Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life on the Edge: Land Use, Food Supply, and Economics in a Small African Village

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine the roles that natural events (such as droughts), population growth and other human factors play on land use and food supply.
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

The Education of Abigail Adams

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students read the biography of Abigail Smith Adams from the First Ladies Library web site. They work in small groups to write a description of her education. Students discuss their findings, and extend this to the education of girls in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Pentagon Papers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine national security issues. In this Vietnam lesson plan, students research the background and controversy surrounding the Pentagon Papers. Students discuss press rights in light of maintaining national security.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilting

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders make a quilt. In this cultural diversity lesson plan, 2nd graders review their knowledge of the Metis people. Students work in groups to create a class quilt that illustrates the lives of these people. Quilt themes include...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine readings and symbols to learn about the War of Independence and Thomas Jefferson. For this War of Independence lesson, students explore the role of Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration for Independence. Students answer...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How is Gold Found in the Ground?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a series of activities designed to simulate mining for gold. They pan for "gold" and create a safe tunnel.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moving On Up!

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students complete a game-like simulation to determine a career and salary. In groups, they collect information and decide what is the "best" city in which to live. They create a monthly budget for their "best" city based on salary from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Manners and Etiquette, Practice Lab and Quiz

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners watch video, "When It's More Than Burgers - Dining Etiquette at its Best," practice proper table setting according to rules of etiquette, demonstrate acceptable eating styles and table manners while serving and eating mock meal,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

No Day

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students learn about discrimination and the Jim Crow laws. In this discrimination lesson, students are presented with new classroom rules that discriminate against certain types of clothing. Students discuss the effects of the new rules...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading About Children in Other Communities

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students read about children from other communities. They describe ways in which members of other communities meet one another's needs and design a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts their own way of living to another culture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Math & Social Science

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners are given data and are to calculate averages and yearly totals of how many cars travel the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. They also make a graph of the data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering the Journal of Augustus Pelletier

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore journals. In this Discovering the Journal of Augustus Pelletier lesson, students read the historical fiction book and conduct research activities to validate events in the plot that reflect the Lewis and Clark...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Charles Lindberghs's Flight to Paris

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students practice map skills. In this map skills lesson, students locate the cities of New York and Paris on a map. Students read about the flight made by Charles Lindbergh in May 1927 from New York to Paris. Students answer 8 questions...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Befriending Bullies

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students discuss how to create a bully free classroom. They share teasing and bullying stories and read books on bullying and teasing. Students buddy read with second grade students in order to create friends at the school. They discuss...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Welcome to Venice

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers read the opening scene of the play, The Merchant of Venice without receiving any background information. They analyze and discuss the relationships between the six characters, and determine the social status of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish - "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes"

For Teachers K
Students begin lesson by singing, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" in English as a class. They then are introduced to the song in Spanish using one body part at a time and repeat the song with the teacher singing slowly. Next, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Families and Neighborhoods

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Pupils explore the concepts of family and community. In this diversity lesson, students read Bear About Town and then design and build their own classroom neighborhood homes out of individual shoeboxes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

All About Me

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students answer short answer questions, state their likes and dislikes, say what roles they have, and more about themselves. For this all about me lesson plan, students read books about how we are all different and the same.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting to Know You

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students interview each other to find similarities and differences with their partner. They create a Venn diagram that displays their findings and then using hula hoops as a large scale model present their Venn diagram to the class as a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music and Fairness in a Round

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders discuss fairness. In this fairness lesson, 8th graders meet together to talk about how downloading free music affects the common good. They talk about their own feelings of whether it is fair or not. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

China

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete a variety of activities surrounding a unit on China and Chinese culture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egypt Technology Unit

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners research the architecture and history of mummies, hieroglyphics, tombs, and pyramids of Ancient Egypt. They watch a video, explore Internet websites, and write a sentence in hieroglyphics.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mint Condition

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the old currencies used by the twelve countries adopting the euro in 2002. They explore the national identity of those countries through the symbols preserved on the 'national face' of the new euro currency.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tools of the Historian: Primary vs. Secondary Sources

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify the difference between primary and secondary sources. They discuss the importance of evaluating all sources they might use. They read primary and secondary sources that relate to the colonial period.