World Globes & Maps
United States Map- Intermediate Directions
Students identify the four intermediate directions. For this map skills activity, students use post-it notes to label the four intermediate directions on a map. Students locate various states using intermediate directions.
Curated OER
A Look at the Population Density of the United States
Students acquire census information and create maps of the population density of the United States on different scales. They role play the roles of workers of a retail company and they use the population data to market to their customers.
Curated OER
China is Unique
Sixth graders study the culture of China by comparing it to that of the United States. They write all questions and notes in a journal. The students access the internet to obtain the information and internet sites are suggested in the...
Curated OER
Little House on the Prairie
Hop into a covered wagon and follow Laura Ingalls Wilder through the Midwest. A series of lessons based on Little House on the Prairie encourages young pioneers to see the world through Laura's eyes as they map her journey, discuss the...
Cornell University
Too Much of a Good Thing?
Continuing their study of beneficial insects, young entomologists discover where in the world some of these bugs are. By labeling, coloring, and using the scale on a map, pupils explore the territories and arrival of the Asian lady...
California Polytechnic State University
Australian Geography Unit
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
Curated OER
Pizza and the Economy
Learners become aware of the history behind pizza and how it was adapted to the economic and geographic conditions of the United States. They have a basic understanding of the concepts of supply and demand.
Curated OER
Journey to Japan: An Elementary Geography Standards-Based Unit on Japan
Second graders compare and contrast Japanese customs and culture to those of Americans through research in this year long study. They determine the basic needs of all people in spite of cultural differences.
Curated OER
Japan
First graders investigate the similarities and differences between Japan and the United States. They develop a KWL chart, locate Japan and the U.S. on a globe, conduct Internet research on life in Japan, conduct an interview, and create...
Curated OER
Where is Kansas?
Students explore U.S. Geography by analyzing a map. For this state vs. country lesson, students utilize a U.S. map and locate the state of Kansas before researching the history and customs of the state. Students collaborate as a class to...
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story
The tradition of the First Thanksgiving is really a story of immigration. Connect the feelings and customs of the early Pilgrims to the experiences of the immigrants in your class with an introduction to the 13 colonies, the Mayflower,...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad
Students navigate the Scholastic Underground Railroad site and listen to journey of the Underground railroad. For this Underground Railroad lesson, students use maps and compare and contrast the differences between the North and South...
Curated OER
Road Trip
Students explore a state, create a travel plan for visiting that state, write postcards from an imaginary trip there, and research selected points of interest in that state.
Curated OER
The School: School Culture Across Louisiana
Students identify and research school customs and folk groups through discussion and interviews. Then they identify and learn that traditional culture exists within other cultural contexts, such as the academic world of school, and in...
Curated OER
Cambodian New Year
Students compare and contrast the New Year celebration in Cambodia to the celebration in the United States. They mathematically determine the amount of beans added to the "mountain" during the three day celebration.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Native American Cultures Across the U.S.
Middle schoolers examine how American Indians are represented in today's society. They read stories, analyze maps, and complete a chart and create an illustration about a specific tribe.
Kauai's Hindu Monastery
The History of Hindu India
What obstacles did India face during their post-colonial formation after gaining independence? Topics discussed in the lesson include Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, the Indian Constitution, economic development, and the influence of...
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 American Mosaic
Eighth graders role play as a poor immigrant family moving from the Old World to the New World in search of the American Dream. They create a portfolio and journal of their travels.
Curated OER
Hush! A Thai Lullaby
Students listen as the teacher reads a story from their textbooks about a tradition in Thailand. They locate Thailand on a map and discuss that it is a tropical country. They discuss various cultural aspects included in the story and...
Curated OER
Agriculture - It Doesn't Just Happen
Sixth graders examine the role of the US Department of Agriculture. In this United States Agriculture lesson, 6th graders create maps with sites and specialty areas. Students create a presentation on the topic they were given to research.
Curated OER
Cultural America
Seventh graders investigate the cultural differences that can be found in America. They discuss what it means to be called an American. The patterns of migration to America are discussed with the use of maps and geographical terms....
Curated OER
Examining Slave Auction Documents
Students compare the social and cultural characteristics of the North, the South, and the West during the antebellum period, including the lives of African Americans and social reform movements such as abolition and women’s rights.
Curated OER
Just Like the Old Days
Students examine customs of rural Mongolia. They read and discuss a letter, discuss families, locate Mongolia on a map, reenact scenes from the letter, and write a prediction of how life change in rural Mongolia during the next 50 years.