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Digital Curation: Life and Times of Mark Twain
By digitally organizing research, your class leaves a legacy for future students on the life and times of Mark Twain. Before reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, scholars conduct group research projects on one of six (listed)...
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A Union Soldier's View of the Battle of Raymond
Students use a primary resource to collect information about a Civil War battle. They identify similarities and differences between historical wars and modern wars.
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Exploration of Prehistoric Peoples of Illinois
Eighth graders begin their examination of the prehistoric period in Illinois. As a class, they discuss the role of archaeology in history and how it helps learn more about native peoples. After examining each period, they develop their...
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Election-Year Issues: Where Do the Political Candidates Stand?
Students create a multimedia presentation to compare the platforms of political candidates using information gathered from their research.
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Arkansas Post was actually seven different French and Spanish forts that existed along the lower Arkansas River in
Eighth graders locate on a map the 3 geographic locations of the seven Arkansas Posts and explain the reason for each location move. They compare and contrast the reasons people move in today's world with the reasons the inhabitants of...
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Rock Art
Pupils create replica symbols of rock are found in Wisconsin and work cooperatively to create a rock art panel. They observe rock art to find their meanings and reasons why they were created.
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Discover Woodland Culture: Wisconsin Basic Pottery Techniques
Students take a field trip to a local woodland to find pieces of clay. Once they are back in the classroom, they dry the clay throughly and turn it in to clay slip. They watch a PowerPoint presentation on basic art terms and create...
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The Atlatl System
Fifth graders are introduced to the atlatl system and how to test and control variables. In groups, they use the Internet to research how the system has changed over time. They test various variables and record their results in a graph...
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Blessings of a Free Government: The Louisiana Purchase in 1803
Young scholars may take part in a multitude of activities listed such as creating political cartoons, comparison papers, and creating a portfolio to reinforce concepts and ideas surrounding the Louisiana Purchase.
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Freedom on My Mind: A Marginalized Voice in the Segregated South
High schoolers analyze the film, "Freedom on My Mind." They view the film and discuss its points in small groups. They create a fictional southern state reflecting segregation in the 1960's. They present their states to the class.
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Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Students read the novel "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry". Using the text, they gather information on how and why the Civil Rights Movement began. They use excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr's speeches to discuss the issue of equality....
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Walking that Line
Students attempt to describe and use longitude and latitude. They will identify different countries, their neighbors, and borders around the world. Included in the lesson the students identify natural features that control the borders of...
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The Institutions of Government: The Judiciary
Students explain the difference between tribal, state and federal sovereignty. Using the internet, they read Supreme Court cases that focus on Native American law. They compare and contrast the view of the case from the Native...
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French and Indian War
Fourth graders engage in activities that familiarize them with the causes of the French and Indian War. They discuss the problem that started the war, the countries involved, and the effects to come about as a result of the French and...
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Before It Was Wisconsin-Rock Art
Students examine how archaeologists make use of all forms of artifacts including rock art to try to piece together past cultures. They make their own rock art so they have a feel for how such pieces were made out of natural materials.
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Advances in Civilization: A Car or a Horse?
Fourth graders investigate the ways in which horses made transportation, hunting and agriculture much easier for the native peoples. They then compare advantages of a horse "back then" to the ease transportation (mainly cars) make on our...
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People/Culture
Seventh graders explain both past and present examples of how people use of natural resources. They use the MVAC website to garther information about the prehistoric cultures in Wisconsin.
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Making A New Nation
Eighth graders read standard road maps and topographical maps, and examine the lives of pathfinders who opened the trails to the West. They develop Living History presentations, role-playing a character from the past.
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States with Attitude, Latitude and Longitude Dude
Sixth graders identify states whose boundaries are formed by lines of latitude and longitude or natural borders such as rivers. They trace a map of the U.S., and fill in borders, rivers and lines of latitude and longitude.
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Pieces of an Artifact
Students review what an artifact is and discover what happens when only pieces of the artifact are found. In groups, they are given a picture of a small piece of an artifact found and they are to make the entire drawing of the artifact...
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Investigating the Mammoth Mystery
Fourth graders go on a virtual dig to find out where the mammoth bones found in a rural U.S. county came from. They determine whether the bones were created by humans or were they the actual remains of mammoths who walked the area during...
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Ralph McGill: the "Conscience of the South"
Students view a film, "Dawn's Early Light: Ralph McGill and the Segregated South." As groups of students observe the movie, they list key dates, significant persons interviewed, and cultural characteristics. Upon completion of the movie,...
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The Lynching of Emmett Till
Students will be introduced to the historiography of the Emmett Till murder to discover more about the case and to evaluate how history is reliant on interpretation. They will also refine analytical and critical thinking skills as they...