Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Treasure Chest
Students explore Chicago in the fur-trading era. In this Chicago lesson, students discover what life what like during this time. Students read an historical fiction story about life in the fur-trade era. Students view replicas of...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Pumpkins... Not Just For Halloween
Celebrate fall with four pumpkin themed hands-on activities! After learning about pumpkins, scholars complete two activity sheets that reinforce estimation and word problems. They then plant pumpkin seeds and bake a pie in...
Curated OER
Taming Wild Land
Third graders consider the habitat needs of living things and how extensive farming in an area can affect the plants and animals of a region. They participate in a simulation to show how changing the habitat in one area can greatly...
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South Asian Architecture
Seventh graders review and discuss architecture from South Asia. They then study images of various buildings from North Africa/Southwest Asia, and make comparisons
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A Home for a Cricket
First graders build a habitat for crickets after studying animal survival needs. They care for and observe the crickets in the classroom habitat.
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Scattered Square Dance
Take a good, square look at this introductory square dancing lesson. Each square dance move has what is termed a "call." Teach some beginning calls to your young dancers. They can be scattered around so that their focus is on learning...
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Foods
Students identify what types of items are grown on a farm. They discuss how those items are processed and turned into food they everyday. They are to write a paragraph using transition words.
Curated OER
Prairie Predator and Prey
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of animals that live on the prairie, and classify them as predators and prey. They conduct interviews where they ask the animals what they need to look out for to sustain life on the prairie.
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Alphabet Vocabulary
Third graders explore the biodiversity that exist on the prairie. Through reading or listening to books, they keep track of vocabulary words associated with the prairie on an 'Alphabet Poster'.
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Costa Rican Food Chain
Discuss the animals and plants in the rainforest food chain using this lesson. Learners talk about and do research on the top predators from the Costa Rican region and create a model of one of them in class. They also make a visual model...
Curated OER
Sedimentary Rocks
Students discover how sedimentary rocks form. They identify different examples of sedimentary rocks. They also discover what types of rocks are in Illinois soil.
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Igneous Rocks
Young scholars perform experiments in which they grow crystals. They draw pictures of where each type of rock originates from. They also identify igneous rocks by using a chart.
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Track Your Trip
Fourth graders are shown how to read a map and identify key cities, landmarks, rivers, state boundaries, and train routes. They solve basic mathematical problems. Students reivew the componets of a map legend. They are asked to find...
Curated OER
Public Policy Analysis
Students read an article about a pressing public policy issue. Using the text, they identify the themes, facts and ideas presented and develop an argument supporting or disagreeing with the position of the author. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Measuring a Mummy Case
Students calculate the size of a mummy case and its contents using ancient Egyptian measurements.
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Underwater Excavation
Young scholars calculate artifact size and ship capacity based on the excavation of an ancient Roman shipwreck.
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Ancient Recipes
Students explore how foods and their preparation differ over time and from culture to culture. An ancient recipe for the preparation of goat, found by archaeologists, is examined and discussed by the students.
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Fire and Fire Suppression
Students explore forest fires and forest service's new stategies. They study a case of natural burn and the impact of lowering the intensity of a larger forest fire.
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Nationalism and Immigration
Young scholars use the internet to research how immigration patterns changed after 1880. Using this information, they create a pie chart to organize it effectively and discuss how immigration changed Europe and the United States. They...
Curated OER
Colonial Settlement and Environmental Problems
Young scholars work together to develop a chart showing the relationship between the settlement of the United States and environmental problems. Using this information, they identify the human activities responsible for damaging the...
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Missouri's Early Slave Laws: Missouri's Early Slave Laws:
Young scholars analyze and discuss various documents relating to slavery in Missouri in the 1830's and 1840's. They learn why some records are deemed to be of permanent, historical value to the state.
Curated OER
Possible Locations
Middle schoolers create maps with cutout pieces of paper that represent caverns. They develop a scale for their map and decide where the best location is to live. They discover the importance of map reading skills.
Curated OER
Good Judgement and Honesty
Seventh graders write about the importance of honesty. In this character education lesson, 7th graders reflect about the value of honesty and following the rules. This lesson is part of a larger unit on honesty.