Young scholars read and think about the relationship between maps and nature. They examine the origins of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the large-scale topographical surveys that were commissioned a century later. They also read and...

Young scholars discuss the importance of land ownership and the purpose of land surveying in the eighteenth century. They interpret a transcript of an eighteenth-century land survey. They survey and area of land. They create a written or...

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.

Students act as surveyors. In this George Washington lesson, students read transcriptions from Washington's surveying journal and then try surveying skills on their own.

Students determine how land was divided and marked for boundaries in the early days of settlement in Delaware. Students mark out land on the playground according to the methods used by the early settlers. Students write a description of...

Students discover how land use in their community has changed. In this community and ecology lesson plan, students scan old newspapers to find articles about the development of community land. Students discuss and predict how land use...

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...

Learners participate in the National Worm Survey. In this National Worm Survey lesson, students generate data on earthworms. Learners submit their data to the online database Worm Watch.

Students study multiple land uses and their effects on one another. They assess multiple land uses in National Forests and Grasslands and evaluate the effects of each use on all other uses. They develop a comprehensive list of human...

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...

Students discuss the major changes that have taken place in the Hudson Valley over the past 400 years. They use aerial photos to describe major trends in Dutchess County. Students view a PowerPoint presentation. They work in small groups...

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.

Students research and present their findings of the Native American's forced removal in the 19th century. In this Native American lesson plan, students read passages, write and reflect, and look on the internet for evidence of the Native...

Students create pictorial biographies of George Washington. Working in groups, they research various portions of Washington's life, highlighting significant events. After presenting their projects to the class, they are displayed for...

Students study George Washington's map and journal of his 1754 expedition to the French. They draw conclusions about the importance of western lands and the problems involved in tapping the resources of the West during that era.

High schoolers work with NASS data by converting it into prose. In this historical agriculture information instructional activity, students read about how George Washington communicated information about crop yields, livestock, and land...

Students survey the loss of forests around the world. In this environmental lesson, students read an article that outlines how forests are being lost and government interaction which encourages forests to be rebuilt.  Activities to...

Third graders explore the operation of a Christmas farm and how trees are shipped. After taking a tour of a Christmas tree farm and researching transportation, location and cost issues, 3rd graders create a map to show the distribution...

Young scholars 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...

Sixth graders discuss differences in the way in which information was disseminated in George Washington's time and how it is acquired in contemporary times. They examine Census of Agriculture data and a modern day version of a letter...

Students explore biotechnology. In this scenario-based lesson, students take a survey on what they know about genetic engineering, view a PowerPoint, and conduct a web quest. Students will then be placed in groups, and produce one of the...

Students explore visual arts by examining a diorama in class. In this geography lesson, students examine an island off the coast of New Zealand and identify the physical attributes of the land. Students answer study questions...

Pupils utilize the U.S. Geological Service web site. They research the various types of scales used to measure earthquakes and classify different situations on the scale. They write a story about a town that has just experienced a quake.

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.