TPS Journal
Sourcing a Document: The First Thanksgiving
How reliable is a painting of the first Thanksgiving if it was created 300 years after the fact? Learners assess the validity of a primary source image to determine what it can actually reveal about this event.
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Molly Pitcher -- "Out of Many, One"
Students research, brainstorm and analyze the events that lead up to the Revolutionary War. They critique a piece of artwork depicting a scene from the Revolutionary War. Each major battle is plotted on a map to show a visual...
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Fur Trading
Students take on a role such as a farming community, hunting community or a trading post. They decide which products they focus on and then trade with the other groups.
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Organizing Info into Short Reports
The class brainstorms a list of prominent people from their knowledge of social studies. Groups of two pupils get together and select one of these people to research. They create five questions to research on their person and record them...
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Investigating Sources-Artifacts
Students discuss artifacts. In this social science lesson, students realize that artifacts can help one in determining about the person the artifacts belonged to. Students will be put into small groups and will look at objects from a box...
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The ABC's of Artifacts
Students create their own ABC book about artifacts. In this artifact lesson, students read ABC History Mystery and review the artifacts pictured in the book. They create their own ABC book with each student working on a letter.
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Dinosaurs Were Real!
Young scholars investigate the history of dinosaurs, as real animals. In this dinosaur lesson plan, students examine basic concepts that help them understand the history of all life. Included in this article is information on the world...
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Rivers of Change
Third graders examine rivers and how they affect the people living around them. They read a chapter in their science text, take a virtual river tour online, read a background information story, and in pairs describe the changes in the...
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Time in a Teakettle
Students compare and contrast the development of teakettles. In this artifacts lesson, students divide into groups and examine different teakettles. Students complete an artifact analysis worksheet, draw a picture of their kettle and...
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"Lighthouses"
Students listen to the book "Beacons of Light" by Gail Gibbons and identify the different characteristics and facts concerning lighthouses and their history. They examine the differences between fiction and non-fiction books and engage...
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The Golden Spike
Students investigate modern transportation in the 19th century by examining artifacts. In this U.S. history lesson, students read the story Joseph's Railroad Dreams, and discuss the Golden Spike used in the first transcontinental...
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Moving Objects
Students discover the history of the United States by examining the Great Migration. In this U.S. History lesson plan, students research the immigration movement on the Internet and complete a worksheet about the large population...
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Multiple Perspectives
Third graders explore immigration. In this social studies lesson, 3rd graders read about immigration in the United States. Students compare and contrast immigrant communities.
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Comparing Kwakiutl, Cheyenne and Navajo tribes
Third graders study the difference between the Kwakiutl, Cheyenne and Navajo tribes. They identify the people, resources, lifestyle and beliefs of the Kwakiutl, Cheyenne, and Navajo Indians. Afterward, they present their projects on each...
Museum of Tolerance
Immigration Journeys
Through the journey of four stories of immigration, scholars complete graphic organizers and apply knowledge to create a visual representation of their findings on a large poster. Third and fourth readers write a letter to their...
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The Wright Brothers on Hollywood Squares
Students test their knowledge of the Wright brothers by playing "Hollywood Squares." They read (or listen) with comprehension. Students follow the rules as they actively participate in a game to test their reading (or listening)...
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Play Ball: A Major League Review Game
Apply the game of baseball to a fun review activity. Pupils earn a "base" for each subject question that they answer correctly. This activity can be modified and used for any subject area, including math, social studies, and language arts.
San Francisco Symphony
Ballads for Americans
"Ballad for Americans" was a song written for performers participating in the Federal Arts Project, during The Depression. Learners will analyze the lyrics of the song and then create informational posters about other Federal Works...
Dick Blick Art Materials
“Gawu” — African-influenced Tapestry
Here's a great way to combine environmental science with art. Kids use recycled materials to create their own Gawu, a tapestry made of discards. Although designed for special education classrooms, the activity is sure to engage all...
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Oral Histories
Students interview local Native Americans to explore their history, culture, and contributions to the region. They contact a local Native American organization, conduct an interview with a volunteer and write thank-you notes.
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Catch the Gullah Beat: Rhythm and Percussion
Students explore the Gullah culture. In this social studies lesson, students construct and play instruments similar to those of the Gullah people.
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Shapes and Shelters
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (photographs) for evidence of Ancient Egyptian culture and design meaningful objects. They are grouped in pairs and instructed to choose someone that they admire, either living or...
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What Is Happening in Haiti?
Students discuss the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and empathize with the victims of the disaster. For this 2010 Haitian earthquake lesson, students learn about the history and hardship the country has consistently faced. They watch clips...
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Techno Timeline
Students create a timeline of inventors. In this dual history/science instructional activity, students research inventors of technological products, then work in groups to create a timeline of events. The timeline may include science...