Students identify the groups of immigrants who came to California. They trace the route they possibly took to American on a world map. They discuss the reasons why they left their homeland and what challenges they faced once they arrived.

Eighth graders read standard road maps and topographical maps, and examine the lives of pathfinders who opened the trails to the West. They develop Living History presentations, role-playing a character from the past.

Students study the diverse cultures that make up the population of Los Angeles.

In this online interactive geography quiz worksheet, students respond to 50 identification questions about the shapes of countries shown. Students have 5 minutes to complete the quiz.

Students explore the concept of intermediate directions. In this geography skills lesson, students use map skills in order to identify intermediate directions as they complete a map activity.

In this geography skills learning exercise, students respond to 37 multi-part questions that require them to read and interpret topographic maps.

Learners explore how to locate the location of an earthquake and why earthquakes happen more frequently in some areas more than others.

Young ecologists explore the Aswan Dam in Egypt via the internet. Each collaborative group is assigned a specific article about the ecological impact of the dam. Then they prepare a presentation to share with the rest of the class. Some...

Students scrutinize the Zuni Pueblo Revolt in this seven lessons unit on early Spanish explorers in the American southwest. The discovery of the Spanish missions, the search for the seven cities of gold, and particular geological...

Young scholars investigate the concept of how natural disasters effect the environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They are given a scenario that needs a defensive speech. Students take a position and defend it...

Students identify the law of superposition and it states that beds of rock in a series are laid down with the oldest at the bottom and younger layers on the top. They construct a legen for a block diagram and construct a block diagram...

Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...

Students examine a World map and find earthquakes near plate boundaries. They locate and describe earthquakes in the United States and California.

Seventh graders use highest and lowest points of land elevation around the world to find the differences. Sea level is zero, so students be operating with positive and negative numbers. After students find the information on the...

Underclassmen create a cone-shaped landform and then draw a contour map for it. Then they examine a quadrangle (which was easily located with an online search), and relate it to what they experienced. The accompanying worksheet is...

There is rich symbolism behind a country's flag. Have your Spanish speakers research a country's flag and inquire about its symbolism. Then, to prepare for their presentation, each learner could find a way to visually represent their...

Students trace the migration route of a gray whale. They color and label a map of North America, and using photocopy pictures of a gray whale, they move the whale along the migration route over a ten week period.

Third graders research the Native American nation of Kumeyaay. Scholars use the internet to research past history. Through email, 3rd graders communicate with a Kumeyaay child to discover life on a present day reservation. They create a...

Third graders examine rivers and how they affect the people living around them. They read a chapter in their science text, take a virtual river tour online, read a background information story, and in pairs describe the changes in the...

Students examine relief maps of California and discuss the San Francisco Bay watershed. Discussion continues with the class helping complete a journey of water through seasons in a "finish my sentences" style lecture. They label rain...

Students read a handout and predict the position of the San Andreas Fault far in the future. In this future world lesson plan, students use a map worksheet to demonstrate the path of the Pacific Plate millions of years from now.

Second graders focus on Native Americans through hands-on crafts. They also study various Native American tales and legends, geography, and fine arts of the different regions.

Fourth graders explain how in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. They research the ecosystem of which each animal or plant is natively a part.

Students consider the development of dance across cultures. In this dance genre instructional activity, students study the history of Russia and the Mongol Tatars. Students research how classical ballet made its way to Russia and create...