Curated OER
National expansion of the United States (1815 to 1850), and its connection to local Illinois history.
Students discuss the importance of establishing the I & M Canal water route. They watch a video about the canal's history. They collect and write a personal migration story by interviewing a family member. They analyze trends and...
Curated OER
The Rocky Shore
Students compare a realistic landscape painting with a photograph of the same place.
Curated OER
Exploration and Settlement of the American Southwest
Students scrutinize the Zuni Pueblo Revolt in this seven lessons unit on early Spanish explorers in the American southwest. The discovery of the Spanish missions, the search for the seven cities of gold, and particular geological...
Curated OER
Animals
Second graders discuss the term "endangered". They identify the reasons some animals are in danger of being wiped out. They discover ways humans can help the species survive.
Curated OER
Environmental Education
Second graders examine how their choices affect the environment. They identify different types of pollution and its source. They ask questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Geography of the Silk Road And the Tokaido Road
Students examine the geographical features of the Silk Road and the Tokaido Road in this introductory lesson on Chinese geography. Small group learning is emphasized and encouraged.
Curated OER
The Chinese Zodiac
Young scholars create their own personalized Zodiac page on a word processing
document after researching and discussing the origins of Zodiak signs. This lesson does include resource links and may be controversial.
Curated OER
The Chinese Zodiac And The Western Zodiac
High schoolers create individual horoscopes that contrast and compare Western and
Chinese views of their futures using poster boards and magic markers. In-class discussion is used to evaluate the use of the Zodiac in different cultures.
Curated OER
Spy on a Spider
Students view slides or live specimens to name and describe the distinguishing features of groups of arthropods, especially spiders and insects. They complete worksheets, observe webs and then search for and record where spiders can be...
Curated OER
Facts, Feats and Folklore: Spiders
Students review and discuss a variety of sayings, folklore and superstitions about spiders. They discuss this information and choose either an interesting fact or appealing foklore tradition to illustrate.
Curated OER
What Are The Characteristics of Your Neighborhood?
Middle schoolers make a mental map of their neighborhood. Using a software program, they make an aerial and digital map of their school and locate their school on given maps. In groups, they calculate the distances to various locations...
Curated OER
Saving Hawaii
Students engage in a activity about the a proposal for a sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They write a letter to the President of The United States in opposition to the proposal based upon classroom activities and research.
Curated OER
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages of looking at a historical event from the multiple points of view of...
Curated OER
Machines: Useful But Dangerous
First graders study, observe, and use a simple machine. They study necessary safety and review posted safety rules related to using a machine and identify strategies for reporting any accidents or injuries.
Curated OER
Transformation of Energy-8th Grade
Eighth graders examine how electricity is produced in relation to the atom as well as what causes electric current to flow and what determines how much current flows through a circuit. These and other concepts of transformation of energy...
Curated OER
Transforming Energy
Sixth graders study about alternate energy sources and discuss with their neighbor how alternative energy sources affect environmental conditions so that an entire species could be affected.
Curated OER
When Things Heat Up
Ninth graders investigate relationship between the temperature and concentration of dissolved oxygen in water. They examine how pollution and other natural influences can cause the parameters to change. In groups, 9th graders collect...
Curated OER
That Is Predictable
Students investigate the changes that can take place in an aquatic environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The research is used to report different possibilities of change because of abiotic or biotic factors.
Curated OER
Science: What Happens to Create the Lode?
Students understand how mineral deposits are formed and why they are not evenly dispersed. They create and describe three different precipitates from four solutions simulating mineral ore deposit formation in sedimentary rock.
Curated OER
Playground Modeling
Students build a model of their school playground. They view models from the classroom (such as a globe, doll house, or cars). Students share observations about the models. They use a paper mat to represent the playground and use...
Curated OER
Baga Drum
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design and...