Curated OER
Electronic Survey Activity
Fifth graders conduct a class survey and share the results with a class in another state via an electronic bulletin board. This technology-rich lesson is an ideal way to have learners practice communicating with others through the use of...
Curated OER
National and Regional Identity
Learners examine state quarters to identify symbols that represent national and regional identity. They discuss the process used to determine what is put on the quarter. They review colonial money, and euros to look for cultural images.
Curated OER
Civil War
Historical poetry is lyrical in form and rich with content. After examining the differences between the Northern and Southern states before and during the U.S. Civil War, learners complete a Venn diagram and create an illustration of the...
Curated OER
Eye on the Storm
Students discover the way geologists collect information about past hurricanes to determine patterns that may help with storm prediction. They then research the history of natural disasters in different regions of the United States and...
Curated OER
US Policy In Somalia
Students investigate the US policy for the country of Somalia. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They locate the country and then discuss major geographical features of the areas. Students discuss the present US...
Curated OER
Regions, Regions, Regions!
Students use regions to analyze the locational patterns of culture
groups at various scales. They discern the basics of region identity by discovering his/her "Home" Region through the examination of
criteria in his/her "backyard." In...
Curated OER
Passport to the World
Eighth graders investigate the process for obtaining a United States passport. They plan a trip to a foreign country looking at important information including the climate, geography, culture, money, and language. They complete the...
Curated OER
Naming the States of the U.S
Fifth graders study the 50 states on a map. In this social studies lesson, 5th graders identify the names of the states and location. Additionally, students work in small groups to name and locate as many states as they can on a blank map.
Curated OER
Flat Stanley Travels to U.S. Regions
Fourth Graders read the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. In the story a bulletin board flattens the main character. He is then sent in an envelope to a friend in California. During a fantasy genre language arts unit, groups of students...
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
Backseat Travelers
Fourth graders investigate the geography of the Southeast regions of the United States. They conduct Internet research, listen to the book "No Star Nights," and plan and write a trip through this regions.
Education World
Edible Resource Maps!
Young scholars discuss resource maps and examine examples from library resources. Working in groups, they create edible resource maps by drawing examples, such as popcorn on the border of Iowa and Nebraska. Then they use cookies in the...
Curated OER
Will There Be a White Christmas This Year?
Learners examine historical weather data, and create map and color key that illustrates the likelihood of a white Christmas in different locations across the United States.
Curated OER
Barrels and Buckets: Access to Water - What Would It Be Like to Live in Africa?
Learners compare water access in the United States with that of Africa. In this water access lesson, students located Ghana and Kenya on a globe before reading Peace Corps Volunteer accounts of the difficulty of accessing clean water....
Curated OER
The Notorious Four-Color Problem
Take a walk through time, 1852 to 2005, following the mathematical history, development, and solution of the Four-Color Theorem. Learners take on the role of cartographers to study a United States map that is to be colored. One rule: no...
Curated OER
Mapping Electricity
Students complete Internet research and use their map reading skills to learn about how the United States creates and uses electricity in different states. In this energy sources lesson, students study the mini map of energy usage in the...
Curated OER
How the West Was One: A Layered Book
Students create a layered book about the information they learn about the Western region of the United States. In this Western states lesson plan, students create a book about the land, economy, and culture.
Curated OER
Using Literature to Introduce the Five Themes of Geography
Learners listen to a read aloud of "If You Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln". Using the text, they identify examples of the five themes of geography and write them down. Using a map, they plot the places mentioned in the book and sort facts...
Curated OER
Regional Economics in the United States
Learners describe and provide examples of the primary factors
behind the regional pattern of economic activity in the United States. They create maps showing regional economics patterns
in the US and examine those patterns in comparison...
Curated OER
Why Do Immigrants Come to the United States of America?
Students appreciate the diversity of motives for immigration to the United States. They gather first person data and develop a persuasive presentation. They create a historical comparison of the motives for immigration to the community.
Curated OER
Nature and Place Names in Arkansas
Middle schoolers examine the way that many place names in Arkansas came to be. By looking at Arkansas highway maps, they find names that come from the characteristics of each of the state's six geographical divisions. This interesting...
Curated OER
An Empire in the Balance
Eleventh graders investigate the role of New York state during the American Revolution. In small groups, they research a particular region within colonial America, analyze primary source documents, complete Document Analysis Sheets, and...
National Wildlife Federation
Hot, Hotter, Hottest: Extreme Weather's Impact on Our Resources
How dry is it? It's so dry, the river only runs twice a week! Through an analysis of maps and discussions, pairs learn about droughts across the United States in the ninth of 12 lessons. They then read about, answer questions, analyze...
California Academy of Science
California's Climate
The United States is a large country with many different climates. Graph and analyze temperature and rainfall data for Sacramento and Washington DC as you teach your class about the characteristics of Mediterranean climates. Discuss the...