Alabama Department of Archives and History
Yellow Journalism
What role did yellow journalism play in bringing the United States into war with Spain? As part of their study of the Spanish-American War, class groups examine newspapers of the times and other texts and then produce their own...
Curated OER
100 Questions
Gather around to play a game! Middle and high schoolers answer questions (provided here) using various reference materials. Bring encyclopedias and other reference materials to class, as each group has limited Internet access! An answer...
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An Illustrated Guide to the Late 1800's
Eleventh graders investigate the time of the late 1800's. They conduct research using a variety of resources that could include the internet. Students create an alphabetized encyclopedia of important historical people of the time period.
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How to Research and Write an Essay
Research and write a 500-word essay. Pupils research a topic and write an essay based on their research. They use the given directions and examples to help them research, organize, format, and write their essay. There's a short chart...
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Worksheet for Choosing a Research Paper Topic & Developing a Thesis Statement
How do you choose a research topic? This helpful graphic organizer is provided to aid middle and high schoolers in organizing their initial thoughts and choosing a topic. They have to narrow their topic by culture, time frame, event,...
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Planning for the Voyage - Pilgrim Study Unit
Students locate Plymouth, MA, Hudson River, Cape Cod, Holland and England on a map. They identify the reasons the Pilgrims came to the New World and explain how the investors and the colonists would each benefit from a new colony. After...
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Olympic Shadow Boxes
What a cool way to incorporate art and use reference materials. Learners use classroom reference materials such as almanacs, encyclopedias, and dictionaries to answer one of four questions, and then they use the information to create a...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Election Day, November, 1884" by Walt Whitman
To begin a study of Walt Whitman's poem, "Election Day, November 1884," learners first call out a word or two that describes their reaction to the recent presidential election. They then read an encyclopedia entry about the Presidential...
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Organizing Info into Short Reports
The class brainstorms a list of prominent people from their knowledge of social studies. Groups of two pupils get together and select one of these people to research. They create five questions to research on their person and record them...
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Introducing the Encyclopedia
Second graders examine a set of encyclopedias to see that there are numbered set of books that include facts on a variety of subjects. They watch a the teacher demonstrates how to use the books. They complete a "Encyclopedia Match"...
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One Word Substitution 2
In this online interactive vocabulary skills learning exercise, students match the 10 vocabulary terms in the word bank to the appropriate definitions. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
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What if the Mormons had not come to Utah?
Fourth graders use critical thinking, evaluation, and geography skills to find alternative locations that Brigham Young could have taken the Mormons to settle.
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U.S. Geography- The Northeast
Students investigate the geography of the Northeast states. For this map skills lesson, students are shown a map of the Northeast states and identify the state names and borders. Students construct individual maps of the Northeast using...
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Animal Habitats: 1st Grade
Learning about animal habitats can be a lot of fun. This lesson focuses on how God created different habitats to suit different animal needs. Students will conduct library research in order to create a five page habitat slide show using...
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Grandpa' Fight and the U.S. Government
Students are given the United States Constitution, students generate a list on the board of Grandpa's constitutional rights that might help him keep his home and property. Students become "experts," by reading and group discussion, on...
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3rd Grade Social Studies Core Skills (Reference Books)
In this reference materials worksheet, students complete the 20 multiple choice questions pertaining to the correct book needed to find the answer in each situation. Included are dictionary, atlas, encyclopedias, newspapers and maps.
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Organizing your Research
In this research learning exercise, students read about how to organize themselves when doing research. They read about a student who had a topic to research but had difficulty coming up with books about his topic. Students suggest ways...
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Studying Fossils
Students study fossils. They examine samples of specific fossils--including a shark tooth, a brachiopod, and horn coral, among others. They visit corresponding websites and complete a worksheet regarding each of the fossils.
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Comparison/Contrast Composer Study
Middle schoolers choose two composers to research and complete a compare and contrast study of them. In this composer research instructional activity, students select two composers to research. Middle schoolers use Internet sources, the...
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Encyclopedia Expertise
Fourth graders, in groups, practice using the encyclopedia as a reference tool. They research animals today using the encyclopedia. Their job be to find three or more strange but true facts about the animal listed on their card.
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The Equator
Students investigate cultures located along the equator. In this geography skills lesson, students research the geography, history, culture, and tourism of Ecuador, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil, and Singapore. Students write an article based...
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Unit Plan Template
Learners research the adaptations of desert animals and build their research skills. In this the adaptations of desert animals lesson, students describe major factors that desert animals have on their habitat. Learners explore how to...
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Straight Talk On Tough Issues
Learners engage in a lesson that is focused upon the concept of breast cancer and research is conducted using a variety of reference sources. They reflect upon how different people deal with the tragedy of cancer and then students write...
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Making the Branches of Government Relevant
A discussion of the three branches of government can be a fascinating experience.