In this lesson, students will learn about Alexander Graham Bell’s work as a scientist and a humanitarian. After watching a biographical video, they will examine sketches Bell drew of his early telephone and read a kind letter written by Bell to his close friend Helen Keller. The lesson culminates with students creating their own Bell-inspired invention.

In this lesson, students will learn about the humble beginnings, prolific writing, and remarkable accomplishments of Alexander Hamilton. After watching a biographical video, they will examine a memorial portrait of Hamilton and read excerpts from his best-known work, The Federalist Papers. Using their newfound knowledge of Hamilton, they will brainstorm ideas for their own version of a Broadway show based on his life.

In this lesson, students will learn about Amelia Earhart’s groundbreaking career as a female aviator. After viewing a video about her life, students will examine her first pilot’s license and will read a letter she wrote to an aspiring aviator. The lesson concludes with students designing a compass rose to honor Earhart’s legacy.

Franklin’s widespread interests and numerous fields of endeavor make him the American epitome of the Age of Enlightenment. In this lesson, students will reflect on the parallels between our own age and the one in which Franklin lived and worked. After viewing a short video about Franklin, they will read some of Franklin’s adages through an Enlightenment lens and examine a symbol-rich portrait of Franklin. The lesson culminates with students imagining Benjamin Franklin’s present-day social media presence.

Students will learn about Booker T. Washington’s struggle to become educated and his contributions to educating his fellow African Americans. After watching a short video, they will discuss the role that compromise played in Washington’s rise to power and fame. By examining a 1906 image of Washington and reading excerpts from his Atlanta Exposition speech, students will be able to recognize Washington’s contributions to the early Civil Rights movement and to assess his controversial philosophy.

In this lesson, students will learn about the remarkable organizational skills of Cesar Chavez. In addition to watching a biographical video, they will analyze a photograph of Chavez during a protest against grape growers, and they will read a speech in which Chavez reflects on the accomplishments of the farm workers’ movement. They will then evaluate how Chavez’s tactics could be adapted to a current day labor-related issue.

In this lesson, students will explore Eleanor Roosevelt’s many national and international contributions by watching a short video and engaging in a class discussion. Afterward, they will read a letter written during her time as First Lady expressing her opinion on racial issues and examine a 1957 photograph of Roosevelt during her tenure at the United Nations. The lesson culminates with students designing a mural to summarize the life of this forward-thinking woman who was born into privilege yet spent decades doing public service.

Students will learn about women’s rights activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton by focusing on her strengths and challenges as an activist and founder of the National Woman Suffrage Association. After watching a short video, examining a photo of Stanton with Susan B. Anthony, and reading excerpts of the Declaration of Sentiments, students will assess the lessons they have learned about organizing people to make change.

Students explore what it means to speak out for your beliefs, or to right a wrong. After watching a short video, they will reflect on Douglass’s courage and the importance of literacy in his activism. They will read excerpts from Douglass’s autobiographies and examine an 1850 etching of Douglass being pulled away from a stage prior to giving a speech. Finally, they will reflect on Douglass’s importance as both a historical figure and as a role model for their own lives.

Students will learn about the remarkable career of George Washington Carver, who was born into slavery and went on to become a leading botanist. In addition to watching a short biographical video, students will examine and analyze a photograph of Carver at Tuskegee Institute and read excerpts from his Congressional testimony on behalf of the United Peanut Association of America. The lesson will culminate with students making advertisements about some of Carver’s many peanut-based innovations.

Students will learn about Harriet Beecher Stowe’s activist writing, particularly her best-known work, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. After watching a video synopsis of her life, they will examine the cover page of sheet music for a play based on Uncle Tom’s Cabin and will read excerpts from the book that illustrate the power of her writing. To conclude the lesson, students will design a new book jacket for Uncle Tom’s Cabin that will highlight the importance of both the author and the novel.

Through viewing a video about Helen Keller’s life, examining a 1904 photograph of Keller, and reading excerpts of her autobiography, students will learn about Helen Keller’s commitment to advocating for equal treatment for people with disabilities. The lesson concludes with students choosing a quotation that best represents Keller’s challenges and successes.

In this lesson, students will learn about Thoreau’s iconoclastic ideas and about the unusual steps he took to live out his beliefs. In addition to watching a short video, they will examine the original 1854 book cover for Walden and read excerpts from Thoreau’s most famous works. To conclude the lesson, they will connect Thoreau’s unusual perspective and daring actions to their lives as young 21st-century Americans.

In this lesson, students will explore the courage that it took for Jackie Robinson to fight segregation and discrimination on and off the baseball field. After viewing a short video about his life, students will analyze a photograph that exemplifies Robinson’s dignity and then read a letter he wrote to President Dwight Eisenhower pleading for speedier action on civil rights. The lesson will conclude with students creating baseball cards that portray Robinson’s remarkable courage both on and off the baseball field.

Students will learn about the notable achievements and difficult challenges experienced by Malcolm X. After watching a biographical video, they will analyze a photograph taken during the only face-to-face encounter Malcolm X ever had with Martin Luther King Jr., and they will read and answer questions about a letter written during his momentous pilgrimage to Mecca. To conclude the lesson, students will choose a quotation to analyze as a way to demonstrate their understanding of this charismatic leader.

In this lesson, students will learn about Mark Twain’s career as a journalist, novelist, and humorist. After viewing a video about his life, students will examine a caricature of Twain from the humor magazine Puck and will read a letter he wrote to a close friend and fellow author. The lesson concludes with students writing a Twain-style piece about a contemporary issue.

In this lesson, students will watch a video about Dr. King that emphasizes his commitment to nonviolence. They will then examine and analyze a 1956 flyer and a 1966 photograph that illustrate King’s approach to maintaining nonviolence. The lesson culminates with a comparison to other leaders who have been consistently nonviolent in spite of great personal risk.

Students will learn about the remarkable athletic achievements and advocacy of Muhammad Ali. After watching a biographical video, students will analyze a photograph taken during the height of the controversy over Ali’s refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, and they will read the transcript of a revealing interview Ali gave and answer questions about it. To conclude the lesson, students will choose a quotation to use for a motivational poster.

In this lesson, students will get beyond the myths of Rosa Parks’ arrest on a Montgomery bus in December of 1955 in order to understand that she was a person of strong convictions about civil rights and fair treatment. After watching a short biographical video, they will examine a photograph of Parks and others at the Highlander School, a training ground for activists, and they will read the parts of the Montgomery City Code that led to her arrest. The lesson culminates with students developing a creative piece based on their new understanding of Rosa Parks.

In this lesson, students will learn about Sitting Bull’s determination to protect Native American land and culture in the face of Westward Expansion and the overwhelming power of the US military. After viewing a video about his life, students will examine an 1885 photograph of Sitting Bull and read excerpts of his description of the Battle of Little Bighorn. The lesson concludes with students imagining a dialogue between Sitting Bull and a more cautious counterpart.