Curated OER
President FDR and the New Deal
Learners explore the New Deal and President FDR. In this Great Depression lesson, students listen to an FDR Broadcast (Fireside Chat) and read sections in their textbooks. Then, in small groups learners design and create a broadcast to...
Curated OER
Bushy Run: A Decisive Battle of Pontiac's Rebellion
Learners study the battle at Bushy Run. In this Pontiac's Rebellion lesson, students examine an 1765 map of the Bushy Run battle as well as letters and a modern topographic map of the area in order to simulate the event and research how...
Curated OER
The Mother Culture of Mexico: The Olmecs
Sixth graders study the Olmec civilization. They develop a map of Mexico and a map of the area of the Olmec civilization. They research Olmec art, religion, and architecture. They construct Olmec symbols including giant heads, altars,...
Curated OER
Readers Theatre: Presenting Historical Events Through Theatre
Students examine historical events. In this lesson on the US Constitution, students engage in a theatrical exploration of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They also engage in an extensive discussion, complete worksheets and draft...
Curated OER
Across Five Aprils-Civil War Virtual Field Trips
Eighth graders explore the Civil War by reading Irene Hunt's novel, Across Five Aprils. They take virtual field trips to these battle sites and answer questions that guides them in their study of the Civil War.
Curated OER
The High and the Flighty
Students study women aviators and act out a talk show-style interview with one of them. They plot Amelia Earhart's flights on a map.
Curated OER
Now and Then
Students record transformations and their effects within and across cultures. Students study the life of specific people in a former time period and then in the present time period. This teacher focused on the Winnebago tribe, using her...
Curated OER
On the Job
Students identify the concept of occupational folklife and learn about occupations in their community and the state. Then they collect examples of occupational folklife such as special terms, equipment, or gestures, as well as stories,...
Curated OER
Designing Musical Instruments
Young scholars examine musical instruments as main part of the study of sound energy. In this designing instruments lesson plan, students focus on the elements of an instrument that cause sound to be created and design a unique musical...
Curated OER
Hershey and the World: The 5 Themes of Geography and Google Earth
Students invsestigate cocoa producing regions in the world. In this geography skills instructional activity, students examine how the 5 themes of geography affect the Hershey Chocolate Company as they compare and contrast cocoa...
Curated OER
Ecuadorian Highlands Lesson
Indigenous peoples resided in the highlands of Ecuador as far back as 5,000 B.C. To learn about the lives of these people, class pairs research the farming and the building methods, the arts and crafts, and the beliefs of the early...
Curated OER
Parody Hilarity
Upper grade and middle school writers study the art of parody. In this language arts instructional activity, learners study the work of Lewis Carroll, read and discuss parodies from the book, Alice in Wonderland, and construct their own...
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Water Sources in Cape Verde and West Africa
Young explorers study the scarcity and importance of a continuous supply of fresh water in Cape Verde. They research the five main ways that fresh water is obtained in these countries. Each research group prepares a presentation, and...
Overcoming Obstacles
Understanding Nonverbal Messages
The Overcoming Obstacles course for middle schoolers continues with a unit module on communication. In the first lesson plan, participants engage in a series of activities that help them recognize nonverbal clues and the importance of...
Curated OER
Early Industrialization
Eighth graders analyze primary source documents emphasizing young people in factory labor (mill workers during 1840-1860). They study hours of labor, ages of laborers, reasons for working, and working conditions. They write a poem or song.
Curated OER
Grand Canyon Suite
Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...
Smart Museum of Art
The Making of a Superhero
Thor, Loki, Iron Man, and Captain America. As part of their study of Greek and Roman gods and heroes, middle schoolers compare the characters in The Avengers to Greek counterparts. Individuals then create their own superhero, describe...
Curated OER
"Blackbeard's Ghost" Differentiated Lesson Plan
Develop a better understanding of "Blackbeard's Ghost" with this differentiated lesson. Working in groups on a creative project, middle schoolers can reinforce their reading comprehension and literary analysis skills. Use this lesson to...
Curated OER
Who is the Expert? Exploring Credible Sources in Healthcare
How do you decide what sources are credible when researching online? Evaluate sources with a focus on researching health issues. After brainstorming common health concerns and how they would try to diagnose these problems, class members...
Curated OER
The Quilting Connection....a Teaching Unit on Slavery, the Underground Railroad And Quilting
Students research the Internet, read designated books and selection, participate in discussions and write short reports while completing this series of lessons about slavery and the Underground Railroad. As a final project, they design a...
VH1
Lesson 2: Moulin Rouge
The pop movie Moulin Rouge was based on the opera La Boheme. Learners watch the last 30 minutes of each musical to compare and contrast social opposites. They'll first discuss the social differences of the main characters and how those...
Curated OER
Lura Pierce
Students express opinions on eavesdropping on citizens, read the article "GOP Senators sat Accord is Set on Wiretapping", and debate issues presented in the article. They create letters to send to Congress presenting their concerns.
Curated OER
Social Studies, Gender and the Blues
This lesson shows how the blues can be used to enable students to explore gender divisions in the United States, both in the past and the present. Most blues songs are about the relationships between men and women, as are many songs in...
Curated OER
Income Levels & Social Class: Is It All About Cash?
Students graph data and interpret that data after reading information about lifestyles and income levels. They calculate percentages, set up spreadsheets and calculate columnar data.