Curated OER
Bald Eagle Population Graphing
Students create graphs to illustrate the bald eagle population. They identify the population of bald eagles in Minnesota and the United States. They create three graphs to represent the population data including a line, bar, and...
Curated OER
Family Heritage Project
Ninth graders research their own family history and relate their own personal history to world events. Each student analyzes reasons why people immigrate, by using their own family history. They also explore immigrants' contributions to...
Curated OER
Selecting the Tap: Water Safety
Examine water as a scarce natural resource instead of taking it for granted. Middle schoolers identify the traits of potable water, and research local water sources to determine if they are impaired or not.
Curated OER
Presidential Periods: Times to Remember
Students research three specific and relevant events that occurred during a particular presidential period. They research that period, create a multi-media slideshow, and present it to the class.
Curated OER
No Food, No Money, No Job: What to Do?
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students research the Civilian Conservation Corps and create an advertisement that might have promoted it.
Curated OER
Philanthropy and You
Students define and discuss philanthropy. They research a philanthropist and write a three-paragraph essay summarizing what they have learned , including their own roles as philanthropists. They also plan and initiate personal acts of...
Curated OER
Earthquake of 1964
Students examine the damage from the earthquake across a large geographic area of Alaska. They discover additional damage occurred from the tsunami, fires, and flooding after the initial earthquake. They collect images and information...
Voice of America
Henry Ford, 1863-1947: He Revolutionized the Auto Industry
How did Henry Ford change the world? One word: automobile. After reading a two-page passage about Henry Ford's contributions to society with the invention of the automobile, readers respond to a series of 10 reading comprehension...
Whitewater Valley Railroad
Teaching and Learning with The Polar Express
Use a series of extension activities to enhance your class reading of Chris Van Allsburg's holiday classic, The Polar Express. From a biography of the author to filmed book reviews and research about the railroad, kids can take...
Curated OER
Rock Cycle: The Story of a Rock
Students examine the rock cycle by watching videos and then use creative storytelling techniques to tell the story of a rock as it undergoes geologic changes.
Curated OER
Passport to the Eastern Hemisphere
Seventh graders explore the Eastern Hemisphere. They investigate the customs, currency, climate, location and other facts needed in order to travel to a specific country. Students receive a stamp on their "passport" when their research...
Carnegie Mellon University
Hydroelectricity
Use a simple PowerPoint presentation to introduce you environmental studies class to hydropower. Hold a debate about the pros and cons of developing this form of alternative energy. Power up your class with this simple lesson on a topic...
Curated OER
A Good Boat is Hard To Find
Eighth graders design and construct a safe and efficient human powered watercraft that can be used on a trip on the Great Lakes. Students utilize math and measurement skills to design and cut the pieces for their boat. Working in...
Curated OER
Relative Dating-Telling Time Using Fossils
Students explore how to read fossil range charts. They develop an knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the fossil record. Students become familiar with the concepts index fossil and fossil range. Students use bar graphs to...
Curated OER
Postcards From Mars
Fifth graders research and explore what life would be like for human colonists on Mars. They explore various websites, read and discuss newspaper articles, develop a chart of the hardships and conditions that would be faced by colonists...
Curated OER
Engineering: Simple Machines
Fourth graders participate in activities to examine how simple machines help build things. They identify the six types of simple machines. They discover how simple machines where use historically to build pyramids and how they are still...
Curated OER
Ad Nauseam
Young scholars explore the role of special-interest groups in American campaigns. They create their own political advertisements.
Curated OER
Ocean Habitats:
Students investigate the creatures of intertidal zones. They explore the adaptations species make to survive .
Curated OER
The Formation and Value of Temperate Grasslands
Students study the Temperate Grasslands biome of North America. They explain that it is an endangered ecosystem because the rich soils have been converted to farming in most areas. They view videos imbedded in this plan, then complete...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a World War II Soldier Webquest
Students complete a web-quest into a day in the life of a World War II soldier. In this webquest instructional activity, students investigate what life was like for soldiers on the front lines during the second World War. They use note...
Curated OER
WWII Website
Tenth graders research a topic related to World War II. They explore the causes and legacy of WWII, the European Theater of Operations, the Pacific Theater of Operations, Diversity in WWII, Women in WWII, and the Homefront. Students...
Curated OER
A Full Military Experience
Eighth graders watch electronic field trip entitled Call to Arms, and simulate daily life of eighteenth-century soldier, including marching, camp building, cannon firing, and sharing common meal. Student groups form regiments by signing...
Curated OER
Northwest Ordinance
Pupils examine the area where the Northwest Territory was located. They discover the steps territories need to follow to become states. They create a map of the Northwest Territory and label the states that came out of that region.
Curated OER
Executive Departments PowerPoint Presentations
Ninth graders research the fifteen Executive Departments. They explore and explain the structure of the federal bureaucracy. Students organize their information about the Executive Departments in a PowerPoint presentation.