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Effigy Mound Activity
Learners research effigy mounds of Native people in Wisconsin. They create large models of effigy mounds in a given area based on factual information from their studies and research.
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Immigration Unit
Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...
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Dogs- Canine Familiaris
Students research dog species and breeds. In this dog lesson, students discuss breed of dogs, their personal experiences, and complete a Venn Diagram comparing breeds. Students use the research to analyze television shows or movies which...
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Comparing Cultural Holidays
Third graders explore art that reflects their cultural background. For this writing and research lesson students compare and contrast the Halloween with El Dia de los Muertos. Students study the visual art of these holidays. Then...
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Dude, Where's My Karma?
Students research various aspects of Indian culture. They create a Book of Knowledge about India. In a second activity they research the history behind any game. They make presentations and play the different games during Game Day.
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The Gullah People of the Sea Islands
Eighth graders examine the lives of the Gullah-Geechee people. In this unique cultures lesson plan, 8th graders explore music, language, and slavery of the Gullah-Geechee people from the southern low-country in the United States....
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Comparing Cultural Holidays
Students discover facts about the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead. For this compare and contrast lesson, students explore Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Students create an alter to memorialize a family member or friend that has...
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Mystic Lands: Maya: Messages in Stone
Students explore an ancient Mayan city. In this world history lesson, students watch a video about the ancient Mayan civilization, discussing information prior to and after watching the video. Students then come to understand more about...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 4
Foster's Rule? Allopatric speciation? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation, class members use Venn diagrams to compare endemic species on the Channel Islands with mainland related species. They then create a...
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Biomes and Ecosystems
Students study biomes and ecosystems. They watch videos on rainforests and the food web and select a country of ancestry or interest to research. They write a report on the flora and fauna of their selected country. They present to...
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Discovering My Family History
Students research their family trees. They research Internet sites, conduct interviews and, when possible, access primary sources to compile information about their family's history. Students present their findings in a family tree.
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Family Heritage
Young scholars research their family heritage by interviewing family members. Using their responses, they record them in an organized fashion and develop a presentation. Using the Internet, they locate an artistic representation of their...
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The Emperors of Rome
Students research an emperor assigned to them both form on-line sources and paper sources. They locate at least one image of the emperor or a building he authorized to use in their presentation. They create a 5-10 minute presentation to...
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Great Expectations
Students examine proper care of cattle, their breeding seasons, and benefits to raising cattle. After reading and interpreting a chart containing information on gestation periods, students answer questions on a worksheet. They research...
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Holidays Around the World
Students explore different cultures by researching holidays around the world, and comparing/contrasting their own customs to those of others; students then present their findings to the class.
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Classifying Living Organisms into Kingdoms
Students create a flip book that describes the basic characteristics of the five main animal kingdoms. They research the animal kingdoms, include examples of organisms for each kingdom and illustrate the finished text.
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What's So Great About Peter?
Students research the origins of the name of their town or city. They pick another city and do the same, individually. They also write a bio poem about a historical figure.
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A Little Horse Sense
How have horses evolved over time? How do horse skulls reveal this evolution? How have the roles horses play changed over time? What kind of social structure do horse herds have? How should wild horse populations be managed? To find the...
Field Museum
The Case of Darwin's Finches
One of the most striking pieces of evidence for Darwin's Evolution of Species was his observations of finches and how their beaks differed from island to island, depending on their primary food sources. So what would happen to the theory...
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The Mastodon Kill
Using the book Bandits, Bears, and Backaches, learners develop an understanding of the pre-history of Arkansas. They follow the trail ofthe giants mastodons and paleo Indians who lived there long ago. The emphasis on this lesson is on...
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World War II: Internment in Hawaii
Learners examine world history by writing an essay in class. In this World War II lesson plan, students identify the attack on Pearl Harbor, the response from the U.S and the effect it had on Japanese-Americans. Learners define Japanese...
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Tribal (or Ethnic) Self Portrait
Students create self-portraits in which they represent themselves as a member of a tribe.
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The Amistad Case
Students analyze the Amistad case and how it impacted slavery in the United States. They, in groups, receive a document, answers the focus questions and presents their findings to the class.
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Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Lesson: Immigration
Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...