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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"You Shall Do Your Best Endeavor" - Working With Primary Documents

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students read and interpret primary source documents regarding historic Jamestown. In small groups, they read the primary documents, answer questions, and view online maps of Jamestown Island and Virginia.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Yo-ho, Yo-ho a Viking's Life for Me

For Teachers 3rd
Students complete a unit of lessons on the Vikings. They analyze maps, read and discuss myths, summarize the main ideas from resource materials, watch videos, sing a song, draw a picture to illustrate Norse mythology, and define key...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marco Polo Takes A Trip

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify Marco Polo and discuss why he took his trip, indicate on map routes Marco Polo took to China and back, describe challenges of traveling along Silk Road, list several interesting aspects of 13th Century Chinese culture,...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Meso-America

For Teachers 5th
Students will identify and locate Central and South America and their countries and features, as well as Meso-American civilizations. Students will compare civilizations and discuss voyages of relevant explorers.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer America: Journey West

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experience pioneer life on the Oregon trail. For this pioneer lesson, 4th graders research the reasons for moving west and what life was like on the trail. They create a map, complete an oral presentation, and write about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polar Adventure: Read All About It!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars investigate reports of an adventure to the North Pole or the South Pole and then chronicle it by writing a newspaper article or making a timeline. The focus is placed on a recent or historic expedition to the region selected.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Africa: Names and Nations of Note

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore Africa. In this global studies lesson, students research the history of African nations, noting the impact of European colonization and other historical events. Students design posters about the nations they research.
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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Before Google, before Sillicon Valley, before the Gold Rush, the San Francisco landscape was a biome filled with grizzly bears, mule deer, tule elk, coyotes, gray fox, gophers, and moles. To explore the early days of yesteryear, kids...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pilgrims: The First Americans

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders become familar with the pilgrims and first Thanksgiving through essays about important people of the time.  In this Thanksgiving lesson, 5th graders choose an important figure from the time of the Pilgrims and write a two...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploration and Encounters

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research explorers of the New World.  In this American history lesson plan, 4th graders conduct internet & textbook research about various New World explorers.  Students compare and contrast the sources used for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Medieval Travelers

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore the impact of trade on culture. In this trade lesson, 10th graders compare the travels of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta. Students research the explorers and create materials for a gallery walk that feature the impact...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Philanthropy and You

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students identify human rights and study the values of historical figures who fought for human rights. In this human rights lesson, students define the term human rights and research examples of human mistreatment in history. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who are the Women of the Pacific North West: 1830-1870?

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students view a picture from the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and discuss the people in the picture. They locate Cromwell's Map and discuss the villages located close to Fort Vancouver. Students read information regarding the role...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Under the Sea

For Students 4th - 5th
In this ship wreck worksheet, students read the information beneath each famous wrecked ship. Students then draw a line from the picture of the ship to the point on the map where it currently rests under the sea..
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Be a Viking!

For Teachers 3rd
Students research the history and culture of the Vikings. Students complete a variety of lessons in which they use maps, discussion, lecture, vocabulary lists, worksheets and quizzes to investigate the culture and traditions of the Vikings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Down There?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze data on coral reefs and use this to help characterize reefs.  In this mapping coral reefs instructional activity students identify and explain the major threats to coral reefs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the global grid system. In this globe lesson, students identify latitude and longitude lines and how these can tell the coordinates of any place. They use the Internet to find the exact coordinates for their town. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drake’s West Indian Voyage 1588-1589

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the exploration routes of Sir Francis Drake. In this American exploration lesson, students investigate primary sources to trace the routes and contact with the natives that Sir Francis Drake experienced on his voyages in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dig Into Ireland

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study Ireland and its distinctive culture.  In this exploring Ireland lesson students view a program on Ireland, answer questions then divide into groups and research the Irish connection. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Globe Skills Lesson 2: Paving the Way for Columbus

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explore the expedition of Christopher Columbus. In this geography skills instructional activity, students consider the technological advances that made Columbus's expedition possible as they complete a latitude and longitude...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Capital Idea

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students write a description of the spatial organization of the former and present location of New Hampshire's state capital. They analyze maps, participate in a class discussion, and calculate the distance of Concord from the borders...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Alaska

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study three Alaska Native leaders who led their people using different methods in different circumstances. They explore the attributes of a good leader and apply that exploration to their own lives.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Neighborhood Expedition

For Teachers K
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harriman and Plant Identification

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students observe and record botanical details from the plant specimens. They identify plants using sorting key and field guide and classify specimens for preservation and display purposes.