Smithsonian Institution
Be a Food Detective
What are packaged food products really made of? This lesson will prompt your learners to consider and investigate the source of ingredients in their food. They begin by breaking into groups and analyzing food labels by identifying...
Curated OER
Grocery Store Field Study
Students visit a local grocery store (not a community market) to gather information about where some commonly eaten produce items come from. Once they have collected this information, locate the countries of origin on a map and research...
Curated OER
Globalization and Consumerism
Is the expansion of American corporations abroad a good or bad thing? After examining the global operations of Ford Motor Company, McDonald's, and Walmart, class members are asked to evaluate the impact of globalization and...
Curated OER
In Pursuit of the American Dream
Students compare and contrast assimilation and acculturation. They explain the idea of "The Melting Pot" as it relates to what it means to be American. They write an 8 page response paper on a selected author.
Curated OER
Spanish Influence on United States Currency: The Origins of the "Dollar"
Sixth graders research the Spanish influence on early colonial America and the process of establishing the present U.S. currency. They read and discuss an informational handout in small groups, and take a short quiz. Students then...
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Homes of the World: Ceramic Lesson
Kids consider the various dwellings humans inhabit all over the world. They choose a home from anywhere in the world. Then they research the type of materials, designs, and structures need to build that type of home. The project ends...
K12 Reader
National Symbols
What do the flag, the bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty remind you of? After reading a short article about these national symbols, middle schoolers are asked to identify ideas that these items represent.
Curated OER
The Price of Relief
Students calculate and graph the costs of essential items needed in Kosovar refugee camps on an individual, family, and camp basis. Additionally, students explore how relief organizations and businesses participate in relief efforts.
Curated OER
Tracing the History Of Food
Students explore cultural variations in food preparation. They pick a country and research dishes of cultural significance. They prepare their food and present the dish to the class creatively.
Curated OER
Clothes
Let's go shopping! Featuring terms like blue jeans, high heels, and slippers, this ESL presentation would be a good addition to your unit about clothing. Each slide features one item of clothing, a fun illustration, and a short description.
American Museum of Natural History
Global Grocery
A walk through the grocery store is like a walk around the world. An interactive activity shows popular grocery items and where the ingredients originate. Perfect as a remote learning resource, the lesson connects groceries to the...
Civil War Trust
Map the Civil War
Mapmaking was a very important element in successfully planning attacks on enemies during the Civil War. Guide pupils through the process of pacing to find the average length of their steps, measure the distance between one object...
Curated OER
The Renewed Glory of Old Glory
Students investigate how increased patriotism as a reaction to national crisis can serve as both a uniting and a dividing force.
Curated OER
Geography and Artifacts of Mexico
Learners review the structure of government in Mexico and discuss how it is different than the United States. Using artifacts, they must label and identify the city or state in which the artifact originated. They use the artifact clues...
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Export-Import Game
Students recognize how international trade affects them as consumers and become familiar with basic agricultural crops grown in Kentucky. They identify items used in their daily lives and .heir place of origin and examine export/import...
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Mediterranean Trade in the Late Bronze Age
Seventh graders analyze the amount and conditions of trade in the late Bronze Age. In groups, they research where a variety of items and goods originated. They participate in Mediterranean trade days in which they try to acquire as...
Curated OER
The World In My Community
Students identify products in their community which are imported from other countries. After conducting a personal household survey, students research the product's country of origin. They discover the role imports have upon their...
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Ain't Gonna Rain No More
In this creative writing lesson, pupils listen to the song "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More", read the book adaptation titled I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!, and pay close attention to the rhyming scheme, punctuation and illustrations. ...
Curated OER
"Uncle Sam's Got Himself in a Terrible Jam": Protest Music and the Vietnam War
"And it's one, two, three...what are we fighting for?" Use music to assess the climate of protest during the Vietnam War, listening to and analyzing Country Joe MacDonald's "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" (lyrics included)....
Curated OER
Using the Subjunctive
How can you get your class to remember how to use the subjunctive tense in French? Create mobiles and booklets! Pupils work in groups to make mobiles that depict the correct usage of the subjunctive, and for each time they use one of the...
Curated OER
Shopping Basket
Young scholars study the origins of the items in a typical shopping baskets. They investigate how raw materials are processed into products that are purchased when shopping.
Curated OER
Global Economy: A Simple Activity
Students explore the global economy. In this economics lesson plan, students examine clothing labels in search of the countries the clothing was made in. Students consider the implications of a global economy.
Curated OER
Classroom Supplies
Challenge young mathematicians to buy classroom supplies by staying within the means of a $1,000 budget. The mathematical activity provides learners with the opportunity to decide what items from the supply list would benefit a class of...
Curated OER
Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...