Curated OER
King Cotton
Fifth graders explore the cotton plant. For this cotton lesson, 5th graders research the process of growing cotton. Students explore the economic and cultural differences in the states that grew cotton for trade and industry.
Curated OER
Regions of the United States
Students research maps in order to propose geographic reasons for geographic patterns such as state boundaries, interstates and elevations.
Curated OER
Rivers that Flow from the Continental Divide: The Journey of Two Rivers
Students explore river routes. In this social studies lesson, students trace the route of a river from its source and discuss the Continental Divide. Students draw the route the river takes and name the states it flows through. Students...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Countries and Technology
Students participate in a travel simulation and have just arrived in Canada. After choosing activities to research, they define their methods of exploration and development on plan sheets. Among the scenarios from which they choose...
Curated OER
Breaking Up is Hard To Do
Students study the geographical issues related to the conflict in the Caucasus while identifying and discussing other key issues. They investigate methods of conflict resolution while analyzing both sides of the conflict including those...
Curated OER
Splendid China
Sixth graders gain an appreciation for the traditions and vast contributions of the Chinese culture in this unit of lessons.
Curated OER
Documenting a Historic Climb of Mount Everest
Students create front pages of newspapers that document the historic attempt of a group of Sherpa women to summit Mount Everest.
Curated OER
From Bolls to Bolts
Fifth graders explore the economic effects of the colonization of North America. In this Social Studies activity, 5th graders examine the economic and cultural results that occurred due to North America entering the market. Students...
Curated OER
Unit Plan Template
Use this U.S. History unit plan as a template for creating your own! Simply download the resource and edit the text fields with your own customized unit plan. This is a great jumping-off step, especially for newer teachers.
Curated OER
U.S. and Canada: How are We the Same? How are We Different?
Get high school geographers to compare and contrast Canada and the United States. They begin by drawing a freehand map of North America, then complete readings to gain insight into Canada. The text is not provided; however, another text...
Curated OER
The Silk Road, An Ancient Internet
Students examine how goods and ideas moved along an ancient trade route between China and Europe. They make charts of items, ideas, etc. that were transported along the Silk Route.
Curated OER
Stopping Deforestation in the Amazon: A Publicity Campaign
Students investigate the environment by designing a group project. In this ecology lesson, students identify the man made threats to the Amazon while reading environmentally conscience vocabulary terms. Students collaborate in groups...
Curated OER
Eminent Domain: Whose Land is it Anyway?
Students research eminent domain and whether or not there has been a land dispute in their community. Students search local newspapers, local history books or talk with civic leaders and long-time citizens and create a chart showing the...
Curated OER
Location, Location, Location: Civilization's Ultimate Advantage
Learners discover how geographical advantages, locational and regional, ultimately led to western Eurasian societies' disproportionate accounting of world power and innovation. They utilize a workbook which can be downloaded within this...
Curated OER
Multinational Corporation Relocation
Students examine and analyze the concept of why multinational corporations relocate production facilities from developed nations to less developed nations. They explore the patterns and networks of economic interdependence incorporating...
Curated OER
Cherishing the Water of Life
Students work in small groups to brainstorm a list of all creatures, plants, natural, and artificial processes that use or depend on fresh water. The class views an aquarium filled with water representing all the water in the world. The...
Curated OER
Dangers of the West
Eighth graders explore the American West. In this Westward Expansion lesson, 8th graders examine primary sources to investigate the dangers travelling to and settling in the American West. Students design brochures that would help those...
Curated OER
Geographic Luck
Students examine why some countries are rich while others remain poor. They view a video on the website, Guns, Germs and Steel, analyze primary sources to conduct research about plants and animals, and create a game based on their research.
Curated OER
The Cherokee: Trail Where They Cried
Students read the Trail of Tears about the Cherokee Nation removal and write a letter pretending they are the grandparent of a Cherokee child. In this Trail of Tears lesson plan, students understand the changing of boundaries.
Curated OER
Build the Tallest Building
Students examine the design and construction of skyscrapers. They use the internet to research information about different types of skyscrapers. They create their own building and defend it to the class.
Curated OER
Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...
Curated OER
Data Comparison And Interpretation: North Korea, South Korea, And the United States
Ninth graders brainstorm "what they know about North Korea and South Korea." They determine the approximate distance from the United States to North and South Korea and create a graph comparing the birth rates, death rates, infant...
Curated OER
Places in My World
Second graders explore where they are located on the globe. For this maps and globes lesson, 2nd graders use a map to show where they live and show the cardinal directions. Students identify characteristics of mountains, flat land,...
Curated OER
Animals, Animals, Everywhere
Fourth graders participate in a variety of activities dealing with animal characteristics and classifications in this multi-task instructional activity. They use graphic organizers, make booklets, and make models.