Curated OER
Working on the Railroad
Students plan a trip on the railroad. In this railroad creation and implementation lesson plan, students listen to the song "Working on the Railroad", make a map of where the track was laid and discuss the geographical...
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Treasure Chest
Students explore Chicago in the fur-trading era. In this Chicago lesson, students discover what life what like during this time. Students read an historical fiction story about life in the fur-trade era. Students view replicas of...
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A Picture: Worth One Thousand Words?
Pupils examine photographs from the Civil War. Using a primary source document, they discover the conditions of a private during the Battle of Chickamauga. In groups, they use the sources to determine the authnecity of the documents.
Curated OER
Before Dred Scott: Freedom Suits in Antebellum Missouri
Young scholars examine and analyze original documents that enhance understanding of antebellum slavery in Missouri and a particular method of gaining freedom: the freedom suit.
Curated OER
Cassie's Timeline
Fourth graders read Cassie's Journey: Going West in the 1860's. In this pioneer literature lesson, 4th graders develop a timeline of the major happenings in the story by creating a timeline. Students discuss new discoveries about the...
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Pottery-making Methods
Students become experimental archaeologists using three methods of pottery making before the invention of the pottery wheel.
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Engineering: Simple Machines
Fourth graders participate in activities to examine how simple machines help build things. They identify the six types of simple machines. They discover how simple machines where use historically to build pyramids and how they are still...
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The West "The People": The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Fourth graders become familiar with the conditions facing the members of the Expedition in the early 1800's, as well as the causes and consequences of the Expedition. They describe the conditions of the land in the 1800's and during the...
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Solving Environmental Problems
Students identify a community environmental problem and possible solutions. They analyze the connection between the problem and the solutions and the importance of it to the local community. Students then draw a picture of an...
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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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Show Me a Flowerpot
Students compare and contrast handmade and machine-made products in a study about the evolution of production processes in American history. For this production history lesson, students explore a flowerpot in depth. Students make their...
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Home Sweet Home
Students complete activities with the books Color Me Dark, The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, and The Great Migration North. In this literature/History lesson, student read the story and discuss the plot. They analyze photographs taken...
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Back to the Future
Students imagine what it would be like to travel back in time. For this creative writing lesson, students watch parts of the film Back to the Future and examine artifacts from the past. Students write a short story in which they travel...
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River Otter Adaptations
Learners study the body of the River Otter to understand animal adaptations to their habitats. For this animal adaptations lesson, students study the photo of the River Otter and discuss its body. Learners then play a game of...
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Choosing the Lincoln Statue
Fourth graders research photographs or artwork depicting Abraham Lincoln during the time when he was traveling the 8th Judicial Circuit and practicing law in Champaign County. They develop a Powerpoint presentation of the results of the...
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What Do Trees Do for Dinner?
Students investigate how trees produce their own food. They examine chlorophyll cells with a microscope, analyze a cross section of a log, determine how old the tree was, simulate the distance of the roots, and create a play.
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A Toast To The Past
Students analyze, and research the identity of the non electric toaster as a historical artifact. In this toaster lesson plan, students then create a visual timeline of toaster history.
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Smiley Face Circle Stories
Students examine different artifacts from the 1970's. In this history lesson, students discover what each artifact is by seeing the artifact and reading a card defining what the artifact represents. On the second day, students create...
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Spice It Up!
Students analyze visual artifacts from Asian descent and follow the path of famous explorers on the Silk Road. In this Asian artifacts lesson plan, students use their senses to explore and grind spices using a mortar and pestle.
Curated OER
ILLINOIS HISTORY HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET
Fourth graders use the internet to search for pictures about historical events and then use those pictures for a timeline game
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Four: How Can We Protect Biodiversity?
Look into the future with a lesson plan on biodiversity and natural habitats. Learners read articles about different perspectives when it comes to planning future development, and decide which angle is the highest priority in a...
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Self-Portrait Shields
Students listen to the story, The Shield of Athena, and examine the original context of the sculptural fragment of a fallen warrior. They list important events and people in their lives, then create shields that depict their personal...
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Native American Research
Students investigate an Native American tribal group. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The subject areas to focus on are religious life, history, social structures, economics, geography, and environment. Students...
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Black Hawk Island Hike
Students explore Wisconsin's natural and cultural history through hands-on exploration of Upham Woods. They are shown the basic paddling skills and they work in teams to paddle across the river on barge. Students describe cultural...