Curated OER
A Walk In Someone Else's Shoes
Seventh graders create a PowerPoint presentation documenting their research on the plight of the less fortunate. Using internet research and sources, they gather information about their topic and use the provided template to create...
National First Ladies' Library
Science: The Purloined Letter
Students examine Edgar Allan Poe's "the Purloined Letter" from the perspective of a profiler. To sharpen search procedures, they examine the text and make lists of items and places in the house that were searched. Then students discuss...
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Suffering and Sunset: An African American Artist's Impression of World War I
Students study paintings by a Pennsylvania artist, Horace Pippin, to explore African-American contributions in World War I. They create presentations based on their impressions of the artwork.
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ETHICAL USE OF THE INTERNET
Students investigate the use of the internet and how it should be used by students. The concepts of intellectual property and fair usage are covered. The author of resources is found by them through practice with finding small print...
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A Little Reminder to Take With You
Students use information already gathered on a specific public health issue to create a public service message in the form of a bookmark. They consult multiple sources to compile sufficient information to create the public service...
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Historians Interpret Sources
Students read excerpts from the historian Conover Hunt writing about John F. Kennedy and from primary source documents using the handout: Historical Sources and Historians. Students discuss and identify source types, evaluate sources,...
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Sources of Information
Students review information from a previous lesson about JFK and his assassination. As a class, they identify sources they believe historians use and describe the difference between a primary and secondary source. In groups, they...
National First Ladies' Library
Rock the Vote! But When?
Middle schoolers research and examine about voting turnouts in the United States and around the world. They assess about various aspects of the so-called "youth vote," and have an opportunity to consider the meaning of the vote in a...
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Patchtowns: Big Industry, Little Towns
Young scholars explore what it was like to live in a coal mining town. In this history lesson plan, students discuss specific details about the lives of coal company workers and their families.
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Row, Tow, Pull Your Boat
Third graders use previous knowledge and research to analyze and solve a scenario relating to the use of simple machines and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They present their findings to the class in oral presentations.
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Oh, Give Them a Home!
Fourth graders study the habitat of the American bison and its role in the life of the Native Americans. They investigate how the bison effect the Lewis and Clark expedition.
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Birdland: Weather Report
Students compare and contrast the Weather Report jazz recording, Birdland, with other songs they have reviewed. They write in their journals how they think charlie Parker might have reacted to the song.
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Oregon Forest Management Policy Decision Making
Fifth graders explore forest lands in Oregon and how the population affects forest management. They discuss benefits of retaining forests and logging. Given a mini-biography, 5th graders role play the forest management policies and...
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Research as a Historian, as an Artist
Students work together to research one area of history that is of an interest to them. Using primary sources, they examine photographs and disuss what they already know about the topic. They present their images and information to the...
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Like Comparing Bison and Fish
Fourth graders examine the cultures of early American Indians in North America and how geographic characteristics impacted the development of American Indian cultures. Students discuss Lewis and Clark, their journey, the Plains Indians,...
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Language Arts: How Can Research Shape Ideas?
Students are able to characterize arsenic and determine its potential health threats in writing. They are able to compare and contrast arsenic to other water pollutants using Venn diagrams. Students are able to demonstrate essay skills...
Curated OER
There's a Hurricane Out There
Students use information technology to conduct research. They become hurricane hunters and predict where, when, and under which conditions a hurricane will be likely to hit.
National First Ladies' Library
States' Rights: 1798-1860
Students develop an annotated timeline specific to the concept of States' Rights. They research an example to the doctrine noting how the ideas change and beome more specific as time passes and discuss their findings through class...
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Social Studies: How Much Postage?
Students discover the reasons behind the increase cost of mail postage. Visiting provided Websites, they investigate the history of stamps and how rates became based on weight. To conclude, students brainstorm reasons for the continuous...
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Something Fishy
Students identify and discuss the adaptive characteristics and behaviors of fish. They view slides of fish, and design and create a model of a fish of the future, listing the ways their fish adapt to survive.
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Steamers Lesson 1: Background Information
Students discover the use of steamboats in North Carolina. After reading background information, they take notes on their reading and participate in a class discussion. They complete a KWL chart and share what they have gathered in small...
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Tools For Discussing Haring's Work
Students examine artwork by Keith Haring and discuss his drawing techniques and process. They write a group story as an interpretation of one of Keith Haring's drawings, and create their own posters.
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Roughing It in the Backwoods
Students discuss the differences between living during the mid-19th century and today and then debate which would be better.
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Biomes
Eighth graders use the Internet to research biomes and how animals adapt. They describe habitat's features and factors that are unique to the biome they are researching. They also participate in activities.