These curriculum materials include lesson plans for grades 2 through 12, a discussion guide, and a classroom poster that will help students learn about Native American culture, traditions, and history. The lesson plans are aligned to the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Thematic Strands cover a variety of topics, such as examining culture, defining the word “warrior,” Navajo Code Talkers, honoring soldiers, and warrior women.

In this interactive image, analyze the iconic painting by Emanuel Leutze that depicts George Washington crossing the Delaware River in 1776 and learn about the many different groups and communities who served in the American Revolution.

The War for American independence began well for patriots in the South. In the city of Charles Town, South Carolina (known as “Charleston” after the war)—an unfinished palmetto fort remarkably withstood the cannon balls of the British fleet in 1776. Men like William Moultrie, Francis Marion, William Jasper, and others became Revolutionary War heroes.

Individuals and groups from western and West Virginia have been active in the military from the early settlement of the area through present day. Each of the 11 video excerpts in this gallery examines the role played by those individuals and groups in specific military actions. Click the link on the image or use the up/down arrows on the right to access each episode.

Explore the territorial and population changes in the United States between 1790 and 1850 and consider the factors and resources that shaped and enabled westward expansion. After 1787, the newly established United States began to take an active part in the exploration of North America. Cities grew up in land that was once frontier, gradually shifting the center of population westward.

In this interactive map, explore several ways in which the United States experienced substantial growth between the years 1860–1890. Population centers, railroad networks, and improved agricultural lands are pictured in decade increments against base maps, reflecting natural barriers to growth and the presence of Native tribal populations.

Examine how to apply systems thinking to social sciences, by looking at maps of westward expansion in the U.S. in the 1800s. This resource incorporates systems literacy tools such as trend graphs and causal loop diagrams to analyze how various parts of this historical system affected each other. This resource is part of the Systems Literacy Collection.

Benjamin Franklin is often described as a “self-made” man. It is one of the main reasons he is considered quintessentially American, along with his sense of humor and affinity towards innovation. The ability to acquire new knowledge, transform as an individual, and create opportunities for oneself are all deeply rooted elements of American culture and folklore. Though no doubt an extraordinary person, was Franklin truly self-made? This lesson asks students to question the concept of a self-made person in the form of a Structured Academic Controversy (SAC). Students will explore Franklin’s life story alongside the story of his contemporary Benjamin Banneker, a Black inventor, mathematician, and astronomer from Baltimore, Maryland. Both Benjamins are often described as self-made and both were highly accomplished scientists, writers, and inventors.

Video about the background of the Electoral College, the role of electors, and additional reading about the role of the Electoral College. Discussion questions provided.

Students will watch excerpts from Ken Burns’s film Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony, a video about Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, and read a speech by Harper. They will then analyze the factors that led these women to become iconoclastic advocates for women’s rights and compare how and why their experiences differed. Students will then create a diagram, recipe, or slide show that demonstrates how these women’s life circumstances, personal qualities, significant experiences, and role models contributed to their actions. The activity will culminate in students reflecting on what makes a change-maker and considering their own capacities as change-makers.

Explore innovations in communication technology during the Civil War and how they impacted the news media, in this video from The Good Stuff: Time Capsule. Using discussion questions and teaching tips, students will learn about how the telegram changed the way news was reported and compare it to our own social media revolution.

Structured as game questions, this activity challenges students to identify cities, states and geographical features whose names tell the story of the Indigenous, Spanish and Mexican settlement that predated the U.S. The investigative questions can be used alone as a geography trivia game, as a matching activity, or in conjunction with analysis of historical maps.

Uncover the meaning and historical origins of the popular idiom “when pigs fly” with this video from Say What?! Through engaging animations, students will learn about this quirky expression that is often used to convey something that is highly unlikely to happen. The video explores similar idioms that are used in different languages and cultures, providing insight into the creative ways people express the idea of impossibility. The video also delves into the history of the idiom, tracing its origins back over 400 years!

This resource includes teaching tips, discussion questions, vocabulary, and a critical thinking activity in which students brainstorm possible "when pigs fly" scenarios.

This inquiry kit features Library of Congress sources and identifies areas occupied by Native Americans and owned by European countries in colonial America.

While the end of the American Revolution saw a resolution to American citizens’ grievances with Great Britain, some of their troubles with in the new independent nation were just beginning.One domestic conflict in the unsteady early years of the republic was the Whiskey Rebellion, a small-scale revolution against the central government led by farmers in Western Pennsylvania.

This inquiry kit features sources from the Library of Congress, including maps, songs, and artwork, about the United States Constitution.

In this interactive lesson supporting literacy skills, students learn about the early life of Alexander Hamilton and his achievements as an adult during the Revolutionary War and in the Washington administration. Students develop their literacy skills as they explore a social studies focus on how Hamilton’s role as an outsider shaped his beliefs about the powers of the federal government. During this process, they read informational text, learn and practice vocabulary words, and explore content through videos and interactive activities.

PBS Learning video/Things explained video about why midterm elections are important. Explained in both Elementary and Middle Levels.

William Henry Harrison didn't accomplish much as President, lasting only 32 days in office. But check out how he got there, from his early days in the military to the Log Cabin Campaign.

Using this lesson plan as a guide, students will use simple materials to build their own windmills and learn how wind can be used to help get work done.