In this reading passage, students learn about the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was built in the 1880s. Since that time, millions of immigrants have come to the United States. An immigrant is someone who comes to live in a foreign country. Immigrants have come from all over the world.
A vocabulary activity is included with the reading passage.
This clip discusses the history of Thanksgiving and acknowledges the different events and people that have influenced its modern-day form. It mentions that the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims and Native Americans was a three-day festival and did not involve foods contemporarily associated with the holiday such as cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, potatoes, and turkey.
This clip describes Harriet Tubman's life after her involvement in the Underground Railroad. It describes the impact of her efforts and her heroism.
This clip describes the history of Veterans Day in the United States. It states that the holiday was originally called Armistice Day to celebrate the truce between the Allies and Germany after World War I. The name of the holiday was changed to honor all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. Also, it explains the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Chamizal National Memorial sits on land that once belonged to Mexico. What is now a park was once the focus of a century-long border dispute that began when the Rio Grande River changed course. In 1963, a treaty ended that standoff and three years later this park was created as a monument to the friendship between the U.S. and Mexico and the culture we share.
Xavier, Yandina, and Brad have a lively debate over who the best hero of all time is. They each have different ideas, but one thing they can all agree on is that whoever it is needs to have the most courage, which means they aren’t afraid of anything. Suddenly, whoosh – our trio find themselves in the Secret Museum! They’re sent back in time to meet someone who truly embodies what it means to be a hero: Harriet Tubman. Xavier, Yandina, and Brad follow along with Harriet as she bravely sneaks through the night as a young girl to see her family, despite her fear of being caught. They then watch in awe as an older Harriet bravely risks her own freedom so she can rescue others and lead them to freedom, too. Including her own parents. The answer to their question is suddenly clear: Harriet Tubman is one of the greatest heroes who ever lived, not because she wasn’t scared of anything, but because real courage is bravely moving forward even when you’re scared.
This clip describes the history of Independence Day and includes some fun facts about it. It explains the reason for the holiday and mentions several traditions, such as setting off fireworks.
In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn about Eid Al-Adha. Eid Al-Adha is a yearly four-day celebration of the Islamic faith remembering the story of Abraham. Known as the feast of sacrifice, the celebration centers around sacrifice to Allah.
In this video from PBSLearningMedia, Blossom and Snappy help Digit mail a surprise package to Robbie. They visit the post office and postal processing plant to see how it all works. For Americans, the postal service symbolizes the connection across vast distances that allows us to imagine a unified nation even as we are separated geographically, culturally, and politically. The principle of equal access to the mail—the fact that a letter to or from anywhere in the country costs $0.55—has made the postal system an icon of equality more broadly.
In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students will join Peg+Cat as they learn about the Muslim holiday Eid-Al-Adha from their friends Yasmina and Amir. In addition to exploring how Muslims celebrate the holiday, students also explore the mathematical concepts of less than (<) and more than (>), fractions, and how to create equal amounts.
In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn the Apollo Program got us to the moon! Apollo Elementary is one of the many schools in Brevard County with a space-related name. The history of the mission is very important to the school and to the space coast.
In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn about the celebration of Rosh Hashanah in this quick video. Help students understand the traditions and history behind The Jewish New Year.
In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn Presidents Day is an opportunity for the country to acknowledge the leaders of its government. See how it evolved from a birthday party for George Washington to observance for all of the Presidents.
This interactive activity from PBSLearningMedia helps students learn how everyday people can do amazing things. To get started, students choose from a wall of historic figures to learn more about them or create their own!
In this video from A Kid Explains History, Quinn explains the history and life of Harriet Tubman and her work on the underground railroad. With his precocious personality and kid-friendly vocabulary, Quinn makes learning history easy and fun for students of all ages. This video can be used to introduce Harriet Tubman, abolitionists, and/or the underground railroad.
This informational material from Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government is geared for ages 4 through 8. This Learning Adventure tells the story of the Liberty Bell and can be used when teaching or introducing a lesson about U.S. symbols. Students can read the information in a whole group or individually. The Learning Adventure also contains a link to the National Park Service site with additional resources.
In this activity, students will read The Flag Maker by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, a story about the creation of the first American flag. Students will be able to answer questions based on key details from the story. Students will explore the main character's emotions throughout the story and try to guess what she is feeling.
In this activity, learn about preserving the flag by comparing what happens to paper that has been left in sunlight with paper that has been left in the dark.
In this learning activity, students learn about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. A link to National Geographic's Xpeditions Atlas Maps is included. This activity is recommended to be used with Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport.
In this learning activity, students think of symbols to represent Martin Luther King, Jr. and create a window decoration containing those symbols.
In this learning activity, students examine a letter or speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. and turn his words into word art using the Wordle website. The activity includes a list of compositions by Martin Luther King, Jr.
In this activity, students are challenged to discover why Mrs. Pickersgill sewed the original Star-Spangled Banner so large. Students will measure and mark off the dimensions with strings and then create a "human" flag using as many students as needed. Students can research information and photos of the Star-Spangled Banner at the following link included in the activity: https://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/.
In this activity, second graders investigate American symbols and their value to the American people. Students learn the history of some American symbols and why American citizens hold these symbols so dear to their heart.
In this activity, students explore the meaning behind memorials and monuments. Then, students design and build their own monument.
In this activity, students will be able to identify Benjamin Franklin and his inventions. Students experiment with static electricity and create a "magic picture".
