asked to attend to details to determine what qualities are being symbolized. Students are then given two portraits--the Peale portrait of George Washington and the coronation portrait of George III--and use an artwork analysis sheet to write their observations. Using Venn diagrams, students then work in groups to compare/contrast the two portraits, then create a whole class Venn diagram before drawing conclusions about the two men. Click above to download the lesson. Click on the links below to download the PPT, the Art Analysis Sheet, and the portraits of George Washington and George III. George Washington PPT Art Analysis Sheet George Washington Portrait George III Portrait MEXICO TODAY Lesson Plan Designed for middle school, this lesson is to be used after teaching the War between Mexico and the United States in 1848 and after using the Mini Q: "Was the United States Justified in Going to War Against Mexico?" Students are asked to research information on present day Mexico after having studied its past. A puzzle map of present day Mexico provides each student with a "piece" or current state for which they are to gather information which could include location, geography, natural resources, industry, population, and other unique or interesting facts relative to the region. Once research is complete, students use an overhead projector to enlarge their puzzle piece and then relay their research information using markers or colored pencils before presenting their state to the rest of the class. THE CIVIL WAR AND ORAL HISTORY Lesson Plan High school students are asked to define and discuss the importance of oral history and the sharing of important events in history. After listening to the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," they discuss how music can also be a form of oral history. Finally, students mind map the value and usefulness of oral history. USING STORYTELLING IN TEACHING THE CIVIL WAR Abraham and Isaac In this lesson, students discuss the Biblical characters Abraham and Isaac before listening to the Liebermans' CD "Abraham & Isaac: Sacrifice at Gettysburg." Students take notes then share what they have learned from the CD's story which was based on actual documents and letters of the two men and the events that tore our nation apart, not to mention the lives of everyone involved. USING STORYTELLING AND RESEARCH--CIVIL WAR Lesson Plan Another lesson for middle and high school, here students are asked to research a specific battle of the Civil War and use that information to create a story about an individual involved in that battle's history. Click on the link above to download the lesson which includes a list of Civil War Battle Websites, the students assignment sheet, rubrics, and a list of all Civil War Battles from which students may choose. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: THE COLD WAR AND TODAY Comparing Disaster Preparedness Plans A lesson for middle school where students begin by discussing disasters and plans their families have for specific disasters. Students are then given materials and are asked to read certain sections which provide information on disaster preparedness during the Cold War days and the present. Following discussion they are asked to compare and contrast the methods in a Venn diagram. (Click on the link below to download the document on Fallout Shelters.) Fallout Shelter Document ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AND THE COLD WAR My Day May 12th 1960 Following discussions regarding Eleanor Roosevelt's participation in FDR's presidency and her own humanitarian efforts concerning human rights, copies of one of the former first lady's daily columns from "My Day"--dated May 12, 1960--is presented to students. After reading and discussing the article which deals with the U-2 incident and the House Committee on Un-American Activities, students are asked to write questions based on Bloom's taxonomy concerning the article. They are also required to write a well-written answer for each of their questions on a separate sheet of paper! They then trade papers with another group and have them answer each other's questions. COMMUNISM AND THE MARSHALL PLAN What Made Communism Attractive after WWII? The first of several lessons to help middle school students understand why Communism in theory was attractive to several countries during the reconstruction of Europe following WWII. Students first are asked if they agree or disagree with the statement that wearing uniforms makes them appear equal. They are then given background on the basic tenets of both communism and capitalism before being shown a power point presentation on the Marshall Plan (which may be downloaded below). In the next lesson, students go through a simulation to help them better understand Communism as they are instructed to become either members of the wealthy class, skilled laborers, or the poor to play a game with Position and Income cards. After going through the simulation students are asked to complete a worksheet expressing their thoughts regarding the system. (Download "Simulation" below for directions, playing cards, coins and worksheets.) Following that, students are presented with "before" and "after" photographs of Stuttgart and are asked to analyze the photos. (Download "Stuttgart Photos" below.) Finally, an assessment is given which asks students to analyze a political cartoon of the Marshall Plan. (Download "Assessment" below.) Marshall Plan PPT Simulation Stuttgart Photos Stuttgart Analysis Sheet Marshall Plan Assessment DR. SEUSS POLITICAL CARTOONS BEFORE THE COLD WAR Political Cartoon Lesson using Dr. Seuss Using a current political cartoon with middle or high school students leads to a discussion of the threat of Communism and isolationism which began before WWII ended. Students study a series of six Dr. Seuss political cartoons, analyze the cartoons, then discuss the ways in which the cartoonist, Theodore Giesel--better known as Dr. Seuss!--expressed his opinions on a variety of topics related to the US stance pre-WWII that would eventually play a part on the Cold War stage. Click on the links below for the "Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet" and the "Dr. Seuss Political Cartoons in PPT." Political Cartoon Analysis Sheet Dr. Seuss Political Cartoons in PPT UNDERSTANDING CLASS STRUGGLE--ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS Lesson Plan on Class Struggle This is the first of several lessons on the Cold War intended for high school students. Using the popular "rock, paper, scissors" game to get things rolling, students wager with a certain allotment of tokens--some more than others. After a determined period of play students are asked if they think the game is fair and explain why or why not. This leads into a discussion of the two ideologies of the Cold War. CONTRASTING COLD WAR TERMS Lesson Plan and Activities This lesson designed for high school students begins by having students compare and contrast communist and capitalist economic and political systems. Students are given a packet of activities containing pertinent questions to answer and terms to learn. The essential question to be answered: What differences in ideology led the US and the Soviet Union to become Cold War adversaries? Students will also be asked to view eight placards and match each of them to one of the terms related to the study. Click on the link above to download the lesson plan and all related materials. COMPARISON...SOCIALISM VS. CAPITALISM Lesson Plan and Documents High school students are shown a picture of Karl Marx and are asked if they can identify him. Then they are asked: Is a factory worker as important as the factory owner? Why or why not? Students are then given a brief biographical sketch of Karl Marx before writing in their interactive notebooks to respond to the questions. Students then discuss the communist theory of Marx and complete the chart by relating their experiences from the previous "rock, paper, scissor" lesson. As an assessment, students are given real-life situations and are asked to decide if each is an example of socialist or capitalist principles. Final discussion has students considering why Marx's ideas appealed to people after WWII. WHY A WALL? Lesson Plan In this lesson, students are asked "Why does someone build a wall?" After answers are shared, the question is asked: "Why did the Soviets build the Berlin Wall?" After revisiting the differences in ideology of the US and the Soviet Union, students investigate events surrounding the Berlin Wall era in an effort to answer the essential question: How effective was the Berlin Wall according to the Soviets? According to the US? Their final assignment is to create a presentation that will represent the history of the Berlin Wall Era. Click on the link above to download the lesson then click below for the Newseum's "Two Sides, One Story" on the Berlin Wall. "Two Sides, One Story" HANNAH DUSTIN: HEROINE OR MURDERER? The Case of Hannah Dustin (PPT/Lesson) Was she a murderer or a heroine? You and your students will have to decide for yourselves! In 1697, Hannah Dustin, mother of 8, was abducted by natives from her home in Haverhill, Massachusetts, forced to watch the murder of her infant child, led on a 78-mile march, and held captive by the natives. Eventually Hannah takes matters into her own hands, with the help of her friend Mary and a young captive named Samuel. Not only does this lesson share the story of Hannah and her situation, it also is a lesson in values' clarification: when is murder an option? The power point incorporates both Hannah's story and the activities for discussing her case and determining a verdict by putting Hannah on trial. Primary sources are linked as are other web sites pertinent to the story. LETTERS HOME: POSTCARDS FROM THE PAST Lesson Plan For 5th grade/Middle School students. This lesson is designed to allow students to put a "face" on the tribes and the settlers after a study of the early relationship between the Native Americans and the colonists. Students will apply their knowledge of regional tribal peoples, cultures, customs, and difficulties faced, as well as their knowledge of English settlement and the difficulties they faced by writing from both a Native and an English perspective. Click on the link above to download the lesson plan for "LETTERS HOME: POSTCARDS FROM THE PAST." COLONIAL MURAL--COLONIAL LIVES Lesson Plan For 5th grade and middle school students. Based on Jon Butler's "Becoming America-the Revolution Before 1776," this lesson is designed to give students an opportunity to visualize life in the colonies. Students will work collaboratively to create segments of a Colonial Lives mural, drawing their information from text presented, ideas of which are to be drawn from Butler's work. EARLY FEDERAL RECONSTRUCTION 1865-1877 Lesson Plan For middle school students. In this lesson about the Early Reconstruction period, students learn about the task of rebuilding the South following the Civil War and the controversies concerning sectional interests. The future economic security for African Americans as well as the southern landowners depended on the early steps that were taken in restoring the South. Learning about the early years of Reconstruction will help students better understand both the past and future course of reconciliation and equality. Click on the link above for the lesson plan; click on the links below for the powerpoint on "Phases of Reconstruction" in two versions--one modified and one with notes. Also below is the link to "Free!" Early Reconstruction PPT (Modified) Phases of Reconstruction PPT with Notes

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