Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trailblazers- Now and Then

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine and study the routes of trailblazers. In this American history lesson, students find a route on a map and compare that to the route of trailblazers. Students will then compare that map with a topographical map to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Biome Map

For Students 5th - 6th
In this biomes worksheet, students color the map of North America according to the biome clues. Students then answer questions about the North American biomes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lahar Travel Time

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders analyze published geologic hazard maps of California and comprehend how to use the map's information to identify evidence of geologic events of the past and present and predict geologic changes in the future. They select...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

There's a Volcano in my Backyard!

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students utilizing a volcanic hazard map of Mount Rainier, reach conclusions about the potential hazards of future eruptions. They create educational materials about these hazards and what to do if one erupts again in the future.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Klondike Fever

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers consider the geographical aspects of the gold rush. For this gold lesson, students research just what gold is and where it has been found. Middle schoolers create maps that highlight the regions of the world...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Fourth Grade Social Studies

For Teachers 4th
In this social studies worksheet, 4th graders answer multiple choice questions on state maps, city maps, road maps, political maps, and more. Students complete 25 multiple choice questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning to Give: Generosity of Spirit Folktales

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils read two Inuit folktales about life and death. In this language arts lesson, students study the models of giving found in these Inuit tales about life, death, grief, sacrifice, and generosity. As the class reads these tales, they...
Unit Plan
California Polytechnic State University

Australian Geography Unit

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
PPT
Curated OER

Manifest Destiny

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Complete with maps, photographs, and historical documents, this presentation would be a great resource throughout a unit about mid-19th century America. Manifest Destiny, Texas Independence, the Oregon Trail, and the Mexican War are...
Lesson Plan
Indian Land Tenure Foundation

Indian Trust Lands

For Teachers K - 2nd
An important aspect of studying Native American history is understanding the nature of trust lands. Budding historians will learn that as Native Americans were removed from their home lands, trust lands were provided in the form of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VAcations in Northern California

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore the natural resources and National Parks of Northern California that are commonly visited by people traveling in the United States. They use maps to locate various sites, plan a highway travel route and use the internet...
Lesson Plan
Agriculture in the Classroom

Farmland: GMOs and Organic Agriculture

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Learn more about genetic modification, organic farming, and the role of biotechnology in agriculture by watching a documentary that shows how newly gained knowledge can be applied to specific situations involving farmers and the choices...
Lesson Plan
Agriculture in the Classroom

Design 'Y'er Genes

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How do changes in DNA affect an organism? Scholars explore chromosomes, genes, DNA, and mutations by modeling the DNA of a strawberry. They build a DNA model, then manipulate it to show how changing the genes transforms the strawberry...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trailblazers - Now and Then

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students, working in pairs, use maps to determine the most efficient routes between two cities. They research which route would have been used by early trailblazers. They present a first person account of one of the trailblazers place in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Virtual Museum of the Mojave Desert

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students study deserts and the plants, animals, and people who inhabit them. In groups, they create their own stories about the inhabitants of the Mojave desert.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shake, Rattle And Roll: Studying the Effects of an Earthquake

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students gauge earthquake intensity by reviewing firsthand accounts. They use the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale and newspaper articles to estimate the strength and effects of a past earthquake.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wow! It's A Cow!

For Teachers K - 1st
Students use the Internet to visit a dairy farm and watch the ins and outs of the every day life of a dairy cow. They survey products that are consumed that come from a cow. The students determine in what states cows would most likely...
PPT
Curated OER

Folk and Popular Culture

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Good enough for a college class, this resources discusses multiple aspects pertaining to the issues with globalization and the differences between pop and folk culture. It defines major terminology, provides concrete examples, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Locke and Walnut Grove: Havens for Early Asian Immigrants in California

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students use readings, maps and photos to examine the life of Japanese-American immigrants in Locke and Walnut Grove in the early 1900s. They discuss their research findings, role-play the lives of immigrants and write responses.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Dollar Goes A Long Way

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Investigate life along the Old Spanish Trail! They visit websites and identify the history and environment. They create journals, dramatic enactments, and maps to discover the role individuals played in society. They also explore the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kids Need Natural Resources

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders define renewable and non-renewable resources and give multiple examples of each type of resource. In this environmental science instructional activity, 3rd graders sort picture cards into two categories, renewable and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Challenge geography classes to locate the major volcanoes and earthquake faults on a world map. In groups, they identify the pattern made and examine the relationship between the locations of the faults and volcanoes and tectonic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geography: Intro to Canada

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the geography of Canada by analyzing a map of the country.  In this North American geography lesson, students identify the 13 provinces of Canada and their locations by examining a Canadian map.  Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Westward Expansion

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students locate California and New York on a map and explore available means of travel in the 19th century. Students explore the role of trade in pioneer America and simulate various barter transactions.