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Along the Trail of Tears
A part of history is often forgotten when teaching younger students. This is the relocation of the Cherokee Indians when the white settlers wanted their property. The US Government moved whole groups of Indians under harsh conditions. This trip became known as the Trail of Tears. Using this as a background students will explore and experiment with persuasive writing as they try to express the position of Cherokee leaders.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Glenda Bullard.
Canning for country and community
In this lesson plan, students will use primary source documents to evaluate the technological challenges of food preservation in the 30s and 40s, compare food preservation in the first half of the twentieth century with today, and consider the political role of food in the community.
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Melissa Thibault.
Civil rights protests and dilemmas
In this lesson students explore well-known civil rights protests then listen to two oral histories of individuals who protested in their own way to promote equality for African Americans. Students specifically will consider personal risks involved in protest.
Format: lesson plan (multiple pages)
Civil War journals
This lesson integrates creative writing with Social Studies and enhances knowledge of the effects of the Civil War on people.
Format: lesson plan (grade 8 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Gwen A. Jones.
A comprehensive study of North Carolina Indian tribes
Students will apply their research skills of gathering and validating information to study the eight state-recognized American Indian tribes of North Carolina in order to create an Honors U.S. History Project. Students then will create a comprehensive study of those tribes to be compiled into a notebook to be copied and shared with the eighth grade teachers of North Carolina History in our county.
Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 Social Studies)
By Wanda Taylor.
Confederate currency: An inflation simulation
Using primary sources from the Documenting the American South collection, students will engage in a brief simulation of inflation during the Civil War while learning about issues faced on the home front in North Carolina.
Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)
By Lewis Nelson.
Effects of civic action
In this lesson, secondary students will analyze primary source materials to investigate how 4-H clubs made an impact on the home front in completing projects that supported the war effort during World War II. This lesson should be taught at the end of a World War II unit.
Format: lesson plan (grade 8–12 Social Studies)
By Pauline S. Johnson.
First Americans of North Carolina and the United States
This lesson will use shared reading, center time, hands-on projects, and journal writing to help learners discover facts about first Americans, particularly those in the region that is today North Carolina, while at the same time developing their English language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Format: lesson plan (grade K English Language Development and Social Studies)
By Adriane Moser.
Letters home
Students will write letters home, taking on the role of one of the sons of the "Gold Star Mothers" from Union County, NC.
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 and 7–8 Social Studies)
By Meg Millard and Pamela Webb.
Moravian migration: Before a visit to Bethabara
Students investigate NCECHO site to learn about the 1753 Moravian settlement of Bethabara. Student teams present information to classmates in some visual product in one of five categories. Students also will visit the photos on NCECHO and answer analytical questions to increase understanding of the past as compared to today.
Format: lesson plan (grade 2–4 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Native American music: Two North Carolina tribes
In this lesson plan, students will listen to songs from two North Carolina tribes. Students will learn about the music through listening, analyzing, singing, moving, and playing instruments.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Music Education and Social Studies)
By Merritt Raum Flexman.
North Carolina Cherokee Indians: The Trail of Tears
In this two week unit, students will study the Cherokee by participating in literature circles, learning about Native American story telling, writing a letter to Andrew Jackson to protest against the Creek War, and more.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Gina Golden.
North Carolina women and the Progressive Movement
In this lesson, students read primary source documents from Documenting the American South specifically related to North Carolina women involved in reform movements characteristic of the Progressive era. For the most part, these documents detail women's work in education-related reform and describe the creation of schools for women in the state. They also demonstrate that, as was true in the rest of the nation, the progressive, female reformers of N.C. were segregated based on race and socio-economic status.
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Social Studies)
By Meghan Mcglinn.
Teaching about slavery through newspaper advertisements
In this lesson for grades 8 and 11, students will analyze a selection of advertisements related to slavery from an 1837 newspaper in order to enhance their understanding of antebellum North Carolina, U.S. history, and the history of American slavery.
Format: lesson plan (grade 8–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
By Kathryn Walbert.
Tobacco bag stringing: Elementary activity four
In this activity for grades 3–5, students will read and evaluate a primary source letter from the Tobacco Bag Stringing collection. This should be done after Activity one, which is the introductory activity about tobacco bag stringing. Students will investigate the influence of technology, and its lack, on the tobacco bag stringers. They will do a role play/debate in which they will assume the roles of owners of companies and other people that were involved in the issue.
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Social Studies)
By Pauline S. Johnson.
Tobacco bag stringing: Elementary activity one
This activity for grades 3–6 will help students understand what tobacco bag stringing was and why it was important to communities in North Carolina and Virginia. Students will read and analyze an adapted introductory article about tobacco bag stringing.
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Social Studies)
By Pauline S. Johnson.
Tobacco bag stringing: Elementary activity three
In this activity for grades 3–6, students will read and evaluate primary source letters from the Tobacco Bag Stringing collection. This should be done after Activity one, which is the introductory activity about tobacco bag stringing.
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Social Studies)
By Pauline S. Johnson.
A walk of betrayal: The Trail of Tears
In this lesson plan for fourth and fifth grade students will read various resources and watch videos about the Cherokee. They will trace the history of the Cherokee, discuss the outcomes of the impact of the white man, and determine how that intrusion led the Cherokee to the Trail of Tears. The students will examine the survival of the Cherokee and explore their accomplishments into the 21st century.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Social Studies)
By Mary Towles.
Welcome to the New World
This lesson provides students an opportunity to read and interpret writings of the late 1500's and to transfer the information provided in the writings into a visual medium as a means of understanding and interpretation. The lesson also provides students practice in persuasive techniques.
Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)
By Barbara Jean.
Women, then and now
In this lesson, students will analyze images and a home demonstration pamphlet, a Cooperative Extension Work document from the Green 'N' Growing collection at Special Collections Research Center at North Carolina State University Libraries. The primary sources will help students assess the roles, opportunities, and achievements of women beginning in 1950.
Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 Social Studies)
By Lisa Stamey.