Educator Resources

Lesson Plans

The following lesson plans employ local sources—related to Henry Street Settlement and Lower East Side history—to tell a larger story of U.S. history. The lesson plans are intended for use in middle and high school classrooms and cover the following topics:

• Part I: Settlement Houses & Progressive Era Reform
  
• Part II: Public Health Reform 
• Part III: New Deal Reform
• Part IV: 1960s-70s Reform 

If possible, we recommend pairing these lesson plans with a guided tour of our exhibition, The House on Henry Street, at the Settlement’s headquarters. For more information, please contact Katie Vogel, kvogel@henrystreet.org.

New York State Social Studies Learning Standards

Lesson plan credits:
Lesson plans by Katie Vogel, Janet Rassweiler, and Ellen Snyder-Grenier
Graphic design by Tracey Maurer

Special thank you to:
Anna Duensing, PhD candidate at Yale University
Nancy Beiles & Rachel Serkin, Museum at Eldridge Street
Linnea Anderson, Social Welfare History Archives, University of Minnesota
Eileen M. Condon, Ph.D., Independent Folklorist
Nicole Fogarty, Chelsea Jupin, and Barbara Kancelbaum, Henry Street Settlement

Tour The House on Henry Street

“The House on Henry Street” is a permanent, interactive exhibition on the history of the Settlement and the people who helped shaped change on a local and global level from our founding in 1893 to the present. A field trip to “The House on Henry Street” includes an interactive tour, discussion, and activities exploring:

• Social activism
• Urban poverty
• Immigration
• Public health
• The Progressive Era

Trips are led by Katie Vogel, Henry Street’s public historian, and can be customized based on group needs. Options available for English language learners and students with special needs upon request. Contact Katie to get started.

REMOTE TOURS ARE AVAILABLE.If you are interested in a live remote virtual tour, contact Katie for more information.

Ages: All ages/grades.
Field Trip Hours: Monday, Wednesday, & Friday, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Typical trip time is 60-90 minutes.
Lunch Notes: Outdoor garden/park available for lunch, weather permitting.
Bathroom Notes: Gender-neutral, accessible bathrooms on site.