Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Christopher Columbus: The Man, the Myth, the Legend

For Teachers K
Learn more about maps by examining Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Kindergartners will learn about basic map skills and how to identify the compass rose, oceans, and land masses. They will also discover the purpose of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring a New World

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders create a PowerPoint presentation about Christopher Columbus. The integration of technology helps them to be engaged in the subject matter. The basis for the information in the presentation is for students to answer some...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Settling Nroth America: Improvisation and Playwriting

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students map the classroom by marking the movement of the first Americans' migration from Alaska down into North America. To improve their skills in map-reading and sense of direction, students identify physical features of the map and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Christopher Columbus

For Teachers 1st
Help first graders gain an understanding of the beginnings of our nation by learning more about Christopher Columbus. They begin by listening to a read aloud of Christopher Columbus and His Voyage to the New World (another title...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovery of America

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students examine the European conquest of North America. They participate in activities which allow them to discover the indigenous peoples of the region. They also place events in chrongological order.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Women in Science: Marie Anne Lavoisier and Ann Bancroft

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore and analyze the contributions of women in medicine as well as the concept of sexism. They assess multicultural content to explain the different scientific careers available to women and categorize the human and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It looks Like Champagne

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of vocabulary words.  In this ocean explorer lesson students describe two uses of super-critical carbon dioxide. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jackie Steals Home

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Deadly Arctic Expedition

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students view a documentary of an Arctic expedition. In 1913, Arctic explorer and scientist, Vilhjamur Stefansson put together a crew of seamen and scientists to explore the Arctic. After viewing, students discuss what they saw and do a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Values and Beliefs of Manifest Destiny

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the beliefs of Manifest Destiny and its role in the California Gold Rush. They analyze a painting to gather information about Manifest Destiny.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impact of Exploration on Americas

For Teachers 8th - 11th
In this exploration of the America's study guide worksheet, students respond to 13 short answer questions. The questions correlate to assigned readings in a textbook.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Keeping the Home Fires: The lives of Western women

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the various trails that settlers took West from Missouri. They examine the reasons that people took these trails as well as the kind of people who made the journeys. They examine the Oregon, the Mormon, the Santa...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Search for the Northwest Passage

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders listen to lectures and research the motivations and history of the Spanish, French and English explorers searching for the Northwest Passage to India. They trace routes on maps and consider how these explorers helped shaped...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lawson's Many Roles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the life of John Lawson and his many roles he took on during his life. Using their text, they discover the area in which he traveled and lived. They write an essay about his movements and identifying his contacts in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the West

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students determine how Americans' perception of the geographical features of the West changed following the Lewis and Clark expedition. They analyze historical maps of the West.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life in Ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students study the ancient African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. They brainstorm what they know about ancient African kingdoms before investigating the trade and barter situations, and researching one of the kingdoms for an oral...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matthew Henson: Heroic Explore Who Conquered Racism

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore the concept of racism.  In this character building lesson, students read a biography about a hero Matthew Henson.  Students discover the challenges he, and others, faced during a time of unfairness. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

AT HOME ON THE RANGE

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The student will learn how ranchers on the western frontier helped saved the bison from extinction.Hand out student worksheets. Have students read the information about bison on Student Worksheet A before completing Student Worksheet...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Louisiana: a Jambalaya of Nationalities

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students write letters of protest outlining the reasons why abolishment of the Code Noir was going to have an adverse affect on political tensions in Louisiana.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arizona!! How the Heck Did I End Up Here???

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Learners research the historical background of the potato. For this potato research lesson, students cut out the important dates in potato history. Learners make a timeline for the events.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Founding of Los Angeles, California

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine the social and cultural impact of settler groups in California and the origins of the founding of Los Angeles, California. They read and discuss an informational handout, and discuss what it is and was like to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celebrate Sunflowers

For Teachers K - 1st
Students skip count with sunflower seeds. In this interdisciplinary instructional activity, students discuss the history of sunflowers. Students count by 1's, 2's, and 10's with bags full of sunflower seeds.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THE PEANUT WIZARD

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students read information about George Washington Carver and outline the information. They are given peanuts in the shell, students examine them and eat them. Students discuss the following questions: Why did George Washington Carver...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Powerful Potato

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders make food. In this agriculture lesson, 3rd graders learn about the history of the potato. Students then plant potatoes, harvest them, and make french fries, potato salad or potato soup.