Lesson Plans & curriculum support
On this page are:
Resources
General Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans for World History, Part 1: prehistory to 1500
Lesson Plans for World History, Part 2: 1500 to the present

Resources

General Lesson Plans

Online textbook
The Student's Friend concise narrative of world history can be used in place of a traditional textbook. It is free and may be downloaded in pdf and MS Word formats. If viewed online, it may be used in the classroom as an online textbook, also termed an electronic textbook or digital textbook.

Timeline: Four Eras of History
This is the periodization scheme used by the Student's Friend concise alternative textbook.

Why study history? A brief lesson

Basic essay question format & grading rubric - pdf file
This form presents the essay question to the student, provides a basic format for answering the question and includes a grading rubric. Insert your question in the blank area near the top of the form.
Click here for a sample essay question using this format.

Five-paragraph essay format & grading rubric
The five-paragraph essay is a common essay format in schools; it is more formal than the basic essay described above. This sheet provides a space for the teacher to insert the essay question plus instructions for writing the essay and a grading rubric. Click here for a sample essay question using this format.
....- pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)

Research paper package
This 16-page package includes complete student instructions for producing a quality research paper including guides to references, notecards, outlines and report writing; includes two scoring options. Instructions specify a 3-4 page report (for 9th graders) but the package is appropriate for a report of any length or grade level from high school through college. Also available here is an optional First Draft Feedback form.
....- Report package: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)
....- Two scoring sheets: pdf file
....- First draft feedback form: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)

Plagiarism prevention package
To avoid uncomfortable and tearful meetings with students and parents, both need to be aware of the importance and the consequences of plagiarism. This package includes a description of plagiarism, an exercise meant to aid student understanding of plagiarism and to document that understanding, and a form to be signed by both the student and parent. Materials:
- Plagiarism description, large print for projection: pdf file
- Plagiarism exercise: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)
- Annotated version of exercise with teacher notes: pdf file
- Student/parent form: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)

Citing sources worksheet
Students practice writing in-text citations and bibliogrphy citations. Prepared by Joel Allen.
pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)

Multi-media presentation
Students gain experience in the useful life skill of making a presentation before an audience. Students research a topic, prepare a written report, and present a five minute multi-media presentation to the class using at least two different types of media. Presentations may be scheduled at times when the class is studying the corresponding historical content. This package includes instructions for a one-page written report, a media contract, and a grading rubric.
....- Report instructions: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modifed)
....- Media contract: pdf file
....- Grading rubric: pdf file

Sample unit plan
This sample plan shows how a teacher might put together the first unit of a new semester.

One-page summary of world history
This summary is found on the first page of the Student's Friend, Part 1 (to year 1500). Teachers of Part 2 (since 1500) might wish to use this summary as a recap of important historical eras prior to 1500 and as a brief introduction to the modern era.

Seminar, inner/outer circle format
In many respects this activity resembles a Socratic seminar, but students manage the seminar by taking turns discussing prepared questions. Students learn from one another while the teacher observes. Half the class discusses while in the inner circle; the other half takes notes in the outer circle. This package includes guidelines with student instructions and a scoring sheet for recording student participation.
....- Guidelines, pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)
....- Scoring sheet, pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)

Music lesson
Students learn history by writing lyrics to popular songs. Then they teach history by performing their songs to the class.

Source analysis form - pdf file
Students may use this form to analyze primary and secondary sources including documents, book excerpts, films, cartoons, etc. (For examples of source analysis activities, see the first activities listed under Part 1 and Part 2 below.)

History mini-posters
Can be printed on a single sheet of paper and might stimulate some thoughts about the nature and importance of history.
Featured are Pearl S. Buck, Winston Churchill, Cicero, Henry Ford, Thomas Jefferson, Friedrich Nietzche, George Santayana, George Bernard Shaw, Voltaire and more.

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Lesson plans for Part 1: prehistory to 1500

Primary vs. secondary sources: Hammurabi's Code
Students examine one primary and one secondary source relating to Hammurabi's Code. In the process, students learn about the code itself and the relative strengths and weaknesses of primary and secondary sources. Materials:
....- Excerpts from Hammurabi's Code with related questions and an essay question. Pages 1 and 2 contain primary source excerpts from the Code and related questions about the Code. Page 3 has a suggested essay question with teacher notes. click here (pdf file)
....- The play about the code is contained in the book 24 Exciting Plays for Ancient History Classes. (I used additional plays from this book as "readers' theater" activities as time permitted.) click here to go to the studentsfriend store

Timeline activities

• Illustrated timeline project, Part 1
  A project designed to cement knowledge of the chronological sequence of the civilizations studied during Part 1; also, to generate lasting mental associations as students create illustrations representing each civilization. Includes instructions & grading rubric. Can be assigned as an individual project or group project. Teacher may choose to limit Illustrations to original drawings or not. (I only allowed original and traced drawings.)
  ....- Instructions: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)
  ....- Rubric: pdf file

• Overlapping timeline activity - pdf file
  Focusing on ancient cultures, this is a useful activity for showing that cultures do not exist in isolation in time or space -- that different cultures exist concurrently and influence their neighbors. Includes instructions and questions to be answered based on the findings of the timeline and on prior learning.

• Triple timeline activity - pdf file
  Clarifies associations between the three chronological schemes used to organize history in Part 1: a) six time periods associated with the six units of the Student's Friend, b) the tool cultures of stone, bronze and iron, and c) four eras of history: prehistoric times, ancient times, middle ages and modern times.

• Dates used in timeline activities - pdf file
  Teacher's cheat sheet for all three timeline activities.

Change and comparison chart
This chart helps students analyze civilizations; it correlate with the time periods covered in Part 1. Students maintain one chart for each major civilization. During the course, students track the development of eight major aspects of civilization: geography, economy, technology, political, artistic, religion/philosophy, interaction, and society. Charts can provide the basis for answering essay questions about change over time or comparison across cultures.
....- pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)

Film lesson plans - pdf files
Activities include cast of characters, background info, and questions. Films are available through the studentsfriend.com store.
....- Cleopatra Lesson - Claudette Colbert, 1934, unrated
....- Jason & the Argonauts Lesson - Todd Armstrong, 1963, G
....- Joan of Arc Lesson - Leelee Sobieski, 1999, unrated
....- The Mission Lesson - Robert DeNiro, 1986, PG - more info

Mapping the Roman Empire project - pdf file
Students work in teams to learn about an early civilization with extensive international trade and to hone their map skills by making maps depicting sources of trade goods, major trade routes and geographic locations. Necessary background information may be obtained from reference sources or textbooks. If students use a projector to project maps for tracing, the project goes faster, looks more professional, and students learn a useful technique for creating presentation graphics. Includes project requirements and grading criteria. more info

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Lesson Plans for Part 2: 1500 to the present

Two Source Analysis Activities
The fundamental question here is, "How can we know the truth?" These two complimentary activities involving Christopher Columbus and Queen Elizabeth I give students practice in analyzing and assessing the value of different kinds of sources.

Introductory Exercise for Part 2
This activity is especially helpful for students who have not taken World History Part 1. It recaps major concepts of history and geography to the year 1500 and provides a brief preview of big ideas to come in Part 2. It is based on the one-page summary of world history that begins Part 1 of the Student's Friend concise historical narrative. Both the Timeline and the Study Questions sections of this exercise can be completed by referring to the one-page summary. You'll also need to refer to Item 1 in Part 1 for info about two of the exercise questions relating to historical sources. click here
Materials:
- One-page summary of world history (pdf file)
- Introductory exercise: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)
- Four Eras timeline illustration (for your information)

World Regions Simulation
I like this simulation because it helps students learn factual information about world regions on a gut level...things like relative land size, population density, energy consumption, and wealth. As with many good simulations, considerable time goes into preparing the materials, but they can all be reused in subsequent classes with the exception of Hershey Kisses -- which as we know -- are quite expendable.

Clothing imports project - pdf file
This project promotes learning on several levels. Working in groups, students conduct actual research, compile results, identify findings and present information graphically. In the process they identify world geographic locations and learn that the U.S. economy is interconnected with the rest of the world. This 6-page package includes teacher suggestions, student instructions, team roster, homework assignment, tally sheet, and judges' evaluation sheet.

Film lesson plans - pdf files
Activities include cast of characters, background info, and questions. Films are available through the studentsfriend.com store.
....- Gandhi Lesson - Ben Kingsley, 1982, PG
....- Tale of Two Cities Lesson - Ronald Colman, 1935, unrated
....- To Live Lesson - Ge You, 1994, unrated - more info
....- Young Bess Lesson - Jean Simmons, 1953, unrated
Click here for an additional multi-part lesson that uses the film Young Bess as vehicle for learning about critical analysis of conflicting sources.

Illustrated timeline project, Part 2
A project designed to cement knowledge of the chronological sequence of major events studied during Part 2; also, to generate lasting mental associations as students create illustrations representing each time period. Includes instructions & grading rubric. Can be assigned as an individual project or group project. Teacher may choose to limit Illustrations to original drawings or not. (I only allowed original and traced drawings.)
....- Instructions: pdf file or MS Word file (can be modified)
....- Rubric: pdf file

Isms activities - pdf file
The past two centuries have been fraught with "isms," the suffix indicating a belief system or way of looking at the world. This two-part activity reinforces student understanding of a dozen of these important but abstract concepts.
....- Isms part A
....- Isms Part B

Current events activity - pdf file
Several current issues are considered in the last unit of the Student's Friend. To prepare for this unit, students may complete several current events activities distributed throughout the course. Includes instructions and record of assignments on a single page.

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