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Relationship between Potential and Kinetic Energy
Fifth graders explore the relationship between potential energy and kinetic energy. In this energy lesson, 5th graders examine objects and describe potential and kinetic energy of the objects. Students complete two worksheets.
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Natural Dyes From Plants
Students investigate how natural dyes from plants was an expression of Native American cultures. They examine objects dyed from natural sources, conduct Internet research, and create their own dyes using various plant sources.
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Keeping Us in Stitches Activity: Crazy-Quilt Collage Design
Students create collages using the irregular-shaped and sized pieces, decorative stitching, and applied or painted motifs that reflect the Crazy-Quilt style, and explain how and why their design fits into that style.
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Depression Era Art: The Federal Arts Project
Students research Depression-era art and WPA arts programs. They discuss the purposes of representational art, list topics that would make good representational art today, and produce a work of art representing a current theme.
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"Me and My Family Tree"
Students explore genealogy by reading a family history book in class. In this family tree lesson, students read the story Me and My Family Tree by Joan Sweeney and discuss their own family history. Students identify what the term...
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Problem Solving and the Sports Page
Fourth graders create and solve sports-related word problems.
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Contour Drawing Shells
Students develop skills in shading and create eye movement through the use of lights and darks. They show five principles of shading while drawing shells and bones.
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Exploring Magnetic Fields
Students explore the concept that magnets attract and repel items and exert a magnetic field that can vary in strength. They see evidence of the magnetic field of a small magnet. They see that there are forces on earth which cannot be seen.
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Object Graphs
Students identify geometric shapes, demonstrate construction of an object graph, compare sets of objects, estimate which student has the most geometric shapes in his or her bag, and play computer game Jump Start Kindergarten.
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The Media is the Lesson
Students work as a member of a creative team and develop a media campaign for a client.
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What's Civil About War?
Students study about the Civil War through primary sources used in the PBS production of "Freedom: A History of US" based on Joy Hakim's books, "A History of US", and the companion PBS Web site.
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Prehistoric Native American Lesson Plan: Make a Mississippian-style Gorget
Students create a Mississippian-style gorget using clay and a stylus to etch a design of a stylized spider.
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Don't Miss The Boat
Fourth graders study immigration and what it is like to be an immigrant. They choose immigrant identities, dress appropriately, and role play during an International Fair where each student displays some aspect of his/her "home country."
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Graphing the Annual Food Drive
Learners graph the number of items contributed to the food drive. They compare daily results to other days or to an overall goal and answer questions based on the graph.
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Truman Capote: Other Voices, Other Rooms
Students read and analyze Truman Capote's autobiographical short story, "A Christmas Memory." They discuss writing styles, conduct Internet research on Truman Capote, write a book review, and write a short story based on one of Truman...
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Highlights of Modern American Family Art and Literature
Students develop imagery in literary and art works. They discuss Jacob Lawrence's painting, the "Tombstones, 1942", which conveyed overcrowded tenements and families living in Harlem (New York, New York). They design picture stories...
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Early American Portraits: a Strategy for Learning About Artists and Their Works
Students study artworks from several different artists. They compare and contrast these works and examine the historical background of the artist and his or her times.
They develop the capacity to think critically and communicate their...
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Basic Introduction to Foundation of Life: Genes, Genetics and Genetic Diseases
Students are introduced to genetics along with genetic diseases and heredity. In groups, they complete a Punnett Square to determine the dominant and recessive genes. After viewing diagrams, they identify the characteristics of DNA and...
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Nonpoint Source Pollution in Long Island Sound
Students examine and identify the types of nonpoint pollution on Long Island Sound. In groups, they walk the shoreline, collect trash and identify its source. Using that information, they create a variety of graphs of the different...
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Thinking About Life in Geological Time Scales
Students create a large (classroom-sized) timeline showing the history of life on Earth for the last 5 billion years. They are able to identify the events that are relevant to their taxonomic projects (the Origins and important...
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The Freedom to Fight
High schoolers study the African American troop experiences in the Civil War. In this American history lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the experiences and contributions of African American soldiers who...
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It’s a Big, Big World
Students examine the role of the explorers. In this explorers and conquistadors, students create word puzzles (Wordles) regarding the time period in history. Students conduct research regarding a particular explorer and create foldables...
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Government by the People
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students examine primary documents regarding the founding of the United States. Students analyze section of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of...