Loyalists From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Loyalists Students check out 2 primary source snippets from loyalists and 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 Bostonians Paying the Excise-Man or Tarring & Feathering; Copied on stone by D. C. Johnston from a print published in London in 1774. Lithograph David Claypoole Johnston after political cartoon by Philip Dawe. https://www.masshist.org/object-of-the-month/objects/january-2024

Who's a Salem Witch? From: Unknown Grade Level: MS, HS Remote Ready: No Time: 30 min or less Length of Reading: None Link: None The teacher hands out slips of paper (or goes around the room and whispers) indicating whether each individual student is a witch or not. Students won't know which of their classmates are witches, but they are tasked with guessing. They must develop a method for deciding if classmates are witches and, to the best of their abilities, form the largest group possible that does not consist of any witches. The biggest group wins, but if a witch is ultimately found in a group, that group will lose the game. The irony is, of course, that the teacher has not made anyone a witch. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS: This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Game: When this icon is present, students play a game (video, board, puzzle, strategy, etc). Witchcraft at Salem Village. Pioneers in the settlement of America: from Florida in 1510 to California in 1849 . Wikimedia Commons, 19 August 2025, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Witchcraft_at_Salem_Village.jpg .

Jackson Vetoes the National Bank From: Teaching American History Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 3-4 class periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Jackson Vetoes the National Bank This is a 4 day activity. Students debate whether Congress had the authority to create the Bank of the United States. They then read speeches from prominent folks on Jackson's veto of the Bank of the United States, summarize them, and share their summaries. Day 1: Students read Article II, Section 8 of the Constitution and answer questions about whether it gives Congress the authority to create a Bank of the US. Please note that the recommended link does not include this section. Try this link to Constitution Annotated instead. Day 2: Students are each given one of three speeches on the veto of the bank bill--Jackson's (7 pages printed), Henry Clay's (6 pages), or Daniel Webster's (2 pages). Be sure to look for the links to the excerpts of the speeches on the bottom of page 2; don't have students read the speeches in their entirety. Student writes a summary of their speech. Day 3: Students who read the same speech are grouped together. They read their summaries to each other, and groups vote on the best summaries. An alternative might be for students to be grouped with students who read the other speeches and read them to each other. Then 4th day activities would be shortened. Day 4: The best summaries are read to the entire class. Students then vote again on whether the Constitution gives Congress the authority to create a Bank of the United States. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: HS, (College): This lesson is meant for high school students; however we think it would be well suited for college students too 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. Imbert, Anthony, 1794 Or. The doctors puzzled or the desperate case of Mother U.S. Bank . New York: Published and for sale wholesale and retail by Anthony Imbert at his Caricature Store. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Virginia Colony From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Pages Link: The Virginia Colony Students read 3 primary sources on the starving time, the Virginia Company's instructions to settlers, and the supplies the settlers were encouraged to bring (1-4 pages each). Students then answer 3 overarching questions about the colony. Gilder Lehrman resources are free but you must log in. < 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. Image: J. Omar Hansen, Jamestown rifleman firing , File #284983353, Photo, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .

Constitutional Creation From: National Archives Grade Level: (HS), (College) Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Chapter Link: Constitution of the United States-A History How about assigning this article to give your students a little background on the making of the Constitution before tackling any of these assignments. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (HS), (College): There is no specified age group for this activity; however, we think it would be well suited for high school and college students This Activity Involves: Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Image: Howard Chandler Christy, Signing of the Constitution, Oil on Canvas, Architect of the Capitol, 5/23/25, https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/signing-constitution .

Perspectives on Trail of Tears From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1-2 class periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Perspectives on the Trail of Tears Students check out maps, a painting, primary sources (three 1-2 page docs) and secondary sources. The teacher provides a short introduction to the Trail of Tears. On day 2 of the activity, students make posters which answer provided questions. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: HS, (College): This lesson is meant for high school students; however we think it would be well suited for college students too This Activity Involves: Map Activity: This activity asks students to examine map(s) (interactive or standard). Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Gene Thorp/Cartographic Concepts, Inc. © Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian.

Kids' Perspectives on the Trail Westward From: Digital History Grade Level: (HS), College Remote Ready: With minimal modifications Time: 1 class period or less Length of Reading: Pages Link: Children and the Westward Movement Students read bite-sized docs from children headed to Oregon, California, Utah and the West from the 1840s through 1860s. Students answer 2 overarching questions. You could divide the documents up and Jigsaw. < 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. Emigrant party on the road to California . Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

13 Colonies Song From: Parlay Universe Grade Level: MS, HS Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends upon which lesson(s) you choose Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Settlement of the 13 Colonies Check out the 3 min video, Settlement of the 13 Colonies , for a fun hip-hop summary of the economies of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Then answer a couple questions (provided), and then respond to 2 classmates' answers. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS: This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: Listen. , ca. 1901. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648364/.

Students Search the Civil War Database for Their Ancestors From: National Parks Service Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 5 min Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Search for Soldiers Did your ancestors serve in the Civil War? Enter your last name here. If your last name is a common one, the first name of your ancestor will be helpful too. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, College: This lesson is meant for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Two unidentified soldiers in Union cavalry uniforms with Sharps rifles and Colt revolvers. [Between 1861 and 1865] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Lewis and Clark's Treatment of Native Americans From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With modifications Time: 1-2 class periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Lewis and Clark SAC Students read docs (5 docs, each 1 page or less) and fill out graphic organizer. "Students are [then] assigned to teams to locate evidence [within the docs] to support or refute the claim that Lewis and Clark were respectful to Native Americans." And they discuss their conclusions in groups of 4 with 2 people refuting and 2 people supporting. In the last 10 minutes of the debate all 4 group members work to build a consensus. Includes background info and slides for brief lecture. < 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: “Captain Lewis shooting an Indian.” Library of Congress,Philadelphia: Printed for Mattheew Carey, 1810, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2001699660/. Accessed: 8.15.2020.

Slavery From: SPLC Learning for Justice Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends Upon Lesson Length of Reading: Pages Link: Teaching Hard History After clicking on the link above, scroll to the "We the People" artwork and the "The American Revolution and the Constitution (1763-1787)" Heading. And then choose the Summary Objective that most interest you. Also see "Summary Objective 7" below the "Slavery in the Early Republic (1787-1808)" heading and brick flag artwork. You will be linked to a short list of wonderful online resources and their descriptions. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, (College): This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students; however, we think it would be well suited for college too This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Image: Ilkay, Captivity , File #129222009, Photo, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .

An Early History of Slavery (African and Indigenous) From: SPLC Learning for Justice Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready : With Modifications Time: Depends Upon Lesson Length of Reading: Pages Link: Teaching Hard History Framework This site features short, curated lists of wonderful online resources and their descriptions, organized by topic. Follow the link, and scroll to the ship artwork and the "Pre-Colonial and Colonial Era (to 1763)" Heading. And then choose the Summary Objective that most interests you. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, (College): This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students; however, we think it would be well suited for college too This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Image: Ilkay, Captivity , File #129222009, Photo, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .