Indigenous Americans in the Archaic Period From: Cult of Pedagogy Grade Level: (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1-2 Class Periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Four Theater Games That Make Learning a Blast Assign a group of students to each region of Native peoples who lived in the present-day United States during the Archaic period (roughly 8,000 to 1,000 BC), well before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Each group is to research the people in their region--Great Plains Bison Hunters, Great Basin Cultures, Pacific Coast Cultures, or Eastern Woodland Cultures. Instead of doing a write-up on their findings, students will play a theater game called "Slideshow" to act out 5 scenes (either frozen like photos or short skits like gifs) that best represent the people of that region. Then a student can narrate as students act out those scenes in front of the class. Or students can post photos and captions of their slideshows either into the discussion feature of your LMS directly or via a slide deck. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Research: This activity requires that students do research. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: Patrick Jennings, Tour of Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park , File #24938345, Photo, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com

John Brown From: Digital History Grade Level: (HS), College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends Upon Chosen Lesson Plan Length of Reading: Pages Link: John Brown: Hero or Terrorist? Students read right-sized docs by John Brown and docs about John Brown in an attempt to answer fundamental questions about John Brown, his raid, and slavery. There are several lesson plans available to choose from under the "Teacher Resources" tab. Options include analyzing different accounts of John Brown's raid and completing a Venn Diagram, debating John Brown's sanity, analyzing the song "John Brown's Body," and re-enacting the trials of John Brown and his associates. A few links no longer work, but there are workarounds and ample additional resources. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (HS), College: This lesson is meant for college students; however, we think it would be excellent for high school students too This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Research: This activity requires that students do research. Map Activity: This activity asks students to examine map(s) (interactive or standard). Image: Washington, Augustus. “John Brown Photograph.” National Portrait Gallery. Durhttps://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.96.123. Accessed June 10, 2020.

Examining Passenger Lists: Virginia vs New England From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Examining Passenger Lists Have students compare a list of passengers headed to Virginia with another list of people headed to New England. They fill out a graphic organizer and answer a couple of questions in pairs or groups. You will need to sign up and log in with SHEG, but everything is free. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: Vinckeboons, Joan. Map of Atlantic Coast of North America from the Chesapeake Bay to Florida. [?, 1639] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003623403/.

Lives Bound Together: Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon From: MountVernon.org Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 7 min, 20 sec Length of Reading: None Link: Lives Bound Together The film provides a brief overview of slavery. Then it discusses the number of slaves living on Washington's plantation as well as the work that they did there. The films brilliance comes in its discussion of individual slaves and their stories. On the same page, you will find other short videos telling the stories of Washington's individual slaves. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Savage, Edward, Artist. The Washington family--George Washington, his lady, and her two grandchildren by the name of Custis / painted & engraved by E. Savage . Philadelphia: Published by E. Savage & Robert Wilkinson, London. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Texas Revolution From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS) Remote Ready: With modifications Time: 1 class period or less Length of Reading: Pages Link: Texas Revolution Includes background info and slides for a brief lecture. Students read 5 short primary sources on why Texas revolted and answer provided questions (all 5 sources total 2 pages). < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS): There is no specified age group for this activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Robinson, Henry R., -1850. Houston, Santa Anna, and Cos . New York: Published by Henry R. Robinson. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Nightmare in Jamestown From : National Geographic Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With Films on Demand Time: 51 min Length of Reading: None Link: None The documentary Nightmare in Jamestown provides an overview of the settlement of Jamestown and what went wrong there. It includes historical reenactments and CSI-style excavation of archeological evidence. Find it at your local library. Or, if your local library (college or community college library) subscribes to the Films on Demand database, you may be able to watch it online with your library card. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Highsmith, Carol M, photographer. Historic interpreters Chas Ritinski and Julie Power nearly obscured by smoke fire a cannon from a parapet at the Jamestown Settlement in Jamestown, Virginia . -11-24. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Sharecropping From: Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) Grade Level: MS, HS Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Sharecropping According to SHEG, "In this lesson, students critically evaluate their classroom textbook's account of sharecropping by comparing it to a sharecropping contract from 1882." Teachers must provide sharecropping section from their textbook. Students look at the sharecropper contract in pairs, answer questions, then discuss it as a class. If your textbook's sharecropping section isn't easily accessible, Anti-textbook recommends this one from Open Stax free online textbook . Just scroll down to the 3rd heading, "Sharecropping." Here's another sharecropping contract from another source, just in case you'd like to add one: Sharecropping Contract . < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS: This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Image: Lange, Dorothea. “Negro Sharecropper and Wife.” Library of Congress , 1937, https://lccn.loc.gov/2017770268. Accessed: 6.17.2020.

Federalists & Anti-Federalists (Easy) From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Less than 1 class period Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Federalists & Anti-Federalists 2 very short primary sources. Alexander Hamilton argues for the Federalist position. Melancton argues the Anti-Federalist position. Both docs combined fill barely a page. Students fill out a graphic organizer. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS): There is no specified age group for this activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. The federalist: a collection of essays, written in favour of the new Constitution, as agreed upon by the federal convention, September 17, 1787 (2 vols.; New-York: Printed and sold by J. and A. M'Lean .... 1788); 17.4 cm. Call # HU F31 1788. Yale Law Library on Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, 20 August 2025, https://www.flickr.com/photos/yalelawlibrary/6050052724/ .

French and Indian War (7 Years War) From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends upon which lesson(s) you choose Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link : The French and Indian War There are 4 short primary sources spread across 3 separate lessons. But each involves reading the primary source(s), answering questions, and/or filling out the graphic organizer(s). The primary sources are bite-sized and excellent; you get the perspective of Native Americans and colonists. Gilder Lehrman resources are free but you must log in. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: HS, College: This lesson is meant for high school and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Woollett, William, Engraver, and Benjamin West. The death of General Wolfe / painted by B. West, historical painter to His Majesty ; engraved by Wm. Woollett, engraver to His Majesty. London: Published as the Act directs by Messrs. Woollett, Boydell & Ryland, January 1st. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Bill of Rights From: Parlay Universe and Bill of Rights Institute Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 class period Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: The Bill of Rights Students watch a 4 min animated video on why the founders made the Bill of Rights. Students then read each amendment and amendment history from the Bill of Rights institute (BRI). Students answer questions then comment on the answers of 2 of their classmates < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, College: This lesson is meant for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Writing Exercise: This activity requires a writing assignment such as a discussion post, journal entry, or lengthy response to a prompt. Almost all of our activities require students to answer questions with short responses, but this icon refers to a slightly longer writing assignments. Vanderlyn, John, "James Madison." Wikimedia Commons, 20 August 2025, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Madison.jpg .

Columbian Exchange From: Parlay Universe Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Columbian Exchange Have students check out a very short 2-3 minute video as well as a short reading on the Columbian Exchange. They answer a couple questions (provided), and then respond to 2 classmates' answers. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Image: AliaWindi, [A stylized portrait of Columbus in front of an old-fashioned globe with aged paper textures], on a white background, high resolution, high detail, masterpiece, File #1014811331, AI Generated, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .

National Bank Debate From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications! Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Pages Link: National Bank Debate Common Core aligned. Students read primary sources from Jefferson and Hamilton (4 pages total) concerning the creation of the National Bank. They fill in graphic-organizers in partners. Then the class discusses answers and additional questions. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: HS, College: This lesson is meant for high school and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion.