Lesson Plans

Explore a collection of lesson plans designed for synchronous or asynchronous remote instruction. Each lesson plan includes at least one resource from WAMS and consists of slides, activities, and links to additional resources.

Lessons for Students

Grades K-2

Portraits Long Ago

Students will learn how to study portraits and draw conclusions about people long ago. They will practice gathering information from portraits, both painted and photographed.

Go to WAMS Resource: Fashionable Rebellion

Global Citizens

Students will learn about global citizens and the rights that they protect.

Go to WAMS Resource: Eleanor Roosevelt

Grade 4

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Students will learn about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the life story of Edith Maude Eaton, also known as Sui Sin Far.

Go to WAMS Resource: Edith Maude Eaton, Sui Sin Far

Ellen Swallow Richards - Early 20th Century Female Scientist

Students will learn about the life of Ellen Swallow Richards, a white American scientist during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Go to WAMS Resource: Ellen Swallow Richards

Mary Church Terrell - Black American Activist

Students will learn about Mary Church Terrell, a Black American activist.

Go to WAMS Resource: Mary Church Terrell

Unions & The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Students will learn about the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.

Go to WAMS Resource: Clara Lemlich

Industrialization in the Early 20th Century

Students will learn about industrialization and factory work in New York City during the early 20th century.

Go to WAMS Resource: Waged Industrial Work

The Great Migration

Students will learn about the experiences of African Americans during the Great Migration.

Go to WAMS Resource: The Great Migration

Augusta Savage - Harlem Renaissance Artist

Students will learn about Augusta Savage, an artist of the Harlem Renaissance.

Go to WAMS Resource: Activist Art on a World Stage

Grade 7

Industrialization

Students will learn about industrialization and consider how new technology changed urban environments and altered people’s way of life.

Go to WAMS Resource: Patent for Cleaning and Curing Corn

Grade 8

Maintaining the Home During WWII

Students will learn about the importance of housework and other at-home efforts led by women during World War II.

Go to WAMS Resource: Home Life in War Time

The Life and Times of Eleanor Roosevelt

Students will learn about Eleanor Roosevelt.

Go to WAMS Resource: Eleanor Roosevelt

Human Rights in a Post-War World

Students will learn about Eleanor Roosevelt’s role in the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and consider the significance of this work.

Go to WAMS Resource: Eleanor Roosevelt

Grade 11

Women, War Work, and Propaganda

Students will learn about the experiences of women who entered the industrial workforce during World War II through a close analysis of propaganda.

Go to WAMS Resource: Recruiting Women

Race in Post-War America

Students will learn about the impact of WWII on African Americans. They will consider the gains as well as the obstacles that African Americans faced during and after the war, and reflect on how these experiences motivated people to join the growing Civil Rights Movement.

Go to WAMS Resource: Reflecting on the Black Experience

Mary McLeod Bethune - Black American Educator and Activist

Students will learn about Mary McLeod Bethune and her fight for racial equality.

Go to WAMS Resource: Mary McLeod Bethune

Resources for Teaching

Life Story: Jane McCrea (c. 1752 - July 27, 1777)
Martyr for the Revolution

An overview of the life of Jane McCrea, along with questions for discussion and suggested activities for use in classrooms.

Women’s Voices!

An overview of why and how to implement women's history in classrooms, using Coverture as a model, presented along with useful pedagogical tools and techniques.

Utilizing Art from Women & the American Story in the Classroom

Using WAMS resources, this lesson plan models how to integrate women artists into your courses.

Life Story: Massaw
(ca. 1800- ca. 1870)

An overview of the life of Massaw, along with questions for discussion and suggested activities for use in classrooms.

Using Primary Source Documents to Teach Women’s History

An example of how to use primary source documents to teach women’s history in the upper elementary grades.

Introduction to WAMS
Professional Development Outline

A model for how instructors might use WAMS resources to diversify their courses, based on Early Encounters.