Curated OER
The Human Mind
Students read and discuss twin studies to explore the debate of nature vs. nurture. They create a list of characteristics and then look for evidence of whether it is primarily a genetic or environmental characteristic. All of the...
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Weather, Climate and Environmental Change
Students study the complexities for getting definitive answers for past and present happenings in our environment. They discover past global changes on earth and the evidence for why these changes took place before believing everything...
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Introduction to Mendelian Genetics using Fiction
Students investigate Mendelian Genetics by studying the history of Mendel and what it was like to be a 19th century scientist. They read a pieces of fiction during this investigation.
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These Lakes are Great
Students examine the Great Lakes Basin and water conservation. In this Great Lakes and water lesson, students study the location of the lakes before reading the book, The River Ran Wild. They discuss the associated vocabulary and in...
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Origins
Students trace the history of the invention of everyday objects. They brainstorm a list of curios objects and watch a video clip showing an example of tracing the origins of squeezable ketchup. In small groups, they choose an item to...
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How Muscles Work
In this heart muscle activity, learners analyze two pictures of people in action. Students label the pictures with "contracting muscle" or "relaxing muscle". Learners study two more pictures of muscle movement and label each one...
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Census Detective
In this census worksheet, students look at primary sources of census's from Westminster's history and answer short answer questions about them. Students look at 4 sources and answer 27 questions total.
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The Civil Rights Movement: /Compassion in Action
Young scholars research and scope out the civil right's movement's use of nonviolent actions to achieve change and social justice. Students illustrate examples of how to use nonviolent citizenship skills. Young scholars acquire with this...
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Haiku
Sixth graders study Haiku. In this Haiku lesson, 6th graders explore the history of the poetry form. Students also examine the structure the Japanese poetry as they read examples. Students write their one Haiku.
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Horrific Hurricanes
Students study hurricanes and how scientists predict them. In this hurricane lesson students read an article on hurricanes, complete an activity and take a quiz.
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San Francisco Explodes
High schoolers investigate why San Francisco grew so quickly during the Gold Rush. They
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According to Tradition
Pupils analyze a historical document. They review oral histories as a tradition of storytelling in Native cultures and listen to an excerpt from The Life and Traditions of the Red Man. They write an episode or story that has been passed...
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Political and Social Impact of World War II
Sixth graders study the life in Jewish ghettos during World War II and learn about tolerance and compassion. In this WWII instructional activity, 6th graders discuss Jewish ghettos but with a mistreatment of the kids with stickers to...
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American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins
Students research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the two...
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Lascaux Cave Art on Ceramic Stones
Here is a great way to incorporate art into your next unit on prehistoric people. The class makes stones out of ceramic clay and then creates paintings like those found in the Lascaux Caves in France. A video link, full day-by-day...
New York Public Library
What's for Lunch?: New York City Restaurant Menus
Do you remember the days when a cup of coffee cost five cents? At A.W. Dennett restaurant in 1894, you could buy a five-cent cup of coffee and as well as a five-cent slice of pie to accompany it. The menu from that year is a primary...
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Awesome Stories: Vincent van Gogh
Who was Vincent van Gogh? Most of the questions can be answered in two or three sentences; however, there is at least one essay prompt and one personal response question that require longer answers. Questions call for a good mix of...
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Inventions- The Impact
Students investigate inventions and the impact they can have on people. In this technology lesson, students research Thomas Edison and discuss how the invention of the light bulb impacted others. Students sketch out an invention they...
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Seeing/Reading Photographs Lesson Plan: An Interactive History Discussion
Students analyze and read historic photographs. In this historic photographs lesson, students explore history and writing by looking at photographs. Students discuss the photographs and produce a written record of the historical photograph.
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Recap and Activities (Reveloutionary War Era)
Eighth graders discuss the importance of the Second Continental Congress. They compare and contrast present-day athletic mascots and their roots in the Revolutionary War. After discussing Loyalists and Patriots, 8th graders write...
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Adventures in Exploration
Fifth graders research major explorers in history using their textbook and then create a timeline using Timeline Software. Students participate in class discussions and write an essay about the explorer they researched.
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Religious Freedom
Sixth graders examine the religious issues of the early settlers in the New World and the current issue of separation of church and state. They discuss a list of colonial laws from the 1600s, participate in a class discussion, and in...
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Canada
Fourth graders sample the rich diversity of Canada's people and cultures, glimpse the vastness of Canada's lands and waters, and get an idea of the wealth and variety of its resources, wildlife, and history.
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Civil War Trading Cards
Learners research important figures in the American Civil War. In this research skills lesson plan, students create trading cards about selected key figures in the war that list details about the figures and their accomplishments.