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Exploring our National Parks
Students utilize maps/Atlases to find key spatial information, locate U.S. National Parks, characterize the geography of a specific region, and create a National Park brochure.
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Personal Stories of the National Parks
Middle schoolers explore historical information about U.S. national parks using the stories of Edward and Margaret Gehrke as a primary source document. In this United States geography, history, and literacy lesson, students view the...
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People Behind the Parks
Explore U.S. geography with your class by viewing a documentary. Show a portion of the Ken Burns documentary "The National Parks," and identify the individuals responsible for keeping the parks in order. Elementary and middle schoolers...
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Expanding the Mission: Historical Parks
Students explore U.S. geography by viewing a documentary in class. For this national parks lesson, students view video clips of individual national parks and locate them using Google Earth software. Students create a persuasive...
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Turning Parks into Islands
Students discuss the effects of isolating areas in a park to make "islands" for nature. In this nature lesson, students role play park rangers who are developing a new section of the park. Students work in groups to plan a park, after...
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Let's Roam Together
Students collect information about buffalo and transform their classroom into a wildlife park. In this conservation instructional activity, students work in groups to research a question pertaining to buffalo populations and habitat...
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Civil War: Generals at the Battle of Stones River
Students explore U.S. history by creating a computer presentation in class. In this Civil War battle lesson, students read assigned text about the Battle of Stones River and research individual generals from the battles. Students utilize...
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You Are Here
Learners map local places and learn to use scale and distance. In this mapping lesson, students map their school and a favorite place. Learners recreate their maps showing distance and scale sizes. Students locate their location on a...
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Is There Room for Everybody?
Third graders examine the capacity of animals able to live in one habitat. In this habitat instructional activity, 3rd graders play a game that shows the food chain and the interactions between animals in an area. Students discover that...
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Painted Lodges
Students explore lodge construction as a representation of culture. In this cultural diversity and Native American history lesson, students listen to a narrative explaining the origin of Native American painted lodges. Students design...
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States and Capitals Unit
Fifth graders explore the regions, states, and capitals that make up the United States. Through the five lessons in this unit students locate and name the fifty states and their capitals.
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Forest Communities
Students identify tree specimens. In this tree specimens lesson plan, students collect different parts of a tree from the areas around the school or their home. They then work in groups to create booklet that identifies tree specimens.
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Tracks along the Trail
Students identify animal tracks outdoors. In this animal life lesson, students go outdoors and find several different animal tracks to identify. Students also discuss how animals must adapt in the winter months.
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Puzzle it Out
Students study the Earth's climatic system and construct a puzzle that names all of the pieces of the components involved. In this Climate lesson, students draw a picture on a puzzle piece depicting a specific component. Students then...
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My World
Students study maps. In this social studies lesson, students draw a map of either their room at home or the route they take to school. Students label items on their maps.
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Garbage in the Garden
Students create their own compost. In this soil lesson, students fill a bag with waste and soil, in order to create a mini compost bin. Students observe the baggies over a 6 week period, they record their findings and collect data on...
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Meet A Tree
Students explore different types of trees with their senses. In this nature lesson, students play a game in which pairs use their senses to explore trees, blindfolded. Students then must find the tree they found when blindfolded.
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Seepy Sandwich
Students study how water infiltration can carry pollution underground. In this water infiltration lesson, students conduct an experiment on water infiltration and underground pollution.
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The Big Circle
Students explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this concentric ring lesson, students utilize a poster board, string and markers to identify their current location within the entire world. Students write about their...
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Track Traces
Students explore animal characteristics by participating in an animal anatomy activity. In this animal tracks instructional activity, students identify the differences between specific animals and the shape of their footprints. Students...
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Bake, Boil, or Fry
Young scholars write a journal entry about where there food comes from. In this Civil War lesson, students discuss journals, the crops grown within the U.S., the import/export process and what food preparation must have been like on a...
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Cover the Music
Learners explore U.S. history by listening to musical pieces in class. In this Civil War era lesson, students discuss the types of musical instruments that were available to soldiers during the war and the themes of their songs. Learners...
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It Wasn't a Bullet
Students explore U.S. history by researching disease in class. In this Civil War injury lesson plan, students identify the different causes of death most soldiers faced while fighting in the war. Students role-play and write a diary...
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Dare to Care for a Grizzly Bear
Learners examine the relationship between humans and grizzly bears. In this biology activity, students research about the bear's habits and living environment. They write a letter to the US Fish and Wildlife Service petitioning them to...