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Sports Helmets and Impact Testing of Polymers
Students examine the importance of good quality safety gear. In this investigative instructional activity, students will tests various polymers, collect data, and analyze the data to determine which polymer is best for safety helmets....
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Technology
Learners trace and analyze the impact of the atomic bomb on warfare, society and government. They apply this process to other more modern technological inventions in our lives.
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Amazing Facts about My City and State
Students investigate several sources to explore facts about their city and state. The location, population, history, landmarks, and main features of the area are unearthed in this experience.
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Introduction to Ocean Grazers
Students explore biology by creating a poster with classmates. In this oceanography lesson, students identify the importance of coral reefs to the ocean's ecology and examine a food web of ocean animals. Students define a list of...
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Whitewashing History
Young scholars revisit issues of civil rights in the U.S. They use the recent national discussion of retiring Senator Strom Thurmond's 1948 Dixiecrat Presidential campaign as a starting point.
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A Penny for Your Thoughtfulness
Students reflect on the value of a penny. They examine how working families endure economic hardships with the help of charities. They create their own philanthropic event to raise money for a charity.
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Pressing Cases
Students investigate famous criminal cases in which the media has played a significant role and reflect on how the news helps to shape attitudes and behaviors in their own lives.
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Thank You Notes
Young scholars investigate the history of presidential proclamations and develop their own Thanksgiving Proclamations, highlighting current issues and sentiments.
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Mixed Blessings
Learners investigate the recent federal appeals court decision finding the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. They further investigate the notions of constitutionality and separation between church and state by analyzing a patriotic...
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Nutrition and Health and School Gardening
Students examine how healthy eating contributes to a healthy body and life style. They read nutritional labels on food items. They use the Five Foods Pyramid to evaluate their own eating habits. They plan, design, and create a school...
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Feeling Vulnerable
Students discover some of the ways the developing world is vulnerable to the impact and effects of natural disasters. They investigate some "natural disaster hotspots" around the globe and assess how vulnerable these areas are.
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My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
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Create Your Own Form
Students gather and organize data using a mock census form, and determine mean, mode, range, and median for sets of data.
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Muhammad Ali
Students analyze the lifetime accomplishments of Muhammad Ali in the area of sports and his role as a catalyst for social change.
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Forever in Our Memories
Students consider reactions to various plans for building on the grounds of the World Trade Center. They explore ideas and opinions that went into creating other memorials of events in American history and propose ideas for improving...
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TOXIC TECHNOLOGY
Learners examine what they already know about computer recycling and cconsider how computer recycling is contributing to a global toxic waste problem by reading and discussing the article, ""Poor Nations are Littered With Old PC's,...
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Media Analysis--Culture and Gender Roles
Ninth graders participate in class discussion about culture and how it influences our lives then complete an analysis of advertisements from popular magazines to derive what effects they have on our culture. They use analysis of adds to...
National First Ladies' Library
Learning to Be Consumers: The Emergence of Catalogs and Advertising
Learners study the historical context of marketing and how it came to be so important in the 19th century. They analyze advertising in the 19th century, 20th century, and today to understand how much or how little has changed.
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Political Puzzles
Students investigate how different liberal democracies around the world organize their governments and decide major policies. They compare their findings to the American political system, using examples of current political issues.
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Not Just a Corny Idea
Students explore ways in which ethanol can be created using alternate energy sources.
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Conflict Diamonds
Young scholars examine how diamonds are portrayed in American culture. They identify the political and social implications of conflict diamonds and the locations of these diamonds in Africa. They evaluate the effectiveness of the...
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Magnetism and Electricity
Students demonstrate a comprehension of the properties, position, and motion of objects and materials, and of light, heat, electricity, and magnetism. They use materials to assemble an electric circuit and test materials, including...
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What Am I?
Learners identify various shells. In this oceanography lesson, students create a KWL chart to activate background knowledge on shells. Learners read the book Ocean Day and learn about waves, tides, and the seashells that can be found on...
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Cooperative Classroom Text Features Activities
Fifth graders examine text features and create a PowerPoint presentation. In this text features lesson, 5th graders go over Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures and text features before they choose one to include in a book and...