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Great Explorations: To the End of the Earth and Beyond

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students analyze the factors that affect exploration such as religion, trade, territorial expansion, and science. In this Great Explorations lesson, students determine the names of famous explorers as well as their routes and...
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Elder's Cloud Observations

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study cloud types and Native language terms for clouds and cloud types. In this cloud types lesson, students listen to a Native American speaker discuss clouds and the words used to describe clouds. Students complete a worksheet...
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What Counts as History?

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the question "What Counts as History?"  In this Philosophy lesson, 8th graders pretend that they are going to interview a historian.  Students read a primary source and answer the questions that follow.
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Eating Under the Rainbow

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students investigate the lure of snack-food advertisements to explain how snacks can fit into a healthy diet.
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Spanish Colonization: The Anza Expedition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the Spanish explorations and North American geography. They create web pages based on their study.
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Religion And Magic

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the indigenous religions of China (Daoism) and Japan (Shinto) to see how magical beliefs and practices form an integral part of these religions. This lesson may be controversial.
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Adapted to Fire

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore forest species' adaptations to fire by participating in a scavenger hunt and mapping a burned forest. Students create maps and explore how indigenous species adapted to living with fire.
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Powerful Potato

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders recognize the importance of geography in shaping a settlement where people can live.  In this community location lesson, 3rd graders participate in a potato growing activity to understand how it helped a community...
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Flora, Fauna, and the Passing Seasons

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Learners discover representations in art, religion and cultural practices of the flora and fauna of specific geographical regions in this early elementary lesson plan. The lesson ends with a mural project by the entire class.
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Animals in Art

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students look at how animals are shown in literature and art as representing emotions, telling a story, or sending a message in this elementary school Language Arts and Visual Arts lesson.
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Nature and Haiku Poetry

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students compose haiku poems and recognize how cultures value nature and natural forces through the study of Japanese poetry. This instructional activity includes a bibliography of resources.
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Shape Walk

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students take a field trip to a local park or beach to collect objects. They practice counting the objects and put them into categories according to type of shape like a cone, cylinder, etc... As an extension to the lesson students could...
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Choosing Sides: The Native Americans' Role in the American Revolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the different roles assumed by various Native American tribes during the American Revolution. They examine the issues involved for Native Americans in choosing the British or the American side of the conflict, such as...
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The Talking Goat

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars read and analyze an African folktale. They read and discuss the folktale, analyze a map of Africa and Liberia, complete a worksheet, answer discussion questions, and analyze the patterns and analogies of the folktale.
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Native Americans ~ Biomes Web Quest/deserts

For Teachers 4th
Students identify the biomes of each region: mountains, forests, plains, tundra, desert. They identify and describe features of North American desert (Mojave, Sonoron, Great Basin. Chihuahaun). They identify what we are doing today is...
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The Role of Fire in Healthy Prairie, Brush and Forest Lands

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders read and discuss background information and brainstorm reasons for wildfires. They use a Venn Diagram to list the similarities and differences between wildfires and prescribed fires and then track the weather forecast for...
Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

Bearing Witness

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
A controversial construction project in South America, the Belo Monte dam, is endangering local cultures, ecosystems, and communities. High schoolers create a concept map based on an online article they read before engaging in...
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Human Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and then research countries which have had human right violations.
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Exploring With the Anza 1775-1776

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders conduct research on the Anza Colonizing expedition utilizing the Web de Anza website. They read diary entries, answer questions, and create a poster highlighting an event that symbolizes the Expedition.
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Paper Masks/Heads

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the processes and beliefs used by different cultures to create works of art. Using the internet, they research the types of arts used by cultures that have been transmitted to future generations. They use recycled...
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Native American Legends, Folk Stories and Tales

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers write an Indian tale explaining a natural event, an animal characteristic,
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Language Immersion

For Teachers 4th - 11th
Young scholars listen to an audio program aired on Nation Public Radio that presents a journalists report of the Blackfeet immersion programs taking place in Browning, Montana. They take notes on the program. Students discuss how...
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Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students view a movie about Lewis and Clark's expedition out west. They examine how Native Americans helped them on their journey. They choose a Native American to research and present their findings to the class.
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The Age of Exploration

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The Age of Exploration provides a way for students to learn about various topics relating to geography, history, and science.