Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rocks Under Illinois

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The goal of this fine geology instructional activity is to have learners create a map that shows how the rock layers are arranged far underground where they can't be seen. The ambitious lesson plan requires high schoolers to learn the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students develop awareness of occurrences of earthquakes in Illinois and their past and potential future damage, and examine distribution of earthquakes in central U.S. regions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854: Popular Sovereignty and the Political Polarization over Slavery

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Why did Stephen Douglas support the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854? Why did Abraham Lincoln oppose it? Young historians examine how the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 affected the political balance between free and slave states and explore how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Progressive Era in Illinois

For Teachers 11th
High schoolers collect photographs on the Progressive Era in Illinois, then write three newspaper articles, using one photo per article. The article will highlight an event in Illinois during the Progressive Era. The newspaper must also...
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Perfect Postcards: Illinois

For Teachers 4th Standards
Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...
PPT
Curated OER

Populism & the Election of 1896

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Populism and the rise and fall of the Populist Party are the topics of this presentation, which details the Presidential Election of 1896 and the role of silver. Detailing main points with clever political cartoons and informative maps,...
Unit Plan
Federal Reserve Bank

Piggy Bank Primer: 25 Cents Worth of History

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
It's all about money. Here's a resource that introduces kids to the Federal Reserve System, different coins produced by the mints, and fun facts about state coins.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Illinois State Map

For Students 4th - 5th
In this Illinois geography worksheet, learners color and label a map of Illinois. Students study the location of the capital and where Illinois is situated in the United States. There is a black line map of the state with a grey US map...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 11: Illinois History 1800's Dual Timeline

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify and research key event in the history of Illinois during the 1800's and create a dramatic skit or oral report based on the event.
Interactive
Curated OER

States in the USA Quiz

For Students 4th - 9th
For this online interactive geography quiz worksheet, students respond to 50 identification questions about the states in the United States of America. Students have 4 minutes to complete the quiz.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Road Map for the Roman Empire, Ca. 250 CE

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students consider how empires are created and sustained, examine Peutinger Table as a whole and in detail as tool of empire for Rome, c. 250 CE, create ancient time-distance travel chart that synthesizes series of strip maps, and...
Unit Plan
ReadWriteThink

Biography Project: Research and Class Presentation

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
I Have A Dream ... that after the lesson, all individuals master the reading, writing, researching, listening, and speaking skills the biography project helps them develop. Martin Luther King, Jr. serves as a topic example for a model...
Interactive
American Battlefield Trust

Gettysburg Virtual Tour

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Step into one of the most iconic battlefields of the American Civil War with an educational interactive resource. Young historians learn about key moments, locations, soldiers, and turning points in the battle with a clickable map and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Do You Know Your 50 States?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Learners use the names and abbreviations of the 50 states to label a blank map of the United States.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Places We Live

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
With a wonderful bibliography to support this instructional activity on Illinois, President Lincoln, and rural vs. urban settings, this activity is a motivating experience. The instructional activity begins with pupils exploring books,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Journeys: Learn About Illinois

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the state of Illinois. They use maps and research the state of Illinois. Students track their trip through the state and they create a travel narrative of their journey. Students use maps to identify geographical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss information relating to Illinois geology. They examine top mineral resources in Illinois to find detailed information about geodes and where they can be found. Students complete geode lab to explore external structure of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquatic Exotics

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify and describe the aquatic exotic species found in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the species origins and discover their effects on native species in the area. They discuss how appropriate it is to introduce...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock River Watershed

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover what a watershed is and which one they live in. Using the internet, they research why watersheds are important to an ecosystem and how to keep them from getting polluted. They use a map to locate various items within a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Multiple Intelligences and The Illinois & Michigan Canal

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders engage in a wide variety of cross-curricular activities designed to give them a thorough understanding of the history of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. There are a very nice set of activities included in this plan!
Organizer
Curated OER

Illinois Outline Map

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this Illinois outline map worksheet, students examine political boundaries of the state and the placement its capital city as well as its major cities. This map is not labeled.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine the frequency of earthquakes in Illinois. They discover the distribution of earthquakes in the Midwest. They also practice reading measurements from the Richter scale and Mercalli Intensity scale.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Features - Lesson 2 - U.S. Political Map Grade 4-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students locate water features on maps. In this geography instructional activity, students complete worksheets that require them to identify water features on a U. S. political map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life of Lincoln

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars describe the social and political life of Abraham Lincoln with a focus on his contributions and how they changed the United States of America.