Society for Science & the Public
Easter Islanders Made Tools, Not War
When studying artifacts, especially tools, how do archaeologists determine what the devices were used for? In what ways might researchers' previous experiences influence their perception of an artifact? An article about researchers'...
Space Awareness
Navigating with the Kamal
Historians have proven that as early as 1497 skilled navigators were using a kamal to sail across oceans. Scholars learn about navigation tools and astronomy before building their own kamals. They then learn how to use it to determine...
Curated OER
Geo-Magazine
Divide your geography class into groups and have each research an assigned region. The result of this project is a regional magazine that addresses the five themes of geography. Many valuable resource links are embedded into the...
Curated OER
A Map as a Tool
Students study the concept of using a map as a tool with the usage of a balloon designed to mimic the features of the Earth with the major features marked and shown on the balloon.
Curated OER
Money Matters: The Importance of Global Cooperation
Students prepare for a visit to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In this lesson students create a concept map of money. They discuss the goals of the IMF. Students research countries currently changing into market economies. After...
Curated OER
Geography Puzzles
Students study the continents of the world. In this Internet geography lesson plan, students connect to online mapping games. Students collaborate in order to develop their understanding of world geography, including countries and...
Curated OER
Wow! You're Eating Geography
Learners examine patterns of food producing areas, and identify foods that are grown locally, in the U.S., and around the world. They map and graph the major food crops of their local area, the U.S., and other countries, and discuss the...
Institute for Geophysics
Understanding Maps of Earth
Here is your go-to student resource on primary geography concepts, including facts about the surface of the earth and its hemispheres, latitude and longitude, globes, types of maps, and identifying continents and oceans.
Geophysical Institute
Latitude and Longitude with Google Earth
Travel the world from the comfort of your classroom with a lesson that features Google Earth. High schoolers follow a series of steps to locate places all over the earth with sets of coordinates. Additionally, they measure the distance...
Space Awareness
Navigation in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond
Ancient texts, like Homer's Odyssey, mentions navigating ships by observing constellations. Pupils learn about the link between history and astronomy as they relate to navigation in the Bronze Age. Scholars complete two hands-on...
Space Awareness
The Sun Compass of the Vikings
Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...
Curated OER
The Seven Continents Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn't enjoy an engaging scavenger hunt? Here, scholars listen to, and discuss, the informative text, Where is my Continent? by Robin Nelson. They then explore the seven continents and four major oceans using...
Curated OER
Confucius Say... China Old
Students locate China on the map. In this Chinese geography, history and culture lesson, students read literature about China. Students participate in paper making, silk making and lantern making activities.
Curated OER
Where Am I - Navigation and Satellites
Students explore geography by completing a navigation activity in class. In this satellite positioning lesson, students define terms such as orbit, satellite, GPS and triangulation. Students view diagrams of the Earth's orbit and...
Curated OER
Walking with the Emperors: Exploring Imperial Rome
Students travel Rome. In this geography skills lesson plan, students explore famous places in Rome with Google Earth tools. Students research the city of Rome and create touring videos that feature their findings.
Curated OER
Geography Concepts
Sixth graders use the five themes of geography and geographic tools to answer geographic questions and analyze geographic concepts. This unit focuses on an introduction to South America. The history, people and cultures is included.
Curated OER
Transportation
Engage in an 8-day study of different modes of transportation. Your students explore the concept of location and define the physical characteristics of places, such as, land forms, bodies of water, natural resources, and weather.
Curated OER
The Finer Things in Life
Momoyama and Edo are periods in Japanese history that can be defined culturally and artistically. Learners explore and discuss how the samurai used sword guards and grip enhancers. Pupils read the story "The Inch-High Samurai," examine...
Curated OER
Statistics Canada
Students practice using graphing tools to make tables, bar charts, scatter graphs, and histograms, using census data. They apply the concept of measures of central tendency, examine the effects of outliers. They also write inferences and...
Curated OER
East Asia Country Project
Get your young historians thinking about East Asian culture and history during this partner research project, in which they analyze a variety of East Asian aspects to prepare for a presentation. After an initial "what do we already know"...
Curated OER
Introducing Maps Through Dance
Students are introduced to the key concepts of maps; direction, pathway/line, shape and symbol. They create the pathways and shapes they have "mapped" out on paper on the floor. They dance along the paths.
Curated OER
Instruments From Around the World
How much does the environment affect how and what man creates? Children explore the effect of the environment on primitive man as they research raw materials from a specific location. They use their findings to write a short essay about...
Curated OER
If the World Were a Village...
Your class members explore concept that the world is a large place, examine how statistics can be used to help in understanding the world and its people, and create illustrations or graphs of statistics found in the award-winning...
Curated OER
Follow the Light
Here is another in the interesting series of lessons that use the special State Quarters as a learning tool. During this lesson plan, pupils learn about lighthouses, maps, the cardinal directions on a compass, and U.S. geography. There...