Curated OER
Plant, Point and Record the Life Cycles of Plants
Students examine the life cycle of plants. Individually, they are given a digital camera in which they take pictures of plants in the various stages of the life cycle. To end the lesson, they plant their own flower bed in the classroom...
Curated OER
A Multigenerational Pen Pal Program
Students discover the benefits of writing letters to multigenerational pen pals. In this pen pal instructional activity, students identify a need for communication among the generations. Students begin a pen pal program with the elders...
Curated OER
Ethical Consumer Choices in the Global Village
Students identify an issue and provide several reasons to support a position. They describe ways members of a community meet one another's needs. Students explain their roles, rights, and responsibilities within the community.
Curated OER
Campaign Hot Buttons
Students participate in a simulation that asks them to work as staffers for a candidate running for office. They are assigned to design, administer, and analyze a simple poll on an important community issue. Students develop a position...
Curriculum Corner
Friendship Tweet
A tweet can only be 140 characters long, including spaces. Challenge class members to write a positive note to one or more of their peers in 140 characters or less. It is a great activity to give on Valentine's Day to upper elementary...
American Heart Association
Pi Day
Did you know a mathematician's favorite dessert is a fruit "pi"? By participating in a fruit cutting activity, young mathematicians realize one constant—the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter is always pi. It is a perfect...
Curated OER
A Salute to Veterans
Students examine the United States Constitution. They prepare a skit dealing with the Bill of Rights. They practice being responsible citizens and becoming involved in the community.
Curated OER
Three Dimensional Geology
Students use rocks and fossils to interpret the geology of an area. They use prior knowledge and make recommendations about where to build a subdivision based on the rocks.
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School News
Young scholars create a video of school news to improve writing skills, speaking skills, questioning skills, and to help build self esteem.
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ESL Class Identity
Students work together to identify and research the country and culture of origin for each member of a group in a new ESL class. They organize the researched information in a poster and present their findings to the class.
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Writing Places American Communities
Students interview a member of the community and write a piece of poetry using the voice of the interviewee.
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The Impact of Disease on our Lives
Learners explore infectious diseases. They analyze the effect of a disease on the community. Students develop a public health policy that addresses the containment of the epidemic. Learners create a policy and present findings as part...
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Ansley Wilcox House
Students complete activities that go along with the study of and possible fieldtrip to the Ansley Wilcox House (T. Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site) in Buffalo, NY. They trace the background of a historical building in their...
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Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
Students use drawings, maps, readings, paintings and photos to consider how the topography of Pennsylvania led to the construction of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. They also investigate their own community's transportation history.
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Wish You Were Here! - Collaborative Literacy Project
Learners explore videos, software and print resources to investigate the concept of community. Students write poems about their town and illustrate them for a collaborative literacy project.
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Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana
Students explore the background behind the building of the access roads to the National Park in Montana. The arguments for the building of these roads in wilderness regions and the environmental issues involved are examined.
Curated OER
What Do You Do With A Butterfly Garden?
Fifth graders build a butterfly garden and perform caretaker duties. They volunteer to perform authentic tasks related to their personal interests. Students research butterfly gardens to determine what plants are necessary for the...
Curated OER
Models of American Citizenship
Third graders investigate the concept of American citizenship by pretending to time travel. They travel back in time to visit the eras of Thomas Jefferson, Hellen Keller, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and community heroes....
Curated OER
Shapes at Work
Students use their classroom to look for various types of shapes. In their science journals, they record the shapes they find and identify those that can be used to solve problems or build structures. They share and post their sketches...
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Cityscapes: Architecture as Artifact
Students research an architecture artifact in their community and journal about the experience.
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Make It All Better!
Students design an innovation that could help their community. In this technology lesson, students identify problems that could be solved by innovation. They present their ideas in class.
Curated OER
Water Management
Students investigate the plan of a community water management plan. They are given the roles of community members who are involved in a meeting to discuss the development of a plan to conserve water and preserve resources of water.
Curated OER
Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historical District
Learners examine the history of the United Stated defending the coast line. They also analyze how military technology has changed the way the coasts are defended. They discuss how military expenditures have affected their community.
Curated OER
Spiraling Through the Guggenheim: Exploring 20th Century Masterpieces
Students experience original works of art through an online tour of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. They assess the value and unique architecture of the building as well as develop an awareness of its design and relationship to...