Curated OER
Fiji Thatched-Roof House
Students research information about Fiji Islands, including their location, size, climate, history, and people, recognize that housing is dependent upon weather and building materials found in area, and build authentic replica of...
Curated OER
From Coast to Coast
Students identify and describe characteristics of natural landforms such as mountains, islands, rivers, and inlets, research information about landforms that would be encountered on imaginary trip from one place to another, and design...
Curated OER
Paper Money
Students investigate the concept of money and its images that are found around the world. They conduct research using a variety of resources while collecting different images to create examples of money. Students create copies of the...
Curated OER
Off-to-School Bus
Students examine what school buses look like, their uses, and school bus safety issues. They discuss their experiences with school buses and identify the safety rules for riding on a school bus. Students then create a mini-school bus...
Curated OER
Passport to Adventure
Students examine the function of the passport system of their country. Then they make simple accordion-fold books. Students also design and fabricate stamps with which to record information in their books. Finally, they identify and...
Curated OER
Penguin Species
Students, after reading about the seventeen species of penguins, create and play a game with realistic penguins made from Crayola Model Magic. They complete and develop a learning game about conditions of each penguin species' geographic...
Curated OER
Rice Is All Around Us!
Students grasp the complexity and similarities of traditional foods in various countries and cultures. Then they compare and contrast family food traditions with their classmates. Students also create a decorated box to store recipes...
Curated OER
Robinson Crusoe Island Adventure
After reading and describing the characters, setting, and plot in The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, class members write original Island Adventure narrative pieces including detailed descriptions of people, places, and things. Afterward,...
Curated OER
Russian Star Ornaments
Students research Russian Orthodox Christmas traditions in pre-soviet Russia and in other parts of the world. Then they create a handcrafted ornament in the style of old Russia. Students also decorate their Russian Star Ornament with...
Boys Town
Teaching Social Skills, Creating Successful Students “Following Instructions” and “Listening”
With the help from learning games and holiday-themed coloring pages, scholars learn the importance of listening carefully and following directions. Coloring pages celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. Learning games include...
Curated OER
Map Skills
Thirds graders reinforce that a map is a drawing that shows what a place looks like from above. They use a map key and symbols to create a map of the school and its neighborhood.
Curated OER
Coil Pots
Children learn by doing. Here, they discuss cultural uses of containers, coil and slab techniques, functional aesthetics, and the principles of art and design. The entire process for making a coil pot is fully described here to make the...
Vermilionville
Mardi Gras Elementary
You don't have to visit Vermilionville to experience the Cajun traditions of Mardi Gras. After examining pictures and hearing stories about these colorful traditions, learners create their own Courir de Mardi Gras masks.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Hopi Poetry
The Hopi refer to corn as their children, demonstrating its importance to the Native American group. Class members consider the role of literal and figurative language by examining poetry from this indigenous group. The resource includes...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Hopi Place Names
What's in a name? Historians consider the question as they examine places important to the Hopi people and the meanings of their place names. Included worksheets include maps and charts to help class members examine the geography of Hopi...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Hopi Traditional Dance and Song
Very few outsiders get to see the Hopi "Butterfly Dance." However, using approved footage from the tribe, class members consider the importance of symbols in Hopi culture by watching the dance and analyzing lyrics from its songs....
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: “Making History” by Marilyn Nelson
What makes an event newsworthy, worth a reference in a news magazine or textbook? Who decides? These are questions Marilyn Nelson asks readers of her poem "Making History" to consider. To begin, class members list details they notice in...
Curated OER
If…Then…Ideas for History
Have your class examine a very old piece of art as they consider history, chronology, geography, culture, and tradition. They discuss the concept of ritual as it is associated with religious practices and research the spread of...
Curated OER
Animal Dance
The image Painting of Bear and Sun Dances by Louis Fenno contains an image of a traditional Ute dance. The class will hone their observation skills, as well as their ability to describe in detail, as they take a close look at the piece....
PBS
Alexander Hamilton: Lawyer, Writer, and Founding Father
Scholars analyze the impact Alexander Hamilton had on the creation of the United States. Primary documents and video clips give learners a glimpse into the life of one of America's Founding Fathers, arming them with enough information to...
PBS
Mark Twain: Storyteller, Novelist, and Humorist
Scholars investigate the use of satire in Mark Twain's writing. Literary lovers research the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, political cartoons, and videos to see how Twain uses satire to make the stories more memorable....
PBS
Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady, Diplomat, and Activist
Scholars analyze the impact Eleanor Roosevelt had on not just the nation, but also on the world. Primary sources and video clips help form a picture of the First Lady and her accomplishments. As a final activity, individuals create...
American Battlefield Trust
Civil War Play
Everyone has a role to play. Young scholars step into history by taking on the roles of soldiers—both male and female—during the Civil War using a fictionalized play of what life was like on the battlefield. Pupils also examine the roles...
Curated OER
Memorable Maps
Students draw an assigned map from memory about the United States or any other region they are studying. In this maps lesson plan, students draw a map from their memory at the beginning of the year, and do the same assignment at the end...