Homemade American history games for Labor Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, Veterans Day lesson plans

Here's homemade fun for Labor Day, Memorial Day or 4th of July. Host a red white and blue backyard waterpark. Set up 10 activity stations and play American patriotic outdoor games. Party guests, young and old can play, but make a safe zone for those who want to stay dry. Guests should wear bathing suits or play inside in a pool. You can also make up dry versions of games.

Uncle Sam Sponge Toss. For this station, you will need a lawn chair, three large, soft clean sponges, a bucket of water and an Uncle Sam Hat (paint an old hat red, white and blue). Players take turns sitting in the 'hot seat' with the hat on. Players get to toss three wet sponges at "Uncle Sam." The object is to knock his hat off.

All American Splash Ball: Fill a bucket with water balloons. Divide players into teams of two. Players take turns lobbing balloons at each other and trying to hit with tennis or badminton racket, Nerf bat or recycled cardboard paper towel tube. Players should name presidents as they throw.

Memorial Day Bash Ball: Fill a bucket with water balloons. Give each player a butterfly net, colander, sieve or plastic butter tub. Balloons are tossed and caught without touching, as in "Hot Potato." Make it more difficult by introducing several balloons into play at once. Or make players name states and capitals as they play.

Stars and Stripes Shooting Arcade: Paint red and blue stars on white plastic containers of assorted sizes. Thoroughly rinse recycled squirt bottles and fill with water. As in a carnival water shooting gallery, players try to knock down as many bottles as possible in a limited time. Or place a waterproof map on wall and have kids aims for certain states. Winner gets to squirt the person of his choice.

Lady Liberty relay. Players take turns donning basic Lady Liberty costume (dress, crown, torch, book) as fast as they can and performing tasks.

Lady Liberty spritzer. One players dresses as Lady Liberty is blindfolded and gets a hose to spray with. Kids try to get past her, taking one step at a time, like Marco Polo.

Labor Day limbo: Hold hose up like limbo bar. Drop in lower and lower as players try to go under without getting wet. Or use a regular limbo pole. Each time, they must name a famous American.

Fireworks Sprinkler Golf: Make clubs from recycled wrapping paper tubes and balls from wadded up recycled paper or Styrofoam. Set up a small nine hole golf course, putting one hole in the middle of the sprinkler and another in the wading pool. You can also make a huge US map golf course with holes in each state.

Old Glory Obstacle Course: Arrange baby wading pools or shallow pans of water, colored red and blue in an obstacle course. Players must complete tasks like "hop on one foot to blue" or "crawl through red." Along with physical tasks students must name famous events in US history.

Patriotic Apple Bob: Fill a wading pool with apples and water. Winner gets an apple pie for the grand prize.

Award prizes for trash pick up. Be sure to collect all balloons.

Free Printable American History Lesson Plans:French and Indian War

French and Indian War History Lesson Plans with Internet Links When you hear the name French and Indian War, it sounds like a war between the French and the Indians. It was really a war fought between the British and the French over land in North America. The French fought with the Indians against the British. 

August 15 is National Acadian Day, when French Canadians celebrate their heritage. A big part of French Canadian and American history, in fact all history is shaped by war. The French and Indian Wars were the first fought on North American soil. When you hear the term French and Indian War do you think of a war between French and Indians? The French and Indian War was really a war fought between the British and the French over land in North America. The French fought with the Indians against the British. The French and Indian War lasted from 1756 to 1763. It was also called the Seven Years War. Here are free printable American history lessons on the French and Indian War as well as French Canadian(called Acadian or Cajun) history lessons.

There were actually several battles fought between 1689 and 1763 that were called the French and Indian Wars. King William's War, Queen Anne's War and King George's War, or the inter-colonial wars were fought mostly in Canada (called Acadia in French). The French and Indian War  was the engagement of 1756-1763 which was fought in what was called America. What caused the French and Indian War? The New World, as North America was called, was a big area. Many countries like Spain, France, Holland and England controlled different parts of the land.

The English and Dutch had set up 13 colonies along the eastern seaboard (Atlantic sea coast). Here are free printable American history lessons on those 13 colonies. The original 13 colonies included Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Spain controlled areas in the southern parts of North America and France controlled northern areas, including parts of Canada.

Each nation wanted to expand its empire (land it controlled). There are four ways to add more land to your empire--settle it, take it away from someone, buy it or go to war over it. The French and Indian War was fought along the British colonial frontiers (boundaries) from Virginia to Nova Scotia. The British and French Canadian fought over the "confluence" (coming together) of two important rivers, the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. This area is present day Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (click that link for free printable American history lessons on that region). A confluence where two bodies of water meet is a strategic area for trade. Rivers are important natural resources. Rivers are natural travel and trade routes. The country who controls the rivers controls the land.

In 1755, British troops led by General Braddock attacked Fort Duquesne (du-cane) in what would be called the Battle of the Monongahela in Acadia (Canada or New France). Braddock was killed. The British tried to invade Acadia and take over French territories in in 1755, 1756, and 1757. These attempts didn't succeed, mainly because British troops lacked proper organization and argued among themselves. The French Canadian also got along very well with the Native Canadian and American Indians and had their support. Instead of fighting, taking from and trying to control the Native American Indians, as the British did, the French befriended and cooperated with the Indians.

In 1755, the British took the French Canadian Fort Beausejour (click here for free printable French Canadian and American history lessons on Acadia or Cajun culture. This fort was in Acadia where the British had several major setbacks. Campaigns failed both at Louisbourg and the Siege of Fort William Henry. When William Pitt took control things turned around for the British. Between 1758 and 1760 British troops were able to gain ground in Acadia New France. The British took control of the French capital at Montreal in September, 1760.The French ceded control of Louisiana (New Acadia) to Spain, because Spain had lost Florida to the British. The French and Indian War ended France's control in North America and England was now the super power. William Pitt was granted the area which is now Pittsburg.