google.com, pub-8985115814551729, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Free Printable Lesson Plans: US history
Showing posts with label US history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label US history. Show all posts

Free printable May Day labor union history lesson plans


Spring is a poignant time in labor history. March 25, 1911 remembers 146 workers, mostly women, lost in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. April 16 mourns Ireland's Easter Rising of slain Feinians. April 28 marks Workers' Memorial Day, on which the 
organized labor movement pays tribute to the fallen in workplace accidents or in organized labor struggles. May 1 is May Day, honoring International Workers' Day. May 4 commemorates casualties at Chicago's Haymarket riot at a 1886 labor rally. May 19, 1920 is a day when the organized labor movement grieves the Matewan and Mingo County massacre of coal miners. On May 26, 1937 those who would from unions were assaulted at Ford's River Rouge plant "Battle of the Overpass" in Detroit.

Organized labor history is taught as part of American history, but there is no American (or world) history without labor history. Unions, collective bargaining--the fight for workers' rights impact every industry, occupation and person. Teachers and homeschoolers, you can educate students about unions with these free printable May Day and labor history lesson plans. These links include websites, activities, worksheets, movies and books on the organized labor movement.

The American Labor Studies Center offers a gamut of free printable organized labor movement lesson plans. It covers history, events, strikes, lockouts, workplace injuries, child labor, working conditions, collective bargaining, 8-hour workday, sweatshops, slavery, organizing, indentured servitude, socialism and labor, women's rights, African American labor issues, minority discrimination concerns, ULP (unfair labor practices). Lessons cover the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire (the worst workplace accident in history), West Virginia labor, Pullman Strike (1894), Lawrence Textile Strike (1913), Lowell Strike, Paterson Silk Strike, agriculture strikes and other events. Get free printable union labor worksheets, fill-ins, puzzles and study guides. There are links to films

Explore famous labor leaders: Noam Chomsky, Joe Hill, "Big Bill" Haywood, Pete Seeger, Jimmy Hoffa, Caesar Chavez, the Wisconsin 14 and others from the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World), AFL-CIO, Teamsters and more. This site has biographies of women labor leaders including Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Mary Harris "Mother" Jones and more. To use in lessons, print the list of names on one side and short bios on the other side (mixed up). Students match person with details. Print photos and pin to a map at places they are associated with. Or make a time line along the wall. Plot images in history.

The National Endowment for the Humanities offers two companion lessons in its series The Industrial Age in America. "Sweatshops, Steel Mills and Factories" and "Robber Barons and Captains of Industry" define the problems faced by workers in labor history and the reasons for the organized labor movement. Use the worksheets and activities with middle school and high school students.

The Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs at Wayne State University in Detroit maintains the largest organized labor history archive in the U.S. It has an impressive collection of images in physical exhibits and digital archives on The Labor Movement and Organizations. Walther Reuther who was one of several injured at Ford's Rouge factory "Battle of the Overpass" in Detroit.

The United Farm Workers is the union begun by Cesar Chavez that tends to itinerant and agricultural labor issues. Along with labor movement, the UFW educates people about food safety, immigration, deportation, earth and green initiatives, pesticides and more. An important piece is the youth activism page. UFW seeks to take union and agricultural awareness beyond the classroom walls and into real life.

In honor of May Day, here's a quote from the Albert Shanker Institute. "Imagine opening a high school U.S. history textbook and finding no mention of-or at most a passing sentence about-Valley Forge, the Missouri Compromise...Benjamin Franklin, Lewis and Clark. Imagine if these key events and people just disappeared as if they'd never existed...That is what has happened in history textbooks when it comes to labor's part in the American story." Use these lesson plans to keep the May Day stories and message alive.

Free printable US history lessons, social studies activities, homework help

With 4th of July coming, the focus turns to US history. US history lessons are core subject in middle school and high school. If learning about US history, you'll love these websites loaded with free printable US history lessons, social studies activities activities, government and history homework help. Get free printable US history worksheets, maps, social studies and history based activities, resources, online history lessons, Powerpoint presentations, virtual US history museums, primary sources and documents, and much more.
If you don't enjoy US history, you've come to the right place, too! These sites offer US history lessons and social studies activities, homework help galore. You can use free printable social studies activities by downloading or using online. Use search functions on these websites to get homework help with the most challenging US history questions.
Free Government Lessons has free printable US history lessons. The site is overflowing with government lessons, social studies activities and links that cover all aspects of American history. Here's a very complete site for US history lessons and free printable social studies materials--The History Channel. Each of the shows and series on The History Channel has links and free printable social studies worksheets use in the classroom and American history homework help.
Here's a site with free printable American history lesson plans and Powerpoint presentations--Mr. Donn. This site covers early explorers, native Americans, 13 colonies, revolution, westward expansion, immigration, industrialization, 20th century, women, civil rights, economics, documents, symbols, presidents and much more. Mr. Donn is a web guru on American history lessons.
The Library of Congress is the source for free printable American history primary sources, documents, artifacts, and information on US history. This institution is itself historic and has always been the guardian of knowledge in the United States. So this is a natural source to explore for lessons on US History.
PBS is the best source for American history homework help. PBS gets access to the best materials world-wide. There are a multitude of lesson plans for the shows. Look for "American Experience" and other US history shows.
CNN is your news history source for pictures and stories. In journalism, stories and photos are kept in the 'morgue'; a huge clearinghouse of all the information collected and published by that media. Check out any local or national news source site for access to it's 'morgue' Select the archives link for access to 1000's of news articles for social studies activities.
National Parks Service was set up to act as caretakers and docents for our nation's historic sites and artifacts. Each park is a story in itself. Here are American history lessons. Another government website for you to utilize to get students excited about history.  

Free printable American government lessons: Democracy, core democratic values

The summer patriotic U.S. holidays, beginning with Memorial Day, turn attention to American government and historyt. America was founded on a democratic government system. Here are free printable American government lessons on democracy and core democratic values for teachers and students. PBS Kids free printable American government lessons teach that democracy is a Greek word meaning 'government by the people' ('dem' people + 'cracy'). Check that link for more free printable Greek words and roots. The people of Ancient Greece were the first to establish the idea of common people ruling their own country. In Greek democracy, all citizens had a right to participate in the process of choosing who from amongst their ranks would represent them. Typically nations were ruled by other forms of "-cracy" or "-archy." A monarchy refers to a country ruled by one supreme head, such as a king. "Oligarchy" refers to rule by a few elite people. In these forms of government, people who were ruled had no say about who their ruler would be. Leaders came to power by inheritance of a crown or by forced military take-over. These rulers had absolute power. They made the laws that the common man must obey. Typically the rules they made did not include themselves.
Never before the Greeks had a nation been ruled by a collective of people who voted to choose representatives. Here are free printable American government lessons on Greek democracy. Never before had a nation's people been given a voice over who should make the laws or what those laws would be. Never before had the rulers of a country had to obey the laws they made. The Greek experiment with democracy, or rule by the people worked well. Here are free printable Ancient Greece and core democratic values lesson plans to use for American government lessons.
Along with a system of democracy and core democratic values, the people of Ancient Greece taught gave the world philosophy, music, art, literacy, technology, medicine, science and language. Here is music of Ancient Greece for American government lessons. Here are free printable lesson plans on the medicine of Ancient Greece to use for American government lessons. Here are free printable Ancient Greece lesson plans on all those subjects.
When the founding fathers and mothers in America set out to establish a government, they looked to the Greek form of democracy as a model. Early Americans had experienced life under the monarchy of King George III and his predecessors. They had lived in a colony ruled by another nation across the sea. The American colonists knew about monarchies and oligarchies. To them, core democratic values in rule 'by the people of the people and for the people' looked very attractive. In the First and Second Continental Congress they drafted what a federal constitution and Bill of Rights that would become a model of democracy outlined core democratic values for other nations as theirs was modeled after the Greeks.
In a democracy, the constitution lays out the rights of citizens very clearly. Every citizen has a voice as to what goes into the constitution. When changes are made to the constitution citizens must approve those changes. To explore democracy and American history lessons in an interactive online games, visit Democracy Game. To experience life in an ancient kingdom, click here for a free download ofSeven Kingdoms. Here are free printable

Free printable American history lessons: Jamestown, Pocahontas, Virginia Company, Captain John Smith

May 14 commemorates the landing of English colonists to what would become Jamestown, the first English settlement in the New World, in 1607. Tampa Bay Times said on May 12 that this marks the 409th anniversary of the Jamestown landing. Here are free printable American history lessons on the Jamestown settlement and its settlers. The story starts back in England. The year is 1606. King James I of England grants a charter (document giving permission to do something) to the Virginia Company. The Virginia Company owned merchant boats that traded with other nations. The Virginia Company merchants had heard that there were riches in the New World. The company sponsored (paid for) a group of 104 entrepreneurs (people who start businesses) to go to the New World to start a settlement for trade.Visit the links for free printable American history lessons on the Virginia Compnay and its preservation.
On May 14, 1607, after a difficult ocean voyage the settlers landed in the Chesapeake area of North America. They named the establishment they founded Jamestown in honor of King James. Unfortunately most Virginia Company travelers were men and gentlemen at that. Gentlemen didn't mean what it means today--really nice guys. It meant they didn't do manual labor. They were accustomed to having servants do their work. Not only did the settlers know very little about farming and homesteading, they didn't want to spend their time doing those boring farm jobs. They wanted to hunt for the gold and treasure.
However there was work to be done. The Jamestown settlers needed to find a safe place to set up camp. The Jamestown settlers needed to build shelter from the harsh weather and wild animals. They had to learn about local wildlife, to hunt and forage for survival. They had to plant crops for food. The Jamestown settlers were pretty much clueless about how to do any of those things. They also had do deal with unpleasant things like being shot at by Spanish ships. They were attacked by Algonquin Native American Indians who saw them as a threat. The Jamestown settlers weren't farmers nor soldiers. They were helpless.

Imagine the headaches for their leader Captain John Smith! Here are free printable American history lessons showing all the things the Jamestown settlers had to deal with. In fairness to everyone in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith made a rule; "If a man will not work, he will not eat." You can play a settlement simulation game using the free printable American history lessons at National Geographic Kids to learn how Captain John Smith organized the work. Finally, the settlers managed to build a small small fort surrounded by a wooden palisade (wall). It helped that thePowhatan Indians helped the Jamestown settlers by trading food for tools and beads. Chief Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas befriended Captain John Smith and brought the settlers food. But when Captain John Smith returned to England in 1609 for treatment of a leg injury, Pocahontas ceased to visit. The Jamestown settlement suffered through the "Starving Time" that winter. Only 60 of the original settlers survived. When Captain John Smith returned on 38 of the 104 were left. Visit the links for free printable American history lessons on the Jamestown settlers' relationships with various native American Indian groups.

Free printable American history lesson plans on Benjamin Franklin, colonial America

Early summer is a time when the United States turns its attention to American History. Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July all focus on famous people and events in American history. One of the most famous was Benjamin Franklin. Students study his life and works extensively in school. Who was Benjamin Franklin? He was many things--statesman, diplomat, inventor and leader. Here are free printable lesson plans on Benjamin Franklin to explore this enigmatic character. Born January 17, 1706,Benjamin Franklin was the 15th of Josiah Franklin's 17 children. His parents were poor working class people. Franklin's grandparents had been blacksmith, farmer and indentured servant. Despite these humble beginnings, Benjamin Franklin has been called a polymath or Renaissance Man. A Renaissance Man is a "jack of all trades," a universal man. Most were ancients like Leonardo da Vinci and Cicero and Imhotep who fell into it by birth.Benjamin Franklin is one of a very few people to earn this title of Renaissance Man in modern times. Visit these links for free printable lesson plans on the Renaissance Man.
Why is Benjamin Franklin a Renaissance Man? Franklin was in his lifetime, an author, printer, satirist (political humorist), political thinker, politician, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, soldier and citizen activist. Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of America. He was one of the "committee of five" to draft the Declaration of Independence. Franklin traveled to England as an ambassador (person who seeks good will between nations). Franklin met many times with King George III. As one of the Sons of Liberty, Franklin published pamphlets educating people about problems with England. He worked against the Intolerable Acts and heavy tariffs. Here are free printable American history lesson plans about Benjamin Franklin and the many hats he wore.

Benjamin Franklin lived what he wrote about: common sense, hard work, community, education and thrift. Benjamin Franklin's book "Poor Richard's Almanack" was a mini encyclopedia for practical information. Franklin The Pennsylvania Gazette, an early newspapers in the colonies. He was the first postmaster general. Benjamin Franklin experimented with electricity and invented the lightening rod. He invented bifocal (double vision) glasses and the Franklin pot belly stove. Franklin began the first public lending library and fire department. He established the American Philosophical Society, was the first governor of Pennsylvania and help found the University of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin worked hard right up to the end of his life. He fought against slavery, tyranny and injustice. Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790. Nearly 20,000 people from many lands attended Franklin's funeral. For more on Benjamin Franklin, please click on any of the links listed here. For more free printable American history lessons, visit Free Printable Lesson Plans and Free Lesson Plans 4U. You can find help with your American history homework here, too.

Free Printable Labor Day Community Helpers Coloring


Labor Day is celebrated the first Monday in September in the US. It remembers the social and economic contributions of organized labor, unions and workers. Here are free printable Labor Day coloring pages of workers, jobs, occupations, careers and community helpers. Use these coloring activities for preschool lesson plans or Labor Day parties. Teachers and homeschoolers, start your school year off with a social studies unit on career awareness that explores community helpers, workers, occupations. Teach the history and importance of Labor Day.
Apples 4 the Teacher has free printable occupations coloring pages. Click the link on the right side of the page for more occupations coloring pages. Variety includes disc jockey nurse, road worker, surgeon, gardener, painter, photographer, plumber, cobbler, policeman and tailor. I like how pictures reflect variety of blue collar and white collar workers, service, business, artisans and tradespeople.
First-School offers free printable careers coloring pages featuring occupations of police officer, mail carrier, janitor, teacher, fire fighter, chef and many more. Edupics has almost 400 free printable professions coloring pages. Super Coloring Pages has many more occupations and workers coloring pages to print in different categories: education, politics, service, helping professions and more. Hello Kids has a nice collection of educational jobs coloring pages featuring realistic, detailed pictures of people in their jobs.

Use these links to create a booklet of Labor Day activities for school, homeschool, church, day care, scouts or 4H groups. Help students become good citizens and community helpers themselves with these activities.