Curated OER
Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
Students locate Japan on a globe, name the major physical features, and describe the physical environment. They survey the differences and similarities between the life and culture of Japanese young people and American young people.
Curated OER
Exploring Louisiana's Land Down Under - The World of Kate Chopin's The Awakening.
Visit 19th century Grand Isle, Cheniere Caminada, and New Orleans! Meet the inhabitants, learn about their history and culture, and view landmarks and industries! After reading Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, class groups research the...
Curated OER
Prairie Voices: Community Development, Investigating Local History
Students investigate local history. In this research skills lesson, students examine historic landmarks, tax records, fire maps, town plans, historic photographs, newspapers, and other primary sources to learn about local communities in...
Curated OER
When You Were My Age, What Was This Place Like?
Young scholars discover how land use in their community has changed. In this community and ecology instructional activity, students scan old newspapers to find articles about the development of community land. Young scholars discuss and...
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Aerial Photography
Eleventh graders compare the artistic values of Terry Evans' photography with LandSAT images and other images made for purely scientific, government and commercial purposes. They consider the artistic choices made in aerial photography.
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Grandpa's Mountain
Fifth graders read the book Grandpa's Mountain and discuss how land was taken away for "the good of the country". In this social studies lesson plan, 5th graders then create a newspaper, poster, poetry, interviews, surveys, or other...
Curated OER
Postcards from California: A Unit on Geography, Social Studies, History and California's Resources
Fourth graders examine patterns that influence population density in the various regions of California. The unit's three lessons utilize graphic organizers for the interpretation and presentation of data.
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You Gotta Know the Territory
Young scholars examine the relationship between Native Americans and those who settled the Iowa territory. In this Iowa history lesson, students investigate the process for settling the territory and how intercultural relationships...
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Free Land
Students investigate the impact of the passage of the Homestead Act. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students visit selected websites to examine the lives of Americans who settled the American frontier.
Curated OER
The Fact Finders
Young scholars analyze agricultural data and make predictions about events in history. In this history lesson, students correlate the relationship between historic events and issues in agriculture to see if there is a correlation. They...
Messenger Education
Exploring Exploring
The reason people first began trading was because of their desires for objects other societies possessed. In the activity, classes discuss why exploration has been a common thread in all societies and where these desires have taken...
Curated OER
Problems Encountered by Surveyors of Arkansas
Fifth graders examine the six geographic regions of Arkansas by examining the problems encountered by surveyors in Arkansas after the Louisiana Purchase. They conduct Internet research, create a chart, and write an essay comparing two...
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Natural Resources
Students explore Iowa geography and topographic maps. For this geography and topographic maps lesson, student investigate maps, newspapers, Iowa flora and fauna. Students gain an understanding of how different landforms can be identified...
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Strangers in Their Own Land
Students use interview techniques to explore the traditional wisdom of fishers, farmers, First Nations, and other peoples whose close relationship with nature gives them a deeper understanding of, and sensitivity toward, climatic cycles...
Curated OER
Arkansas Black Pioneers: A History of African-American Colonies in Arkansas
Learners identify various regions of early Arkansas as these regions relate to African American colonies that settled in Arkansas after the Civil War.
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Opening Doors to Social Studies with Children's Literature
Fifth graders read a story about immigration, listen to songs about America and explore the history of their ancestors. They discuss how immigration creates a multicultural country. Pupils create a collage of the people in America. ...
Curated OER
Green Space in the City
Learners identify the different kinds and uses of green space that exist in an urban area. They create maps of local parks and research the history of each park. They conduct a survey of residents near the park and interview a park...
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Volcanoes and People
Students discover that volcanic eruptions are geologic events that take place within the upper part and on the surface of the Earth's lithosphere. They explain how volcanoes are related to the Earth's lithosphere. They focus on the May...
Curated OER
Arguments Against Ratifying the Constitution
Students define federalism, Federalist, and Anti-Federalist, debate issue of ratification in classroom convention, and take vote on whether to add bill of rights. Three lessons on one page.
Curated OER
The Earth Moves Under My Feet
Middle schoolers study earthquakes, monitor seismic activity using the Web, and plot real-time activity. They examine movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. They create an earthquake preparedness project.
Curated OER
Uncle Sam is Rich Enough to Give Us All a Farm:
Students examine websites and video clips to become familiar with tenets of the Homestead Act, challenges faced by settlers and misconceptions about settlers. They role-play colonists on the Planet XR-38 and make choices similar to...
Curated OER
I Dream of Castles: A Comparative Study of Castles in Feudal Europe and Japan
Students study castles of Japan while comparing and contrasting them with those of in Europe from the feudal era. They complete a unit of studies that includes reading, writing, Internet research, and critical thinking. They examine how...
Curated OER
Latin America: Places and Regions
Seventh graders create a Latin American portfolio in the form of a country presentation using PowerPoint software. They use their knowledge of geographic concepts to interpret maps, globes, charts, diagrams, and timelines.
Curated OER
A Thoreau Look at Our Environment
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...