California Polytechnic State University
Australian Geography Unit
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.
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Paws in Jobland: Lesson Plan 25 - People in our School
Students brainstorm a list of jobs that exist in their own school and its surrounding environment. In this lesson on careers, students create a map of the school and locate on the map where each job takes place. Next, the class divides...
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International Trafficking of Women to the US
Students develop an understanding of the problems of the illegal international trafficking of women into the U.S. They locate nations where trafficking originates. They explain their solutions to the problem in short essay format.
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Ocean Currents
Fourth graders work in groups to research ocean currents and create posters with their findings. They locate the patterns and names of major ocean currents and identify them on a map. Students also use red pencil to show ocean currents...
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The Countries of Slave Trade
Students create graphs, routes, and write an essay based on their research of the slave trade. In this slave trade lesson plan, students research the Middle Passage and how slave trade happened in the United States.
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From the Farm to Your Table: Where Does Our Food Come From?
Learners 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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European Explorer's Photo Journal
Students study early European explorers. They choose one to research and complete a photo journal of his explorations, which includes maps, articles, etc.
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A Brief History of Vietnam (1858-2004) and Its Evolving Communist System
High schoolers examine the French colonization of Vietnam, the Vietnam War, and the current evolving Communist system. They develop political maps, outline the major events of the Vietnam War, write an essay, and compare/contrast...
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Process This
Students chart the steps, including the problem-solving tangent, and discuss the idea of procedures serving to give us a "road map" or guide to help tackle tasks with preparation and forethought.
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Getting to Know You
After going over the five steps of the writing process, pupils fill out "Getting to Know You" worksheets. They trade papers with each other, and have the task of writing a descriptive paragraph about the person whose worksheet they...
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World Religions
Seventh graders identify major tenets and the distributions of world religions. In this world religions instructional activity, 7th graders work with a group to research a religion using the given website. Students complete a graphic...
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How Much Further Is It?
Fifth graders use estimation to solve problems and assess the reasonableness of their answers. They may use an odometer, a map with a legend, MapQuest, or a map without a legen. They estimate 4 to 5 different scenarios.
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Defining Ethnic Minorities in China
Ninth graders, in groups, research some of China's 56 identified ethnic groups. They prepare maps and posters to display their research.
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Ways We Use Water
Fourth graders write a persuasive paper after a demonstration about the properties of water and how they work. The lesson also uses a mind map to outline the paper.
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The Responsibility of Preservation
Upper elementary and middle schoolers study the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that was once-thought to be extinct. Learners explore the responsibility of people to preserve habitats, and take care of the animals who live in...
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Get Ready for the Great Outdoors!
Students discuss what is a map and what they already know about maps. They brainstorm together to compile a list of responses for the board and observe a map of the United States, including states, capitals, and some of the National Parks.
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The Shape of Arkansas
Students are shown a United States map and learn the location and shape of Arkansas. They take a map home for their family to help them locate close family members across the United States.
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Celebrate Your Heritage
Students investigate what countries their ancestors originally came from and locate them on a world map. They use a map to plot the ancestral path that has led to their hometown. They create a travel log outlining facts/data about...
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Where is Shirley the Elephant?
Young animal lovers engage in a instructional activity that's all about elephants. They access an elephant sanctuary website and read a story about Shirley the elephant. They perform a series of activities based upon that story, and also...
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A Soldier's View of the American Civil War
Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing lesson. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The lesson includes several options to complete...
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From Graphic Organizer to Composition - Grade Six
How does one use a graphic organizer to plan writing? Introduce your writers to different types of graphic organizers by dividing the class into groups and assigning each group a particular organizer. Then, as they research chocolate...
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Penguins Around the World
Students gain an awareness of the diverse habitats of the 17 species of penguins. Standard: 4.4 Interdependence of Life Changes in an organism's habitat are sometimes beneficial to it and sometimes harmful.
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Synthesis of Information
Locating and synthesizing information is an essential part of the research process but can be overwhelming for many young writers. Eliminate some of the stress and confusion, this resource suggests, by separating these steps. To focus...
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Civil War
Students explore the Civil War. In this U.S. Civil War U.S. history activity, students participate in a cubing activity in which a variety of Civil War projects are described on a paper cube. Students roll the cube to...