Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Landscape of a Novel

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students, after reading a novel, utilize geographic skills to map out the places described in the novel. They collect data, envision spatial features and then design a map to work off of to complete their assignment. Each student also...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waldseemuller's Map: World 1507

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate the 1507 word map. In this world geography lesson, students examine the details of each section of the map and then draw conclusions about how the people of 1507 understood the world. Students are evalated on...
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Quantifying Land Changes Over Time Using Landsat

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students take a closer look at historical maps. In this primary source analysis lesson, students examine the first world map produced by Martin Waldseemuller. Students complete the included map analysis worksheet and then write letters...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

What Is El Niño?

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students access information at remote sites using telecommunications, identify impacts by reviewing past El Ni??o events, make and use scale drawings, maps, and maps symbols to find locations and describe relationships.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Middle Ages

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students read books about the Middle Ages. They discuss characteristics of the Middle Ages. In groups, students construct a castle and draw a map to scale. Pupils create a Venn diagram comparing rules in different countries in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Message in a Bottle

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders write a short story about being stranded on a deserted island. After a brief geography review of locations at various latitudes and longitudes, 6th graders draft their story about being stranded. They use sensory and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth on the Earth

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders plot points on a graph and transfer those coordinates onto a large scale model resulting in an outline of the Western Hemisphere. They identify the major geographical landforms of the Western Hemisphere.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Give Me Back My School: A Back to Basics Approach to Ecological Restoration

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders research local geography to create successful, ecological school landscaping. They determine soil type, average weather patterns and temperature graphs and use the information to select ideal plants and plant maintenance...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mush! Tracking Travelers on the Trail

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students get to know Alaska and the Iditarod route that is run by dogs as they track the mushers' progress on a map that they create specifically for the race. They learn about latitude, longitude, plotting on a map, checkpoints, and...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Home, Sweet, Home!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the local history and architecture of their community. They draw maps, conduct Internet research, discuss varied architectural designs, take a walking tour of their town and work in teams to record their community's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mud Maps

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Pupils discuss the location of stores, buildings, and homes in their community. Afterwards, they create a 'mud map' demonstrating the route from one point to another. In pairs, students read travel directions from a brochure, while other...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Your Community

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students define the boundaries of their community by comparing the community's official boundaries with other historical, political, physical, and perceived boundaries of the area and create a community map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Range is it?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the habits of panthers by analyzing radio transmitted data.  In this animal life lesson, students utilize computers to view the range of different statistics dealing with Florida panthers.  Students...
Activity
Curated OER

Middle Ages Cross Curriculum Project

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers complete several projects on the Middle Ages. In this world history lesson, students complete language arts, social studies, math, and science projects. Some of these include: comparing a teenager's life now to that in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Thoreau Look at Our Environment

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shake, Rattle And Roll: Studying the Effects of an Earthquake

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students gauge earthquake intensity by reviewing firsthand accounts. They use the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale and newspaper articles to estimate the strength and effects of a past earthquake.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Grid it, Map it

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners participate in designing a city layout using grids and coordinates. They work on a city space and create a grid on a life size layout on the gym floor.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cartography

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students research about cartography and how to be a cartographer. In this math lesson, students draw a map of their classroom. They use a robot to explore navigation using a compass rose.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine the causes of the stock market crash of 1929.  In this integrated math/history unit on the stock market, 6th graders study, research, and read stocks, visit a local bank, and create a PowerPoint to show the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design a Zoo Project

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners research animals to become experts on them. They design a zoo to fit their animal's climate and region. They create a computer drawing of their zoo at the end of the lesson plan.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Castle Builder

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discuss the importance of castles in medieval times. Using the internet, they research the parts of a castle and design their own using the components. They use everyday materials to build the castle to a specific scale.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Bird's Eye View of our 50 States

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders focus on state birds as they learned absolute location (latitude/longitude) of each state, as well as their relative location (bordering states).
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Know Your Area

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students investigate transit by analyzing their school surroundings. In this local geography lesson, students identify their school in relation to the rest of their state, country and globe. Students discuss their personal travel habits...