Curated OER
Why Cladistics?
Students explore how biological classification is intimately associated with evolution.
Curated OER
From Sea to Shining Sea
Students study the geography of the United States of America. Students write letters, create travel brochures, make maps, graph population numbers, read fiction and nonfiction selections, complete KWL charts, and watch films.
Curated OER
The Roar of the Twenties; The Crash of the Thirties
Eighth graders, after assuming identities of prominent figures from the 1920's and looking at slides and data from the era, relate, in diary form, the cultural, economic and political changes that happened in America between 1920 and 1939.
Curated OER
Descriptive Writing About a Picture
First graders word process a topic sentence, two detail sentences and a concluding sentence about an image. They import a picture and change the font color of their writing.
Curated OER
Wappo Language
Third graders discover that the Wappo tribe had no written language and explore the tribe's oral traditions and language. They create their own sentences using Wappo words. They research other Native American languages noting the...
Curated OER
The Role of Government and Citizens
Students define term representative democracy, explain how the government responds to the needs of its citizens, describe the role of citizens in a representative democracy, and explain how citizens can influence public policy.
Curated OER
What is Government?
Students explain purpose of government, describe functions of government, and explain how the government impacts individuals and society.
Curated OER
The Achievements of the Sumerian Empire
Sixth graders identify four achievements of the Sumerians. They explain the importance of the inventions. They write about a Sumerian invention.
Curated OER
Making and Carrying Out Laws
Second graders explain the institutions and practices of governments in the United States and other countries. They explain the difference between making laws, carrying out laws, determining if laws have been violated and punishing...
Curated OER
Biographies of Heroes
Second graders explain the importance of individual action and character. They explain how heroes from long ago and the recent past make a difference in others' lives.
Curated OER
The Birth of a City
Third graders understand the role of rules and laws in our daily lives. They research the basic structure of the United States government. They participate in a simulated City Council meeting.
Curated OER
Celebrating Asian and Pacific-Island Heritage
Students complete a variety of activities surrounding Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May.
Curated OER
Channel Islands and the Surrounding Sea
Middle schoolers examine the Channel Islands and identify its characteristics. They participate in activities to help them discover the islands history, geography and conservation efforts. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Communications: To the Rescue!
Students role-play as soldiers rescuing lost mountain climbers. Working in teams, they interpret maps to locate the climbers and use flashlights to send and receive coded messages about the rescue. Their goal is to complete the task in...
Curated OER
Sea Ice and Sheet Ice Melting Experiment
Students observe the change in water level as a result of melting sea ice and melting sheet ice.
Curated OER
Auschwitz Episode Guide: Factories of Death
High schoolers examine Hitler's "Final Solution." They watch and discuss a PBS documentary, read handouts, conduct Internet research, and read and discuss a personal memoir.
Curated OER
Design a Service Learning Activity
Students work together to design a service learning activity for their community that would benefit the Tijuana estuary. Using the internet, they research the elements of a service learning project and plan their's accordingly. They...
Curated OER
Food Safety From Food To Fork
Young scholars are introduced to the concept of food safety. In groups, they distinguish between fact and opinion and cause and effect while participating in a board game. They write an essay about what knowledge they gained and review...
Curated OER
Q-tip Pointillism
Young scholars discover artist Georges Seurat and his technique of Pointillism and create Pointillist examples using Q-Tips and watercolors in this exciting multi-level art lesson. This lesson can be adapted for various grade levels and...
Curated OER
Little Cloud
Young scholars create "little clouds" after reading the story "The Little Cloud" by Eric Carle in this cross-curricular Art and Language Arts instructional activity for the early-elementary classroom. The author suggests using this with...
Curated OER
Turkey Centerpieces
Students create "turkey centerpieces" in this easy elementary art lesson plan using apples, toothpicks, construction paper, and gumdrops. The lesson plan includes a materials list and a step-by-step list of instructions to create the...
Curated OER
It's Up In the Air
Students examine a variety of tools that are used to collect scientific data. They conduct an experiment that reveals what type of particles is in the air at their school. Students report on their findings.
Orange County Department of Education
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Fifth graders read Dear Mr. Henshaw and identify the character trait of self-respect as exhibited by Leigh throughout the story. They evaluate the author's use of letters to tell the story and discuss how the story would be different if...
Orange County Department of Education
The Lost and Found
Third graders explain the definition of integrity and respect and provide examples from the story The Lost and Found's characters and their own lives that illustrate both. They describe in their journals why and how they think Wendell...