Soc. Studies Gr. 8

Something to consider if we change our curriculum and spend more time on US-MX, Latino history, etc

Well developed lesson plan on the dream act, where students look at demographics in their own region and school. 

some good stuff on Texas history including primary sources.

Awesome collection extensive lesson plans that leverage primary sources, some modified on US history

Unmodified primary sources on the annexation debate concerning Texas

Grade 7 and 8--a better fit for Grade 6, but still good for you all too... This article screams Rabinowitz and Harris!  From a very conservative newspaper, this is an article  about all the different religious book options that Congress members used for swearing in. It has some interesting stats about religion in Congress and seems to be fair in tone. Could be used as a great part of intro  for religions or a grabber current events....

A primary source letter from a slave who was still not free after emancipation proclamation and analysis of it...

interesting site that looks at some of the modern consequences of the IRA

what mexico looked like before US invasion... possibility to use when adding population figures 

interesting picture of the short-lived california republic flag, (conniption to texas?) 

map just shows what modern states represent the mexican cession of 1848

Good map which shows the various territorial gains over time in the US from 1775-1920

Facinating website from  the US Army Center for Military History. It is a brochure summary of Mexican American War. PAges 1-9 have some interesting background about Mexico as NOT a democracy (a pro-US perspective) at the time, but also discusses that Polk had a goal of taking as much land as possible to force Mexico to sell CA. (an anti-US perspective). A secondary source, but may be a quotable one. 

Great collection of speeches and documents from both sides of the Mexican American war.

a collection of resources

This is from the National Archives. It has a collection of primary sources to use as well as ways to use them. Good Revolution stuff for Grade 7, including a timeline activity that has kids put primary sources in order during the Pre-Revolutionary period.  There is also an interesting pre-made activity on the difference in Civil War Recruiting posters.

US/MX War and Manifest Destiny

a manifest destiny dbq essay question