In this content analysis of state U.S. History and Civics standards, we compared the treatment of immigration across three types of states with differing immigration demographics. Analyzing standards from 18 states from a critical race methodology perspective, our findings indicated three sets of tensions: a unified American story versus local…

Lauren Gallant is committed to making social justice issues part of her U.S. history teaching. An avid user of Teaching Tolerance materials, she's always in search of tools "that help illuminate the subject matter and the human condition." But the Simi Valley High School, Calif., teacher has a typical challenge: There is little time for…

The California history and social science standards-based reform has been touted as the "gold standard" for state history curricula. But the standards, framework, and tests that constitute this reform provide inconsistent and contradictory criteria for teaching and assessing history and social science. An examination of the political…

For this kindergarten classroom activity, students are asked to pretend they have just won a trip to four historical sites: (1) Lincoln Memorial; (2) Mount Rushmore; (3) White House; and (4) Statue of Liberty. The activity instructs the students to keep a journal of the trip (taken via the Internet) so that a presentation can be given to the class…

In this activity students (in pairs) become explorers and map readers tracing the best land routes to travel between select U.S. cities. They learn who were the first known explorers who broke the trails and who were the first groups of people to follow the trails. The activity tasks each pair of students with instructions to determine the…

When George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, the U.S. Constitution had already been ratified, yet the future of the new country was at risk. Some people wanted a bill of rights added to the U.S. Constitution to guarantee individual liberties. Two groups opposed each other--the Federalists…

In grade 11, students use the life and work of Cesar E. Chavez as a case study to trace the major historical eras and events of the 20th century. Students start by studying the Chavez family at the beginning of the 20th century, learning about them as they struggled to acquire a farm in Arizona and raise a family. They also learn how they faced…

This unit focuses on California's growth as an agricultural and industrial power in the 20th century and includes the impact of key people and key historic events. The unit is divided into 4 overlapping topics and should take 10 weeks to implement. Students examine how California became a power by tracing the transformation of the California…

California State Standard 5.3 is delineated as: Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers. North American Indians once had inhabited regions now contained in the United States that stretched from far north to south and from the east to the west coasts. The…

This eighth grade lesson plan asks students to work in groups of four. They must: (1) decide whether to join the Union Army or the Confederate Army; (2) decide under which General they will serve and in which battles they will fight; and (3) once this decision has been made, assign the following roles for team or group members: photographer,…

California State Standard 5.8 is delineated in the following way: "Students trace the colonization, immigration, and settlement patterns of the American people from 1789 to the mid-1800s, with emphasis on the role of economic incentives, effects of the physical and political geography, and transportation systems." Students answer six…

California State Standard 5.6 is delineated as: Students understand the course and consequences of the U.S. Revolutionary War. Students should be able to identify and map the major military battles, campaigns, and turning points of the Revolutionary War, the roles of U.S. and British leaders, Indian alliances on both sides, the contributions of…

California was considered a special prize by the United States years before its acquisition. Its harbors opened to East Asian trade, and its fertile valleys beckoned settlers to make the great trek west. In 1845, Captain John C. Fremont took a surveying party into Mexican-held California. Following a war of skirmishes and battles with Mexico, the…

California State Standard 5.5 is delineated as: Students explain the causes of the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War is a great central drama in U.S. history and in the evolution of nationalism and democracy throughout the world. Students should perceive the worldwide impact of the colonies' triumph over British imperial power and its…

In this California state curriculum model for kindergarten, "Learning and Working Now and Long Ago," students study the life, work, and philosophy of Cesar Chavez. The students learn that being a good citizen involves acting in certain ways. They have the opportunity to learn about the work people do to grow food, to harvest the crops,…