National First Ladies' Library
The Education of Abigail Adams
Students read the biography of Abigail Smith Adams from the First Ladies Library web site. They work in small groups to write a description of her education. Students discuss their findings, and extend this to the education of girls in...
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Character Education Podcasts
Students study character traits. In this character education lesson, students create podcasts highlighting a particular character trait. Students broadcast one podcast per week.
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The Great Gatsby: Primary Sources from the Roaring Twenties
High schoolers research the Roaring Twenties. In this 1920's America lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of lifestyles and values of the era as they read F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
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Sunlight and Warm Air
Students examine the different ways heat can be felt. In this radiation and conduction lesson, students recognize that the sun radiates heat. Students conduct three experiments to find how the sun warms the Earth and how that heat...
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Is All Well in Welfare?
Young scholars explore current welfare reform issues and create plans of action to improve welfare reform laws in the United States. They predict what President Bush's "Working Towards Independence" welfare reform program might entail...
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Animating a Historic Event
Research a historic event using textbooks, primary source documents, the Internet, and other library and media resources. Young historians will take the research they have gathered and write an attention-grabbing, historically accurate...
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Fishing for Facts!
First graders visit the library or media center to research sea creatures using encyclopedia. They find two facts and research the Internet to find a picture of the sea creature. They create a class sea creature booklet.
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Underground Railroad
Learners explore the Underground Railroad. In this U.S. history and technology lesson, students research an assigned topic related to the Underground Railroad, such as "abolitionist," "conductor," or "station houses." ...
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Class Book Awards
Students create a class book award. In this book award instructional activity, students review the book awards already created (Caldecott or Newbery) and look at books that have received these awards. They come up with their own award...
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Twentieth Century Entertainment: When Work is Done
Students determine how Americans enjoy leisure time. For this 20th century America lesson, students research primary sources to study how Americans gained leisure time during the century and what they did with it.
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Autism – What Is It?
Students create a poster about expected development versus observed behavior of a child with autism. In this health lesson plan, students describe the signs of ASD. They read and analyze a simulated case study.
National First Ladies' Library
Flopsy, Mopsy, Eleanor, and Beatrix
Young scholars read "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and view the photos of the pets that inspired Beatrix Potter to write. They then select a different book to read from the University of Pennsylvania's website or from the public library that...
National First Ladies' Library
Rosie the Riveter
Students identify and interpret the power of symbols. Then they research and identify what type of information that they can locate at the Library of Congress website and list what they learned from it in the time allotted. Students also...
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Botanical Discoveries
Sixth graders examine the Lewis and Clark Expedition. In this plant discovery lesson, 6th graders put in chronological order the plant discoveries of Lewis and Clark. Students understand the characteristics of leaves and find the area of...
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Land Marked
Students explore proposed plans for land redistribution in Zimbabwe. They research the history of European colonization in Zimbabwe, focusing on the roles and views of various groups within the country. Based on these perspectives, s
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Hall Monitors
Students investigate the incidence of different types of violence that occurs in their schools through reading, discussion and interviews. They question local authorities about the best ways to reduce school violence.
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Active Citizenship: The Civil Rights Work of Bob Moses
Students discuss and describe the impact of Bob Moses as an activist, compare and contrast the work of Bob Moses in the 1960's and today and develop an action plan regarding an issue they feel strongly about.
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Geography: Caribbean
Students research and view a video on the geography of the Caribbean. In this Caribbean geography instructional activity, students go on an imaginary trip to the Caribbean and write postcards and letters telling of their trip. Students...
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And the Moral of the Story is...
Students retell a story using computer software. In this story elements lesson, students retell the story giving the plot, setting, characters and moral using Pixie software.
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Around Town
Students explore their community. For this picture taking lesson, students visit different places in the community. Students take pictures at each place they visit. Students use adjectives to describe the pictures they took and write...
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The Family Tree
Students make a family tree. In this family activity, students brainstorm what the word family means, interview their family members and grandparents, create a family tree, list their family's favorite foods and write an essay describing...
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Objects of Memory
Students consider the importance of individual artifacts in memorializing important historic events. They read and evaluate an article discussing the removal of the last steel beam from the World Trade Center site.
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Activism of Terrorism
Students research animal rights issues and controversies and determine whether they believe extreme tactics are justified. They practice debate and rhetoric skills by successfully arguing both sides of the issue.
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Hurricane Katrina: You Be the Reporter
Students work in a small group to create news stories, feature stories and editorials/letters to the editor and organize them in a podcast, video-based program, or newspaper/magazine focused on Hurricane Katrina.