As COVID-19 deaths spiked in 2020, Suzanne Firstenberg’s public art installation "In America: How could this happen…"
Lessons & Activities
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Duration:
30 minutes
Date Posted:
11/30/2010
Jingle the Brass is a book about a young boy who learns words used by railroad workers of the steam-engine era while on an exciting train trip. Part of an OurStory module entitled All Aboard the Train!, this activity includes strategies that will help adults and children activel
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
In this OurStory module entitled Life in a WWII Japanese American Internment Camp, students will learn about the lives of Japanese American children who were forced to leave their homes and move to internment camps during World War II. The module includes links to hands-on activities, pertinent w
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Duration:
30 minutes
Date Posted:
3/18/2011
Seven Miles to Freedom is a book about Robert Smalls, a man who was born a slave in South Carolina, but made a daring escape to freedom on the ship CSS Planter and joined the Union in fighting to end slavery in America. Part of an OurStory module entitled Full Steam to Freedom,
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
In this activity, students will increase their knowledge of slavery, slave life and the Underground Railroad by answering questions about the book and song Follow the Drinking Gourd and then writing and illustrating a poem or letter playing the role of a conductor, agent or passenger on the
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Duration:
82 minutes
Date Posted:
3/22/2012
Children and adults can enjoy exploring the story behind one of America’s pioneers of jazz music, Duke Ellington, through children's literature, museum collections, and hands-on activities. Focused around Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra, a picture book biography of t
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Duration:
40
minutes
Date Posted:
11/4/2009
Find out about the sky through a field trip! In this activity, children will determine the best way to observe the night sky (through a visit to a planetarium, using a telescope, or a trip outside in the evening) and discuss what they see. The activity guide includes printable tip she
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Duration:
40 minutes
Date Posted:
4/2/2009
Songs played an important role during the civil rights movement. In this activity, students will listen to freedom songs and then make their own version of one of the songs. It is included in an OurStory module entitled Students Sit for Civil Rights. OurStory is a serie
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
5/21/2009
Have you ever wondered how the lights in lighthouses are so bright? In this activity, students will examine a Fresnel lens to develop an understanding of how some lighthouse lenses work. They will then apply their knowledge of the lighthouse lens technology to imagine a new invention using a ligh
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Duration:
30
minutes
Date Posted:
6/30/2013
Use this guide to actively read Julia Morgan Built a Castle, a picture book about one of America’s first female architects. Part of an OurStory module entitled Building Beautiful Buildings, this activity includes discussion prompts, a glossary, and background information.
Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Duration:
35 minutes
Date Posted:
1/5/2010
Find out about your local government through planning a short field trip, and then think about how you could make a difference in your community. The activity guide also includes tips for reviewing the experience once you're back at home or in the classroom. Included in an OurStory module f
