Curated OER
Cruisin' the Counties: Learning Counties and Major Roads in Arizona
Young scholars examine Arizona counties and use the themes of location and movement to develop an Arizona map.
Curated OER
Understanding Growth of the Phoenix Area
Students study the growth of the Phoenix area using geographic images, maps, tables, and graphs. They study the idea of community.
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Map Your State: Regions of Arizona
Fourth graders define vocabulary and locate physical features on maps. In this mapping instructional activity, 4th graders explore regions of Arizona through landforms found on topographic maps. Students research the history and...
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Tooling Around Arizona: Reading Arizona Maps
Students research Arizona maps. In this map lesson, students discuss map titles, scales, directions, elevation, and symbols. The class will examine topography, landforms, and rivers found on an Arizona map.
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Paint My Counties: Map Coloring the Counties of Arizona
Fourth graders identify the counties of Arizona. In this social studies lesson plan, 4th graders color a county map of Arizona using the fewest number of colors possible. Students write a persuasive paragraph.
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Glimpses of Japan: Picture books are an avenue to geographical knowledge
Student gains insight into the culture of Japan. They articulate the main ideas and supporting details, also they create a "glimpse of Japan" with an illustrated and written summary of the main idea and four supporting details from the...
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The blues highway: An integration of music with geography
Learners analyze the movement of the blues from rural Mississippi to urban Chicago and how place and the environment affected the development of the blues. They define the blues, where it originated and how and why it moved to Chicago....
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The Mountain Community: Why Flagstaff?
Students identify geographical features that hindered or promoted settlement in the city of Flagstaff, Arizona. In this settlement lesson plan, students write a summary of what they learned and identify geographical features on a map.
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What's Holding Up the Water?
Students read about the history and locate dams in Arizona. In this Arizona dams lesson plan, students write a summary about what they read focusing on word choice, ideas, conventions, and geography content.
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Create a City: An Urban Planning Exercise
Students explore the effects of population growth in Arizona. In this history lesson, students work in small groups to create a "perfect" city. Activities include examining the Arizona census results then discussing the importance of...
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Reading the Coyote School News: Lives of Ranchers in Southern Arizona
Fourth graders examine the effects of Mexican-American ranching on life today.
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Tooling Around Arizona: Reading Arizona Maps
Students study geography. For this Arizona maps lesson, students develop their map reading skills. They have class discussions and work independently with various copies of Arizona maps to practice those skills. This lesson mentions...
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Leapin' Landmarks: Locating 10 man-made landmarks around the world
Third graders engage in a lesson which addresses their curiosity about some of the outstanding people-made landmarks of the world. They explore the geographical themes of location and place through literature.
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Home in the Desert: Lesson for Use with This House is Made of Mud
Third graders examine how a family modifies their environment to create a home out of mud. They read the book "This House is Made of Mud" by Ken Buchanan, and write a description of their own home that compares the home of mud to their...
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This Place is Just Like the Other
Learners write paragraphs that compare and contrast the geographical characteristics of Arizona and the Southwest region. In this geographical characteristics lesson plan, students complete a diagram and discuss how Arizona differs from...
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A River Through Time
Students explore how construction of a dam on the Gila River affected the lifestyle of Pima Indians. In this social studies lesson, students locate the Gila River and the Coolidge Dam. Students record dates on a timeline and discuss how...
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Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail
Young scholars draw animals and plants that are described to them as they read passages of people who traveled across the Gila Trail in the Southwest. In this Gila Trail lesson plan, students also write a letter describing a plant or...
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A world of oil
Students practice in analyzing spatial data in maps and graphic presentations while studying the distribution of fossil fuel resources. They study, analyze, and map the distribution of fossil fuels on blank maps. Students discuss gas...
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What do Maps Show: How to Read a Topographic Map
Middle schoolers identify the characteristics of topographical maps. Using examples, they practice reading them and describing the information they gather from them. They also discover how to use the website from the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Music to Learn Countries and Capitals Around the World: Learning Countries and Capitals in Asia
Students use musicto explore the countries and capitals of Asia.
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Sandscapes to Landscapes
Students explore landscapes and create their own in a creative project.
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Swamps, Shrimp, and Tsunamis: A Simulation of Sustainable Development Issues in Coastal Ecuador
Students examine the economic benefits, environmental losses and dangers of the shrimp farming industry on the coast of Ecuador. They read a script, role-play people involved in the shrimp business, and write an essay of the pros and cons.
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Geo-Magazine
Divide your geography class into groups and have each research an assigned region. The result of this project is a regional magazine that addresses the five themes of geography. Many valuable resource links are embedded into the page...