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Exploring Ancient Greece
Sixth graders use play dough to create a relief map of Greece and through personal investigation and class discussion, draw conclusions about the impact of the geography of Greece on daily life and culture in Ancient Greece.
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Rivers that Flow from the Continental Divide: The Journey of Two Rivers
Students explore river routes. In this social studies lesson, students trace the route of a river from its source and discuss the Continental Divide. Students draw the route the river takes and name the states it flows through. Students...
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Wetlands: Pave or Save?
Students discuss the characteristics of wetlands and how to make them more productive. Using a map, they locate the major wetlands in the United States and color them using a key. They read an article and in groups answer discussion...
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The Desert Alphabet Book
Learners use a book to discover an interesting fact from the desert using each letter of the alphabet. Using a United States map, they identify the meanings of symbols and locate deserts within the U.S. In groups, they participate in...
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Holocaust Map Studies
Students analyze maps and answer discussion questions related to WWI. In this geography lesson, students analyze historic maps to determine causes and effects of WWI in Europe. Students read testimonies of Holocaust survivors and label...
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Art to Zoo: Celebration
Students research and develop a report on birthday rituals around the world. In this research lesson plan, students compare birthday rituals from other cultures to their own. Images and resources are included.
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Flat Earth Society
Students explore map distortion. In this geography lesson, students compare Mercator projection maps to globes in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of projection maps.
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Ceramics and Patterns with Islamic Roots and the Effect on Christian Europe
Students examine a variety of ceramic pieces and trace their route through China into Europe. As a class, they discuss how ideas and patterns were carried along with the art itself. To end the lesson plan, they write a report on the...
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Immigrating to America
Students study the American immigration experience. In this Ellis Island lesson, students research primary documents from the immigration station, take a tour of the station, and then prepare and perform dramatic presentations based on...
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No Magic Borders: Haleakala Style
Students discuss borders and boundaries. They discuss pollution and the fact that boundaries cannot stop pollution and that pollution affects even protected wildlife and plants. They participate in an activity in which they must place...
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Native Americans
Learners, in groups, research various Native American tribes. They wirte a report about the tribe which includes information about their food and ceremonies, among other things. They create a diorama and a poster that shows how they...
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Great Questions
Fourth graders research and create questions about a famous person. They create questions in a game format, create a computer generated brochure, and develop rubrics for their finished projects.
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Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail
Students draw animals and plants that are described to them as they read passages of people who traveled across the Gila Trail in the Southwest. In this Gila Trail lesson plan, students also write a letter describing a plant or animal in...
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Go West My Class
Students find data that can be mapped on the Factfinder Web page. They analyze the data from the web site and state recommendations on whether a person should live in Illinois or not based on their preferences.
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Alaska Trade
Students spend two days traveling throughout Alaska, trading as they go. They explore universal principles related to trade and commerce while studying about Alaska's geography and indigenous people. At the end of the lesson plan,...
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If You Build It, Will They Come?
Students examine the city of Duluth, Minnesota. In groups, they use the internet to discover its current state of urban geography. After their research, they create and plan their own redeveloping of the city. They share their results...
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Geographic Landscapes and Interstate Freeway Development
Students investigate the topography of the United States through a discovery lesson. They create a hypothetical route for a highway across the United States. Students also conduct research major landforms and define geographic terms.
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Tooling Around Arizona: Reading Arizona Maps
Students study geography. In this Arizona maps lesson, students develop their map reading skills. They have class discussions and work independently with various copies of Arizona maps to practice those skills. This lesson mentions...
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Traveling Along the Indiana Underground Railroad
Students develop a deeper understanding of the role that Indiana played in the Underground Railroad while exploring Indiana Geography.
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Conducting Research
Fourth graders write informational research reports. They are given a worksheet on conducting research. Students are told that they are going to write a research report about trains. They review the list of trains and discuss how each...
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Community Improvement
Students examine a local body of water to determinet the health of its ecosystem and monitor it during the year. If needed they write a report on any conditions that need improvement including photographs and relevant data.
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Treasure Hunt Region
Students are introduced to new geography related vocabulary words. In groups, they focus on a different region of the school and develop a new name for it. They create a treasure map for another group to use in the region of the school...
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Compare & Locate via the Internet
Seventh graders compare the location of their home city/town with a town in another country (non U.S.) that they have selected and researched utilizing the Internet. They create a binder of their reports for future research.
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Around the World in 17 Days
Students examine geography while studying the 2006 Winter Olympics. Students keep track of the winners of each Olympic event by finding the results using the Internet or by reviewing the newspaper and discuss the country the medalist...