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The Sounds of Change
Learners recognize that music brings out feelings and emotions in people. In this music themes lesson, students explore the relationships between culture and music. Learners answer questions about favorite choices in music.
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Gold Fever
Young scholars read the story Gold Fever about the Gold Rush and write journal entries as if they were miners. In this Gold Rush lesson plan, students also pull out rocks from a back, and if they pick a gold one, they have struck it rich!
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Dinosaurs
Students participate in a simulated archeological dig to gain an understanding of the earth's development as well as the organisms on it. In this dinosaur lesson plan, students work in small groups removing five pieces from the 'dig' one...
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What is Government?
Students explore values that unite Americans. In this government lesson, students recall the symbols of America and discuss how to create a "Classroom Constitution." Students form rules and write their own Constitution.
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Electricity and Magnetism: Ben Franklin and His Influence
Fourth graders explore electricity by examining the life of Benjamin Franklin. In this biographical lesson plan, 4th graders listen to the teacher read facts of Benjamin Franklin's life and analyze his contributions to our current...
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Problem Solving and the Sports Page
Fourth graders create and solve sports-related word problems.
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Martin Luther King Jr.: A Clothesline Timeline
Young scholars use print and online resources to obtain information about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. They identify important events in King's life. They sequence lists of important events by date.
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Three Branches of Government
Fourth graders listen to a lecture about the government of Indiana, and the three branches of government. They discuss the reasons for the three branches and read from their text the information on government. Students play a game to...
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Social Sstudies: Change in Space and Time
Learners examine the dynamics of change and compare and contrast it with other cultures. They cite examples of how people change over time and explain why it is necessary. Students organize a skit, Webpage, or Powerpoint presentation...
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Night of the Notables
Learners read several biographies of famous Americans and discuss the characteristics of a biography. Students collect biographical information on another person in the class and write a biography. Learners research and create a...
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Art to Zoo: Memorials: Art for Remembering
Students examine how people from different societies and cultures remember those whom they have lost. In this instructional activity students analyze memorials from around the world, create their own, and find memorials that they have...
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Cursive Writing Lessons
While cursive writing lessons may seem to be outdated, they are still an important part of the class curriculum.
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A Politically Correct Version of Hangman
Instead of playing Hangman, students can try a different version of the game called Snowman.
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Why do people mover where they do?
Students read factual stories of migration to Hawaii, analyze and explain push and pull factors, interview parents about their cultural heritage, identify countried of origin of their ancestors, graph migration patterns on an world map,...
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Promoting Diversity in Elementary School Curricula
Pupils discover the roles played by various racial, ethnic and religious groups in the development of American society. They explore the concept of racial and cultural diversity and global community, as these are joined by economic,...
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Plants and Animals of Great Bay Animals and Plants of the Estuary
Students participate in a webquest about the plants and animals that inhabit an estuary. They role play as environmentalists researching this habitat and present the results of their research in a creative way.
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Keeping the Home Fires: The lives of Western women
Fourth graders explore the various trails that settlers took West from Missouri. They examine the reasons that people took these trails as well as the kind of people who made the journeys. They examine the Oregon, the Mormon, the Santa...
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Minerals, Crystals, and Gems
Students discover the relationships between minerals, crystals and gems. They bring in rocks that they find at home, in the schoolyard, etc. and examine them and attempt to identify them. They set up a classroom exhibit that includes all...
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Places Of Power
Fourth graders investigate the Native American religious concept of Sacred Landscapes. The use of natural resources and religious rites is researched using a variety of sources. They discuss the importance of geographical places in the...
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The Vision Quest
Fourth graders explore lives of Chief Plenty Coups and Crow Indians, focusing specifically on tradition of Vision Quests. Students identify reasons for Vision Quests, and create presentation to share information found with classmates.
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Father's Day Tool Belt
Students paint designs and messages on cloth nail bags using puff paint or fabric paint in this simple elementary school Art lesson for Father's Day. The lesson could be adapted depending on classroom needs and student needs.
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Knowing North: Understanding the Relationship Between Time and The Sun
Students determine how to find North using a watch and their shadow. In this finding North lesson, students go outside on a sunny day and work with their shadow and a wrist watch to find out which direction that North is. They examine...
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Dealing With Tragedy in the Classroom
Pupils compose a letter, organize a group effort, discuss the idea of patriotic symbols and explain their importance, use visual representations to express feelings and explain the importance of sustained volunteerism.
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It's Time to Make Time!
Students explore the evolution of time measurement, and explain the relationship of sunrise/sunset to length of daylight. They collect data and calculations to determine length of daylight during a given day.