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Colonies and Revolution: Comparing US and Mexican History
Students examine the emergence of the United States and Mexico as independent nations. They compare the colonial history of the two countries and discover the emergence of social classes.
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Oh My Darling
Students discuss human interaction with the environment and sing "Clementine" with historical fiction lyrics. They create a map or model of a mining camp in which Clementine may have lived. They discuss what might happen to their...
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Teaching Acting Technique and Building a Character Through Cinema
Students review the style techniques related to the American Method Acting and practice using them in groups. Using various scenes from films, they try to recreate the scene using props. In groups, they discover the proper way to get...
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A Guide Through the Culture of the Blues
Students examine the history of blues music and discover how it relates to the music of today. As a class, they listen to the drum songs of Africa and compare it to the use of drums in pop music today. Using the internet, they research...
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From the Farm to Your Table: Where Does Our Food Come From?
Students discover where the food they eat comes from. Using maps, they identify the agricultural areas of the United States and the products that are grown in each area. Using the internet, they research how food gets to America from...
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A Wampanoag Thanksgiving
Students examine how the Wampanoag tribe celebrated Thanksgiving. They discover how they helped the Pilgrims when they first came to the New World. They identify the similarities and differences between people.
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Traveling the Silk Road
Students take a virtual trip down the Silk Road. Using a map, they trace the location of the trade route and others that were developed later. They use different spices and goods to trace how they came to the Americas. They answer...
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The Gulf War and its Consequences
Students study the historical background of Desert Storm/Desert Shield. They determine that not all Americans were in favor of the Gulf War and examine the Gulf War Syndrome. They discover that another possible cause pertains to...
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Recycling by Composting
Middle schoolers examine the idea of recycling by composting. Using the internet, they research the benefits of composting to the environment. In groups, they collect numbers on how much food and yard waste is produced in their...
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Makeshift Tambourines
Students use everyday materials to make their own tambourines. As a class, they play the tambourines and discover beats and rhythms. They work on creating their own song and beat and play to the rest of the class to end the lesson plan.
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Social Studies: Maryland and Its Culture
Students discuss the history and culture of Baltimore, Maryland. they discover the importance of the city's port along with the state bird and song. Background sources include "The Prairie Dog That Met the President" and "Journey of...
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Cultural Impact of Jim Crow Laws and the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine the Jim Crow laws and how they impacted the lives of both African Americans and white Americans. They discuss the Civil Rights Movement and how their lives may have been different had it not occurred.
Groups...
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Coronado: Misfortune's Explorer
Fourth graders discuss the importance of Coronado's expedition through Texas and the trials his men endured during the journey. They view and discuss a map of Coronado's route, the effects of weather on the Great Plains, and Buffalo....
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"West Side Story"
In this music history worksheet, students discover the musical "West Side Story" by first reading a summary of the plot. Students answer 5 questions about the story line. Students then read and analyze the lyrics to "America" and discuss...
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Lift and Drag: Principles of Flight and the Soaring Imagination
Learners construct models of early gas balloons and gliders. In this balloon and glider lesson, students create models of early gas balloons and gliders, discover how the forces of lift and drag effect aircraft in flight, and put on...
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Digging Into the Past
Fifth graders study fossils and how they are charted. In this fossil lesson plan, 5th graders research the excavation process of discovering fossils, and view fossils. They then do a hands on activity that involves plastic fossils that...
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Helping Countries in Turmoil
Students discover the struggles of emerging democracies. In this service learning instructional activity, students research a non-profit agency that is assisting the people of an emerging democracy and create and advertisement.
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Civil Rights Leaders; Past and Present
Learners explore the concept of social justice. In this Civil Rights lesson, students fulfill the Rubric for Historical Research requirements as they conduct research on a Civil Rights or Anti-Apartheid Movements leader.
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A Day at Mount Vernon
Pupils discover daily life on George Washington's plantation, Mount Vernon. In this compare and contrast lesson plan, students examine the life styles at four distinct sites at Mount Vernon to become familiar with the people,...
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From One Seed Grow Many Seeds
First graders practice identifying plants by singing a song. In this plant life lesson, 1st graders sing the song "Parts of a Plant" which is based on the anatomy of sunflowers. Students discover agriculture techniques while...
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Why is rice important?
Second graders examine why rice is so important to the world. For this agriculture lesson, 2nd graders discover the origins of rice farming. Students study how many countries depend on rice for survival. Students research countries and...
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The Underground Railroad
Students discover the Underground Railroad. In this civil rights lesson, students read the "Story of Tom Stowe" and complete worksheets in order to demonstrate an appreciation and understanding of the heroes that worked the Underground...
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Colonial Maps
Students discover the history of America by identifying the traditional colonies. In this U.S. history lesson plan, students examine a world map and identify where the voyagers left from Europe to arrive at the United States. ...
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The Mayflower Compact
Twelfth graders discover the ideas of our government by reading the Mayflower Compact. For this U.S. Government lesson, 12th graders identify the main ideas of the Mayflower Compact, how it came to be and who was affected the most...