Curated OER
Elements of Civilization
High schoolers create their own ancient civilizations based off of topographical maps of Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and the Yellow River. In this social studies lesson, students are assigned one topographical map to use to...
Curated OER
Geography Journey
Fourth graders examine the geographic features that define places and regions and answer questions about the state of California. They discuss the components of a map legend and answer worksheet questions using a map of California as a...
Curated OER
Unraveling the Web
Students consider how a message might be traced along a complex network, then explore backbone maps as a basis for understanding the purpose and structure of the Internet.
Curated OER
Map a World of Facts
Learners mark ten places on a world map while they follow fun facts on the included printable sheet. They research using a variety of resources to determine the location of the ten places.
Curated OER
Mystery Lessons
Learn about mysteries with your readers. They will investigate plot, basic elements of mystery, famous characters, and become familiar with genre vocabulary. Bring in props and mystery books to begin and then have learners create story...
Curated OER
Informational Text Features
How can you tell if the text you're reading is informational or narrative? Show your reading class this basic PowerPoint to illustrate the characteristics of an informational text. What makes this presentation especially effective is...
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising - Anticipation Guide
Learn about Mexican culture while simultaneously strengthening reading, writing and computer skills. In order to get the most out of Esperanza Rising, pupils should have prior knowledge of Mexican culture. Therefore, there are links to a...
Curated OER
Volcano Contour Models Activity
Students experiment with water levels and plastic topographic volcano models to determine the contour lines that would be used to create a topograpohic map of a volcano. They use the traced lines to actually develop the map.
Curated OER
Mangrove Ecosystem
Eager ecologists explore ecosystems through video and photographs of a Mangrove. They discuss the animals in this habitat and how they interact with each other after reading and discussing "The Sea, the Storm and the Mangrove Tangle."...
Curated OER
Easter Egg Orienteering Hunt
Students develop map reading and team building skills. After being divided into teams, students use a map of the school grounds to discover the location of Easter eggs. The first team to return with and eat their eggs wins the challenge.
Curated OER
Children Around The World
Students read a multicultural book called "This Is the Way We Go to School" by Edith Baer and Steve Bjorhman. They become culturally aware of the different nationalities around the world and different ways that they may do things on a...
Curated OER
Bridge to the Future: Enlarging the European Union
The political, social, and economic challenges the European Union faces as it enlarges is the focus of a six-lesson unit. Class members investigate and craft a presentation about a member country, the treaties member states must sign,...
Curated OER
Island Survival
Students participate in a simulation of life on a deserted island. They work with their group to develop an island survival plan and summarize it in a journal. Students use a worksheet and challenge cards to earn points. They will be...
Curated OER
Winter Holidays Around the World
How much do you know about the holidays around the world? Second graders put their knowledge to the test with a 14-day lesson about global celebrations. They read informational text, employ KWL charts, and compare and contrast the many...
Curated OER
Where is Shirley the Elephant?
Young animal lovers engage in a lesson that's all about elephants. They access an elephant sanctuary website and read a story about Shirley the elephant. They perform a series of activities based upon that story, and also study about the...
Curated OER
Book: Germany
Learners, after reading Chapter One in the book, "Germany," analyze and recreate the political boundaries as well as the physical features of the nation of Germany with the assistance of play-doh or salt dough. In groups, they create...
Curated OER
Different Strokes For Different Folktales
Young readers use graphic organizers, such as Venn diagrams and story maps, to analyze a variety of folktales and the elements of a story. They use writing, sequencing activities, and creative art to identify the morals learned from a...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims
Teach kindergartners about the First Thanksgiving with a series of lessons about the Pilgrims' journey to the New World. As they practice handwriting, CVC words, reading comprehension, and fun Thanksgiving songs, they learn about what...
Polar Trec
Global Snow Cover Changes
Snow is actually translucent, reflecting light off its surface which creates its white appearance. Pairs or individuals access the given website and answer questions about snow cover. They analyze graphs and charts, examine data, and...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Celebrating Traditions: Challenge Activities (Theme 2)
Here's a packet of activities, designed to be used with the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt textbook, that will engage and challenge learners who have already mastered the basic skills in a thematic unit study of traditions.
Curated OER
Au Marche Sandaga a Dakar
A 3-day French lesson targeting food shopping vocabulary. It is designed for elementary French learners pretending to communicate with merchants in a small village outside of Dakar. The plan follows a class reading of the picture book,...
NPR
Same-Sex Marriage
The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Core Analysis Frame: Fiction
Dig into any piece of fiction with a series of analysis questions. There are two levels of questions provided: basic and in-depth. The basic questions can be copied double-sided onto a single piece of paper, while the in-depth questions...
Curated OER
Family and Household Structure
Students examine what the word "family" means today. They identify cultural traditions that are still popular in the United States. They read primary source documents and discover how advice is passed on from generation to generation.