National First Ladies' Library
Will the Real Pocahontas Please Stand Up?
Learners explore the life of Pocahontas and Powhatan Indians. After studying information on a given website, students compare and contrast what they read about Pocahontas and what they previously thought of her. They explore life in a...
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Historical Fiction Writing: Connecticut’s African and Native Americans in the American Revolution
Students explore what life was like for African-Americans and Native Americans during the American Revolution. For this early U.S. history lesson, students research primary sources to find out more about their lives in order to write...
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Biosphere
Learners examine the basic biosphere and its components. In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments including designing a system that is balanced to sustain life.
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How Does Your Garden Grow?
Students discover gardening by documenting plants grown on school grounds. In this botany activity, students utilize digital cameras to capture images of plants on photo hikes which are turned into a slide show. Students...
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The Khmer Rouge
Learners examine life in Cambodia and Vietnam from 1975-1979, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. They discuss how an otherwise peaceful society could allow such events to take place and write a short paper and complete a culminating project.
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About Abraham Lincoln
Fifth graders complete a unit of lessons on the life of Abraham Lincoln. They read and analyze a poem, create a timeline, write an essay, research The Gettysburg Address and The Emancipation Proclamation, explore websites, and interview...
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Sherlock Holmes: Teaching English Through Detective Fiction
Students read examples of mysteries and detective fiction. With a focus on Sherlock Holmes, they are introduced to the techniques for reading properly. In groups, they define new vocabulary, make predictions and summarize the stories. ...
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Health: Snacks and Safety for Children
Students discover how to prepare healthy snacks for children. In addition, they discuss food allergies and assess cooking hygiene. Part of this three-day lesson, includes a Powerpoint presentation covering safety measures both in and...
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This Is Our Town
Students use digital cameras to document their community through the use of photographs, artwork and writing. They create a community tribute book that includes essays, artwork and pictures. Afterwards, they debate the benefits and...
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The All About Me Poster
Learners discover the literary genre of biographies. In this creative writing lesson, students write about their own life experiences and personal stories. Learners create a poster about their lives, a biographical...
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Ray Charles
Learners read the book Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis. For this biography lesson, students read about the life of Ray Charles. Learners answer pre-reading questions about senses, strengths, and weaknesses they have. The lesson...
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Using Cross-Genre Comparisons to Find the Message in Hip-Hop
Students analyze two cross -genre songs written in the early 1980s for lyrical content and social commentary. They consider the artistic merit of hip hop music in today's culture.
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Are You a Good Sumerian?
Studetns, after studying life in Mesopotamia, create a Sumerian brick.
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Rockin' Chair, Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden
Students examine the life and music of Louis Armstrong, the first great jazz musician. The musical techniques of call and response is listened to and then copied in musical conversations in this lesson.
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Lesson Plan for Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 (1938)
Young scholars study the life and music of composer, Samuel Barber. In groups, representing trees, water, and stars they use interpretive dance to tell the story of the musical composition, 'Adagio for Strings, Op. 11' by Barber.
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McCarthysim
Eleventh graders explore and analyze the impact of the Cold War at home and how the fear of communism and nuclear war affected American life throughout the Cold War. They study what role Senator Joseph McCarthy played on American fears...
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United We Stand
Student examine the life and work of Cesar Chavez. In this Teaching Tolerance lesson, students read about Cesar Chavez and recognize his work as a labor leader. Students discuss the concept of standing together as a group to fight...
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Out of the Mud
Eleventh graders explore the impact the automobile had on Iowans and their ways of life. In this technology lesson, 11th graders research how Iowans promoted "Good roads" and the reasons for paving roads.
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Seeing Numbers In Tens And Ones
Second graders develop the skill of place values up to the tens place. They practice identifying the values of 2 digit numbers and writing the correlating values with counting. They use the example of money to make the lesson more...
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Baga Drum
Students draw and design a musical instrument that incorporates a human figure or animal. In this musical lesson plan, students will discover the differences between African drums. This lesson plan is designed for elementary, middle,...
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Criminal or Hero
Fifth graders explore the origins of slavery. In this US History instructional activity, 5th graders create a map of the United States that shows where slavery existed. Students examine the life of a Northern slave through...
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John Calvin and Calvinism
Ninth graders explore selected Internet sites to discover details about the life of John Calvin. In this Reformation lesson, 9th graders follow the steps in the provided Web Quest to locate and record information about Calvin as well as...
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Treaties
Third graders explore Canadian history by participating in a role-playing activity. In this First Nation treaties instructional activity, 3rd graders identify the difficulties the Aboriginals faced when dealing with early European...
College Board
Seeing Is Believing
Students read about AP calculus online. In this calculus lesson, students learn real life usage for calculus. They read about instructors and their experience teaching and incorporating calculus into the real world.