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Connection to the Past
Students learn basic interviewing and biography writing skills. They first identify a senior citizen in their community who remembers the Great Depression.
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The Key To Classifying Animals
Explorers of the environment construct a dichotomous key for a variety of organisms and design a key to classify Galapagos animals based on descriptions and images. The lesson includes a link to an animal gallery and the worksheet for...
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The Many Shades of Our World
Students discover diversity. In this civil rights lesson, students consider that skin color is unique and that diversity is common in the world as they complete artwork that reflects the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Chocolate Chipping Away at the Rock Cycle
Eighth graders identify the different types of rocks. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders compare and contrast rocks and chocolate cookies. They explain how materials are recycled beneath the Earth.
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World in the Balance
Students make estimates on how many people they believe live on Earth. While watching a video, they take notes on the issues facing Kenya, Japan and India. In groups, they calculate how long it takes for a country to double in size. To...
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Cruzin' to the Arctic
Learners, in groups, study life in the Arctic Region and connect their own life experiences to the experiences of students in the Arctic.
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The Ancient Mediterranean: Trade, Contact, and Cultural Diffusion
Ninth graders begin the lesson by being introduced to the basic terms of economics. In groups, they discover how they are affected by trade because of the clothes they wear and foods they eat. Using primary sources, they examine the...
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The Oregon Trail
Students use maps and diagrams to examine the Oregon Trail. In groups, they create their own poster of the trail showing the different types of artifacts found along the way. To end the lesson, they identify the sources of water and...
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Water in the Air?
In this science worksheet, students collaborate as a group of 4 to conduct a science investigation about the water cycle. Students read about the specific job responsibilities for each team member and record their findings on this sheet.
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Measuring the Heat Energy of a Chemical Change
Students investigate the Law of Conservation of Energy and the relationship between heat and temperature. In this heat energy and chemical changes activity, students observe a candle heating a paper cup of water and make predictions...
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The Wild, Wild West, or Was It?
Fifth graders explore the American West. For this Westward Expansion lesson, 5th graders examine the opportunities that the West offered American pioneers. Students watch a montage video and analyze primary documents regarding the...
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La Salle and the Fur Trade
Fourth graders examine the fur trade of the 1700's. In this explorers lesson, 4th graders discuss how the French explorers traded items with the Native Americans for fur. They look at the explorer La Salle and how he influenced the fur...
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The Open Ocean, What is it and How Does it Change?
Students investigate the ocean environment. In this ocean lesson, students discover the physical properties of the ocean. Over two days, students work in small groups investigating ocean maps and creating water currents.
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Feeding in the Flow
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a tremendous library of ocean-themed lessons that can be used in a variety of science settings. "Feeding in the Flow" is one of those activities; Its focus is on...
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Little Bees, Big Potential
After reading an article on the alfalfa leafcutting bee, learners chart its characteristics alongside those of the honeybee. Then they draw the leafcutter lifecycle. The article provides fascinating reading when studying the role of...
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Week 8 - Sea Life
Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to...
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The House That Drugs Built
Students evaluate the long and short term effects of substance abuse on the individual, family, and society. The lesson includes numerous instructional and learning strategies such as role-playing, discussion, research, demonstrations,...
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"Cereal" Comic Strip
Young scholars discuss how wheat is important to our everyday lives, from food to insulation, focusing on how wheat grains are processed into food items. Students then create a comic strip of the steps of processing grain to demonstrate...
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Fill The Bill
Students identify and describe five different types of beaks. Using that information, they explain how each of them is adapted to feed on different foods. In groups, they travel around the room to various stations in order to practice...
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Marine Ecosystems
Students identify producers and consumers and construct a food chain from four marine ecosystems. They describe the delicate balance among organisms in each environment. In groups, students discuss the human activities that upset the...
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Watering Our Prairie Farms
After reading an article about irrigation on Canadian farms, learners participate in a discussion. They individually write an opinion paper about the surrounding issues. A lesson like this can be used in an earth science class when...
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Mixing Colors with Corn Syrup and Food Coloring
Anyone who has worked with small children know that color identification and color mixing can be fun! This simple idea has a lot of potential. It suggests to mix food coloring with corn syrup to provide an opportunity for color mixing...
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Internet Scavenger Hunt
Students use a computer and the internet to click on highlighted words to find certain answers. They then write the answer to the questions on paper. Finally, students choose one animal to write about. They research the animal on the...
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The Koala Life Cycle
Students ask and answer questions about the koala life cycle while visiting the zoo. In this koala lesson plan, students review mammal characteristics, read books about koalas, and answer questions about koalas while at the zoo.