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“Pardon This Interruption-Columbus Has Landed!!!”
Pupils research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This lesson can...
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Uniform Design
Students investigate the military by examining their uniforms. In this design lesson, students analyze the military uniforms from different locations and time periods. Students create new ideas for current military uniforms.
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60-30-10
Middle schoolers use ratios and proportions to represent quantitative relationships as they investigate the concept of how percentages are used by designers. Students decorate the same room using three different percentages of colors.
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Treasure Hunters
Students design an on campus treasure hunt to find various architectural vocabulary words which they then create definitions for on the blog page on the Environmental Design website.
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Credit - Good? Bad?
Learners examine credit cards. They explore the detrimental effects that result from debt and poor credit. Students analyze interest rates, minimum balances, and consumer debt. Learners survey the benefits of credit cards.
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Photojournalism: A Record of War
Pupils explore who has photographed war and why. They examine Mathew Brady's process for photgraphing the Civil War. Students investigate how photographic equipment has changed and improved through time. They analyze primary source war...
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Designing "Green" to Save Our Green Planet
Students design an environmentally friendly home. In this middle school math/science instructional activity, students watch videos on creating green design. Students work in collaborative groups to determine what makes a house green...
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Can You Do It?
Students create a simple machine to help with the design of the traditional can opener. In this simple machines lesson plan, students analyze the can opener, and use the design process to solve problems.
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America's Favorite Landmarks
Learners research using Google Earth a variety of websites to explore America's most prominent and famous buildings. They then compare and contrast architectural styles and write a position paper defending or arguing against their chosen...
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Biomimicry, Nature: Architecture of the Future
Students explore the relationship between nature and architecture. In this cross curriculum history, culture, and architecture lesson plan, students observe and discuss structures visible in nature. Students view websites in which Native...
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A Tough Nut to Crack
Sixth graders explore agriculture by examining world geography. For this pecan cultivation lesson, 6th graders identify the history of the famous nut and the impact it has on the U.S. economy, diet and human body. Students define...
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Conservation at a Crossroads Lesson 1: What Is Conservation and Why Does It Matter?
High schoolers explore the concept of conservation. In this conservation lesson, students read articles and primary documents about the Conservation Movement in the United States and compare the movement to today's environmental...
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The Lorax
Third graders identify environmental problems. In this natural resources instructional activity students participate in several activities that support critical thinking about the environment and natural resources. The students write,...
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Mini-Unit: Natural Resources
Young scholars explore how their choices affect others. In this character development and ecology activity, students debate choice-making issues. Young scholars listen to The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and identify choices the characters made...
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Land as a Valuable Resource
Students investigate why the soil is important to our lives. In this natural resources lesson, students have a farmer as a guest speaker. Students begin to understand how farmers use and protect our natural resource. Students write...
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The Mayflower Compact
Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact. In this U.S. History lesson, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S. settlers and...
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Ancient Roman Monuments and Timeline
While a terrific idea, this lesson plan in which learners create a timeline showing the date that a variety of buildings and monuments were built in Ancient Rome, requires resources teachers may not have. It requires the use of a...
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Energy: Power to the People
Students explore the concept of renewable energy. In this green design lesson, students research local energy issues facing their community and create policies to address the issues.
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Every Object Tells a Story
Students read the story behind objects in the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and create a story about an object in the exhibit. In this design lesson, students explore the "Design for the Other 90%" exhibition and create a...
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Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 3: Brainstorming the Book
Students examine the process of designing a book and identify the steps necessary to publish a book. In small groups they analyze ABC books, and discuss the similarities and differences between the books. Students then brainstorm ideas...
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Who is the President Now?
Young scholars discover the presidents of the United States using digital tools. In life skills lesson, students use PowerPoint and SMART Board technology to match presidents of the United States to their photographs.
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The Civil War in Historical Fiction and Historical Accounts
Eighth graders examine life during the Civil War through various readings. They compare and contrast a novel they read in class to one they chose on the subject. They work together as a class to produce a newspaper displaying the...
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The Lorax
Third graders identify and list five problems presented in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. They relate these problems to current environmental issues and debate how to make a difference then participate in different activities to improve their...
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Our Treasured Trees
Students discuss natural resources and renewable resources with trees being considered renewable resources which need special attention. In this Earth science lesson plan, students write a list of reasons for why it would be good to stop...