Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First North Americans

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers identify and interpret the different North American Indian groups, by region, and the type and impact of their interaction with Europeans. Then they complete an overview of one main Native American group during the age of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Site and Situation: Right Place at the Right Time

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students put their geography skills to work. In this geography skills activity, students research maps and other primary and secondary sources to simulate the site selection process for the Pennsylvania Railroad Shops post World War II....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making the Invisible Visible

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students evaluate the various ways in which cyberspace is beginning to be mapped by geographers, cartographers, artists, and scientists and use their understanding of the information these new maps can convey to create their own maps of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ireland: the Emerald Isle

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders complete a unit of study that examines several perspectives of Ireland. They explore how climate shapes Irish culture, reference historical and political maps, compute exchange values for Irish money, complete worksheets,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Do We Learn From the Repartiation of Alaska Native Artifacts?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students observe and evaluate evidence of Alaska Native cultural symbols and artifacts. They research historical data from a variety of primary resources, including the Harriman expedition journals, related web sites, oral accounts,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mesopotamia

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students map Mesopotamia. In this Geography lesson plan, students are introduced to Ancient Mesopotamia. Students use an atlas to label the defining features and areas of Mesopotamia on a map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring China

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore the geography, holidays, important teachers, and inventions from China in the nine lessons of this unit. The results of their inquiries are expressed through a variety of products, writings, and presentations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create the Ideal City

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the significance of city planning. They analyze maps, develop a crossword puzzle using vocabulary terms, and create a diagram of an ideal city and describe the features that make it healthy for the economy, the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You be the Tour Guide

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research the natural features and wildlife of Arizona and Utah. They draw a map of the region that includes rivers, towns, mountains and roads. They work together to create a travel brochure of the area.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Trail System

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students research a trail system. They create a display board of the trail system, generate a map of the trail system, and develop a commercial advertising of the trail system. They design a display board featuring facts about the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Cities of the Middle East

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars explore the cities of Cairo, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Mecca and Tehran.  In this Middle East lesson plan, students complete a map, research one of the five the cities and prepare a presentation that includes details about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Nile: A Gift to Egypt

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders discover the Egyptian culture. In this Nile River instructional activity, 6th graders examine why the river is so important to Egypt.Students study the religions, geography and the people of Egypt. Students create an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Africa: Names and Nations of Note

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore Africa. In this global studies instructional activity, students research the history of African nations, noting the impact of European colonization and other historical events. High schoolers design posters about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapwork: A Place In the News

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students determine how to find geographic information about places they read about in the news. In this geography lesson, students look at political and physical maps to determine the difference. They access maps online to find the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The High and the Flighty

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students study women aviators and act out a talk show-style interview with one of them. They plot Amelia Earhart's flights on a map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World is Mr. Fultz?

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students use maps and other geographic resources to learn about their world while problem solving. They read clues each day and use classroom resources to narrow down where the prize is located.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bushy Run: A Decisive Battle of Pontiac's Rebellion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study the battle at Bushy Run. In this Pontiac's Rebellion lesson, students examine an 1765 map of the Bushy Run battle as well as letters and a modern topographic map of the area in order to simulate the event and research how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In Search of Truce

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the relationship between a country's political and social history and its position today. They study 8 African countries immersed in the present conflict in Congo. They present their findings.
Lesson Plan
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Countries of South America

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers focus on the geography of the countries of South America. Using a map, they identify the European countries who claimed the South American countries and research the influences they had on South America. To end the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World War I

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the condition of the world from 1880 until the start of World War I. After watching a PowerPoint presentation, they discuss the causes and effects of the war and complete a study guide with a partner. To end the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Conquest of the Aztec Civilization

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use the classroom atlases, the Internet or textbooks to draw a freehand map. They work in groups using the maps in the book The Broken Spears (Portilla) and The Conquest of New Spain (Diaz) to draw a freehand map identifying...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Day-to-Day Life in a Small African Village

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students experience just a bit of what it's like living in a village in Tanzania-from language to geography to health and hygiene issues. They compare aspects of school and home life in the United States with those in Tanzania and...
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Brrrr! Expeditions to the North and South Poles

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars examine the first successful explorations of the North and South Poles, through a study of the four men who accomplished them. They present the fruits of their research on posters, or with PowerPoint presentations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars read about and discuss the fifty-three recommended travel destinations for 2008 from the Travel section of The New York Times. They list three places they would each like to visit, read and discuss the news article, and...