Using the Balkan region as an example, fourth graders review the five themes of geography as a class. They identify the physical and human characteristics of a region before labeling the countries and landforms on a map. They then...

Give your learners a thorough overview of what they will learn when studying geography, from the five themes of geography (location, place, environment, movement, and regions) to the tools of a geographer and parts of a map.

Julie Otsuka's haunting novel, When the Emperor Was Devine, is the subject of a 14-page teacher's guide. The guide includes the text of an interview with Otsuka, background information about Japanese immigration to the United States, and...

Students discover the people of Mongolia. In this social studies lesson, students look at the Mongolian nomadic culture by reading a letter written by a member of the Peace Corps. They describe the different types of communities found in...

Young historians will explore the complex causes and effects of industrialization in China by perusing the numerous articles included in this webpage. Throughout the resource, there are many writing and discussion prompts to help direct...

Scholars become STAR deputies in a lesson that encourages them to be problem-solvers. Small groups gather to complete a worksheet by answering questions. A discussion presents a scenario in which a problem occurs on the playground. Small...

As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War...

Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the skill of unit planning. They practice developing multiple lesson plans based upon one unifying theme that becomes the unit. They practice a Jeopardy Game lesson plan to model the...

Third graders create Powerpoint presentations about the five themes of geography in regions of the United States. They focus on the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions. Students use both pictures and words in their shows.

Pupils explore the individual's role in society. In this social responsibility activity, students analyze Camus's The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus as well as Borges's "Rosendo's Tale." Pupils compare the themes of the pieces to the...

Students explore the five themes of geography: place, region, interaction, location and movement. They create a Powerpoint presentation with separate slides for each of the themes.

Students create playground maps and identify means of using these maps to enhance social studies learning of elementary students. They develop elementary-level interdisciplinary unit plans using social studies content for the primary...

Students study the United States flag. For this American history and government lesson, students define and give examples of familiar symbols.  Students design a classroom flag.  Students identify and describe the American flag.

Jazz and the City, Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement, Jazz and Gender, Jazz and Literature, Jazz and the Arts, Jazz and Film. Here's a packet of unit plans organized around themes that reflect American culture. Each unit examines how...

Baseball great Jackie Robinson fought for social justice. His efforts to push for equal access are detailed in an episode from from the Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection. After viewing the clip, class members engage in a...

What a great resource to share! Based on the book Lost Names by Richard Kim, this valuable lesson focuses on the Japanese occupation of Korea during WWII. Additionally, it employs first-person journaling as a mode of understanding themes...

A gold mine for American history teachers, this presentation cascades through the middle of the 19th century with the central themes of moral and social reform. Between the blossoming Mormon church, the tightening of the Temperance...

Moving to a new country isn't easy, as Shirley Temple Wong learns in In The Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord. A series of language arts activities carry readers through the novel, addressing the story's themes,...

If you have an interactive whiteboard and need a great activity to use during Harmony Day, look no further. Children can make a Harmony Day e-card, watch three different videos, explore a pinboard full of statistics and facts, or play...

What's the "deal" with the Civilian Conservation Corps? Primary sources help historians discover the impact of this landmark legislation. After an introductory slideshow and 7-minute video, groups analyze packets of images and a primary...

Strap on those backpacks, it's time to travel through history with this literature unit based on the first four books of The Magic Tree House series. While reading through these fun stories, children create story maps, record...

Twelfth graders discuss the creation of the United States, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Through a class debate, role-playing Federalists and Anti-federalists, they identify the reasons for and against ratification...

Students consider the plight of immigrant food industry workers in the United States. In this social justice lesson, students identify the pros and cons of being an undocumented worker in the U.S. and discuss labor laws.

After interviewing an immigrant about their voyage to the United States and first impressions of the country, young learners create a fictional series of journal entries and design an iMovie depicting their interviewee's story.