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The Constitution
Eighth graders conduct research about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the Virginia Plan, the New Jersey Plan, the Connecticut (Great) Compromise, and the 3/5 Compromise.
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Sending Messages, Then and Now
Students analyze how patriots created ways to communicate during the Revolutionary War. After reading about and discussing ways patriots communicated, students create a chart analyzing the way messages are sent today with the way...
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Westward Expansion: Chief Joseph's Words Of Surrender
Students explore westward expansion in the United States as it relates to Native Americans and the novel Holes. Students read a passage from Holes and discuss how westward expansion affected the Native Americans. Students compare and...
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Cesar Chavez Biopoem
Students demonstrate their learning about Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union by writing a biopoem. They word process the poem.
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Valley Forge
Students describe how location, weather, and physical environment affect the way people live, including the effects on their food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation. They also describe the lives of American heroes who...
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American Growth and Expansion in the late 1800s
Eleventh graders examine a picture of John Gast's, American Progress to determine what they know about American growth between 1877- 1900. By working through thirteen center or folder activities, they study the economics,...
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Uncle Sam Wants You!
Learners examine several narratives exploring attitudes to World War II involvement at the time. They develop their own opinions and write a fictional personal narrative to record their observations.
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Floods: Rising Waters and You
Students examine the relationship between human-made structures, flood waters and the increasing population through video clips, websites and a lab experiment.
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Economic Use of Public Natural Areas
Students examine the public controversy between the use of public natural areas for economic activities by viewing video clips, researching on the Internet, and calculating sustainable land.
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Mexican and American Views of Texas
Students study the territorial status of Texas in 1830, 1840, and 1846 and interpret an historical timeline. They develop a general statement of Mexican and American views of Texas.
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Our Cultural Classroom
Second graders are introduced to the cultural diversity within their own classroom and relate this diversity to community, country and world. They create a visual family culture poster containing different aspects of their personal culture.
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Camping Near the Estuary
Students examine the first meeting between the first Spanish settlers and the native groups of the Tijuana estuary. Using a map, they trace various expeditions throughout Goat Canyon and the Spanish migration. After reading text, they...
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"Rivers of Change"
Third graders research the Los Angeles River Basin and how it has changed over time.
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Los Angeles Throughout the Years
In groups, 4th graders are given a recent decade to focus on and its impact on Los Angeles and to see how the city has changed over time.
National First Ladies' Library
The State Of The States
High schoolers engage in a study of the states as part of the United States while conducting research using a variety of resources. The focus of the study is the states that were part of the Union by 1890. Students create an almanac...
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Spanish Colonization: The Anza Expedition
Pupils research the Spanish explorations and North American geography. They create web pages based on their study.
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Pushing the Boundaries: The Pioneer Spirit
Eleventh graders recognize how social reform occurred at the turn of the century. Through a debate, 11th graders determine advantages and drawbacks of traveling west using original sources and descriptions of the attitudes, beliefs, and...
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Day of the Dead
Students explore Day of the Dead, also called "Dia de los Muertos," which is a holiday (or festival) celebrated in Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, and other areas in Central and South America populated with the Latino ethnic background.
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The Christmas Train to Ft. Lincoln
Students solve the mysteries of why Karl Vogt and Erich Braemer were on the Christmas Train. They review the definitions of the terms constitutional, human rights, due process, discovery, and the writ of habeas corpus. They review the...
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GI's, Gals & Gardens
Learners, in groups, design a war participation campaign for a specific audience during WWII. They design posters and prepare an oral presentation for the class.
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50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
Pupils examine the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended segregation. They role play to re-enact the case and discuss why it was important. They discover its impact on public education.
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Uniform Blues
Fourth graders explore what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is important, the purpose of the state constitution, and its relationship to the U.S. Constitution and the similarities and differences among federal, state and local...
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Fire and Fire Suppression
Students explore forest fires and forest service's new stategies. They study a case of natural burn and the impact of lowering the intensity of a larger forest fire.
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1906 Earthquake
Students explore the impact of the 1906 earthquake on the population of San Jose. They explore two different perspectives of earthquakes. Students write a news bulletin as if they were reporting on the earthquake. They are then...