Have you ever thought about the speeches presidential candidates give after an election? Why do they make these statements? What do they want the American people to know as a result? This activity shares two sets of victory and concession speeches that illustrate some of the candidates’ goals for

In 1943, Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi created Appalachian Spring, a ballet that told the story of an American pioneer community. By using this OurStory module, children and adults can enjoy exploring this history through children's literature, museum objects, and hands

In this classroom activity, students will research to gather information in order to create a radio broadcast about the five court cases that made up Brown v. Board of Education, and tell the stories of the African Americans from different walks of like who demanded better educational opportuniti

This kit of guided listening activities and streaming music offers an engaging way of introducing students to jazz. It traces Louis Armstrong's career as a musician, from influences in African rhythms and New Orleans marches through performances in the 1960's and 70's. It could also be used as an

In this webcast, students will hear from Freedom Rides veterans Congressman John Lewis, Jim Zwerg, Rev. James Lawson, and Diane Nash, and view clips from the PBS American Experience documentary Freedom Riders.  The site includes a teachers guide and the webcast included questions from studen

This historical investigation is aligned with the C3 Framework and is from C3teachers.org. This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the experiences faced by immigrant groups who travele

Use primary sources as the inspiration for comparing and contrasting the soldiers on either side of the Civil War. After examining uniforms and viewing two short video clips, students will develop questions and perform short research projects to uncover the motivations behind the Civil War and th

Analyze museum artifacts and first-person accounts of World War I and the Vietnam War, then take on the role of soldiers and a news team to present a newscast about the experience of fighting in these two wars. This lesson plan (which includes background information and full-color primary sources

This historical investigation is aligned with the C3 Framework and is from C3teachers.org. This inquiry is focused on the compelling question “Were the suburbs good for America?” and deals with th

Learning to use primary and secondary sources correctly takes practice. In this classroom activity, students will understand the difference between primary and secondary sources. After class discussion and a written assignment based on primary sources, students will also be able to explain the im