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Exploration Activities
Students examine the stages in finding, removing, and processing mineral resources. They participate in the "Exploration Hunt" and "Leasing Mineral Rights" activities to better get a handle on their studying.
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Powered Up About Electricity!
Students study the process of turning coal into electricity. In this electricity lesson, students are guided by their teacher through the steps required to turn coal into electricity. Students complete a worksheet answering questions...
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Digging for Knowledge
Students explore coal mining in Great Britain. In this mining lesson, students visit selected museums and learning centers online and in person to study mining processes, the history of mining, and mining disasters.
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Extraction (What's in the cereal you eat?)
Young scholars conduct an investigation with cereal that simulates the extraction of minerals from rock. They mix iron fortified cereal until the iron is extracted and shows on a magnetic stick that is painted white.
National First Ladies' Library
Mining Disasters
Learners examine the risks and sacrifices miners have made in order for all of us to have the use of precious metals. They explore the "Miners Museum" website and read the article on uses of coal. They brainstorm a list of what would be...
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Mining in Texas
In this mining and nonrenewable resources worksheet, students read about mining in Texas and simulate the extraction of nonrenewable minerals. They use cookies and their components to represent the minerals they will mine and they answer...
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Cookie Mining
High schoolers role play coal mining with chocolate chip cookies and try to make a "profit". They buy property (a cookie), equipment, pay for the mining operation and reclamation. They then receive money for the ore mined (chocolate...
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What Is Mining
Student develop a vocabulary of "mining words" and study about exploring and mining for minerals. They break into groups and are assigned an area at the "mine" to do their "exploration" for the valuable "coal". The coal is represented...
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Birdseed Mining Activity
Pupils investigate how small amounts of minerals or metals are mined out of very large masses of rock using birdseed. They study the economics of valuable commodities. They look at environmentally conscious mining and how reclamation work.
Beyond Benign
Daphnia Bioassay LD50
De-icing materials may have a harmful effect on our environment; have your class perform an experiment to test the nature of these effects. Scholars monitor the survival rate of a sample of daphnia as the concentration of a de-icing...
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Documenting the Great Depression
Students compare and contrast two photographs from the Great Depression, and identify the ways in which the photographers depicted the hardships of everyday life during this period. They hypothesize about the story behind each photograph...
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Carter G. Woodson: Father of Black History Month
Students explore the life and accomplishments of Carter G. Woodson, the father of black history. They read and discuss his educational pursuits and discover he was the second black man in history to receive a doctor's degree. Students...
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Free Speech or Hate Speech?
High schoolers see the difference between protected and prohibited speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment. They explain why free speech is essential to a democracy and consider how best to deal with speech they find offensive.
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Progression of Political Movements
Students examine the various political parties throughout history. In groups, they are given documents identifying the platforms of the parties in the 1868 election. To end the lesson, they share their information with the class and...
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Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
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Careers in Mining
Students examine the different careers related to mining. They watch and discuss a video, take a survey of interests and discuss the mining careers that they might be interested in, and create a drawing of themselves doing one of the...
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Lattimer Massacre: What's Beneath the Surface?
Middle schoolers research the growth of unions due to issues related to the Lattimer Massacre. They research primary source documents and create posters, skits and role plays.
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Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Here's a fine lesson plan on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for your 5th graders. In it, learners list a number of natural resources on the board, then try to sort the resources into appropriate categories. This helps them...
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Radio Program #2: Ethnic Mix
Students examine patterns of migration into the area. They complete various map activities and interviews. Students partake in family histories as well. On a map of Europe, identify the countries of immigrant origin mentioned in the...
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Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources: Mining in B.C.
Students explore energy by categorizing rocks. In this British Columbia geology lesson, students define many different vocabulary terms associated with mining such as sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Students utilize sample rock...
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Diamonds Are Forever - Most of the Time!
Young scholars examine the compositions and structure of diamonds. They conduct an experiment growing crystals, watch a video, and conduct Internet research.
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Alternative Energy Sources
Students recognize that people have various opinions on the use of renewable energy.For this renewable energy lesson, students research to find the best uses of renewable energy. Students create an original design for a group...
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Sedimentary Rocks
In this sedimentary rock worksheet, students answer 9 fill-in-the-blank questions and 8 matching questions regarding sedimentary rocks and their formation.
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The Most Dangerous Woman in America: Mary Harris "Mother" Jones
Students discover labor issues of the 1800's. In this Pennsylvanian history lesson, students research the case of Mary Harris Jones and discover her work as a labor activist. Students discuss the case together in class.