National First Ladies' Library
'Tis a Gift to Be Simple: The Shaker People
Learners identify the difficulties and benefits of a utopian community. They examine their own ideas of utopia and research an example of one such community that has had an impact on our own culture.
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They Put On Masks
Eighth graders examine Native American art. In this mask making lesson, 8th graders compare mask making traditions among different cultures. Students watch a demonstration of mask making and construct a mask of their own.
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The 1980's Series - Music
Students examine artwork by Keith Haring, and listen to music popular in the 1980s that influenced him. They develop storyboards, and film music videos for their favorite song.
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Ancient Africa's Connection to Today
Fourth graders engage in a lesson in which ancient Africa's historical contributions are told though the eyes of a spider, Anansi, and his search calabash game. The game is accessed through a website which is embedded in this lesson plan.
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The Me Book
Students relate to the pictures as symbols so that they come to point to named pictures, explain what pictured objects are for, match pictures to real objects, categorize objects, and recognize words.
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Climate Survival
Students use information about different world climate regions to plan how to survive in a particular climate zone for one year. They present their survival plans.
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Copyright Ethics
Students examine the issues surrounding intellectual copyrights. They research the examples of DVD and CD piracy and participate in a class discussion about the related ethics.
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Pigs Don't Wear Pants
Young scholars engage in the writing process and differentiate between what is real versus fantasy. They identify the rhyming words and follow the steps of writing to complete the page for the class book. The prompt is checked looking...
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The Mystery Box
Students work in groups with a wooden box that is sealed shut. They make predictions about what is inside the box. Before being allowed to open the box, the groups make hypotheses, conduct experiements, record results, draw conclusions,...
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Garbage: A Puppet's Paradise
Students make puppets from recycled materials. In this puppetry and recycling lesson plan, students investigate different types of puppets and their uses. They make puppets using mostly recycled materials such as old socks, CD's, dry...
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Washoe Indians: Dat-so-la-lee
Young scholars study the life and crafts of Washoe Indian, Dat-so-la-lee. In this Washoe Indians lesson, students read and study the life of Washoe Indian basket weaver Dat-so-la-lee. Young scholars study images of her crafts and discuss...
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First Impressions
Eighth graders explore first impressions. In this character education lesson, 8th graders discuss criteria that are used to form first impressions.
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Activating Students Through Storytelling
Fourth graders produce a podcast of a elements of a Chinese folk tale. In this Chinese folk tale and podcasting lesson, 4th graders watch as the teacher performs Peach Blossom Spring: A Chinese folk tale. They decide on who will stay in...
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Pecan Power
Students study the origins of pecans and complete a bar graph from the data they have discovered. In this pecan lesson plan, students draw pecans, discuss a pecan time line, and draw a bar graph comparing Arizona pecans to other...
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Abuela's Weave Teacher's Guide
Learners read and response to the book, Abuela's Weave. In this African-American literature lesson, students discuss pre-reading questions, that focus on family traditions and make predictions about the text. Learners read the text and...
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Simple Machines
Students research simple machines. In this simple machines lesson plan, students explore the many types of simple machines such as the lever, pulley, and screw. Students discover simple machines in the classroom.
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African Rattles
Young scholars locate Africa on the map or globe and tell one important fact about the continent. They follow directions and demonstrate the proper process of making an African Rattle.
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Caterpillars - Page 3
Students explore patterns and how they repeat. They explore the different types of patterns (color, numbers, shapes, letters, etc.)
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Texas Recycles Day: A Sample School-Wide Environmental Event
Students participate in a recycles day. They research how recycling benefits the environment. They also compete in a paper products recycling contest.
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Investigating the Uses of Backyard Bacteria
Learners discover that the answers to some of society's waste and clean-up problems may be no further than the soil beneath their feet. They perform a Gram stain on the colonies to determine some of their characteristics.
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Where We Put Ourselves
Students examine the form and function of furniture in New Spain, explore the origins of marquetry, and discover the influences of other countries on marquetry in Puebla, Mexico.
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A Look At Spending
Learners use an outdated budget to examine what the county spends its money on for its citizens. Using county information, they describe how the Board of Supervisors make budget decisions and how it can shape public policy. They also...
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The Fairfax County Budget -- A Look At Spending
Students brainstorm a list of items that should be a priority for the government to help its citizens. Using an out of date budget, they identify individual line items and the conflicts involved in making a budget work. They discuss...