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The Conquest of the Aztec Civilization
Students use the classroom atlases, the Internet or textbooks to draw a freehand map. They work in groups using the maps in the book The Broken Spears (Portilla) and The Conquest of New Spain (Diaz) to draw a freehand map identifying...
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A Town on the Move
Learners evaluate the moving of buildings, then read a news article about one town relocating building to save their economy. In this economics and current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with a...
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Landmarks of the Underground Railroad
Students explore Civil Rights by reading several books in class. In this Underground Railroad lesson, students discuss The Story of Henry Box Brown and identify the location and functionality of the Underground Railroad. Students answer...
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Robin Hood
Fourth graders read and analyze the novel, Robin Hood. They create a vocabulary word map, complete a Venn diagram comparing Robin Hood and Little John, act out a chapter, create a wedding announcement, and write a new epitaph for Robin...
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Letters from Rifka
Fourth graders read Letters from Rifka and discuss the feelings of people forced to leave their homes and countries. In this migration instructional activity, 4th graders relate their feelings about moving from their home forever....
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"Postcard From Bear"
Learners complete various activities related to the book "Postcard From Bear." They participate in a shared reading activity, identify the locations in the book on a map, and write a postcard to the bear in the story.
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Students Slide to School on Air-Powered Sled
Students locate the Great Lakes on a US map, then read a news article about a sled being used as a wintertime school bus in Wisconsin. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary activity,...
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Kindness Just Because
Students analyze an African folktale. In this literature lesson, students read the story "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters" by John Steptoe and analyze the acts of kindness in the story. Students identify the setting of the story and find...
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Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
Third graders access prior knowledge of the monarch butterfly and discuss what they would like to know. In this Monarch Butterfly lesson,students read Monarch Butterfly and discuss the life cycle of the butterfly. Students gather...
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Number the Stars, Lesson 3
Students consider how an author creates a feeling of suspense in a reader's mind. They analyze characters in the story. Students make a character map for Peter. They discuss how suspense unfolds in the novel Number the Stars.
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Making Sense Of A Round World On A Flat Surface
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the development of geography skills. They take part in a number of activities that center around finding and traveling to different locations. The lesson has resource links that can be...
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The Cleverest Thief
Students practice their reading comprehension while listening to a classic folktale from India. In this cultural storytelling lesson, students read the book The Cleverest Thief and complete word identification worksheets based on...
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Genetic Mind Reader Review Game
Students review some important concepts and terms relevant to the Human Genome Project and genetic research. The game is played like a mind reading session between two teams.
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Look! You're Wearing Geography
Sixth graders explore economic systems. In this economics lesson, 6th graders discover global markets. Students work in small groups to identify where their clothing and materials originated. Students locate countries on a map and...
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Making the Invisible Visible
Students evaluate the various ways in which cyberspace is beginning to be mapped by geographers, cartographers, artists, and scientists and use their understanding of the information these new maps can convey to create their own maps of...
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Quad Squad
Students pretend they have visited a forest research station on an overnight field trip. They study forest fires, use compass directions, read maps, interpret imagery, and think about the impact of fire on ecosystems.
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The Clever Monkey Rides Again
Students explore a West African folktale. In this folktale lesson, students read the book The Clever Monkey Rides Again and discuss the trickster characters from the tale. Students participate in a discussion about the folktale and...
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Infrared-Hot
Students describe how the sun heats the Earth, explain the nature of infrared light, explain how thunderstorms are formed and use infrared maps to predict severe weather.
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Somewhere in the Middle
Young scholars investigate the cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon in August of 2006. The geographic region known as the Middle East is examined and maps created with information on border and territory disputes.
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Mending the Rift
Students determine what factors identify a country's political borders. After reading an article, they investigate questions surrounding the Great Rift Valley. On a map, they trace the valley from Asia through Africa and research the...
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Tracking Pollution - A Hazardous Whodunit
Students read a story problem about the issue of hazardous waste and pollution in a fictional town. In groups, they create a topographical map and predict how the water might flow and determine the place of contamination. To end the...
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Endangered Species: Not Only Animals
Students research endangered animals and plants. In this biology instructional activity, students are read Will We Miss Them? Endangered Species by Alexandra Wright before they begin searching for information to complete an...
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The Treaty Trail: US Indian Treaty Councils in the Northwest
Students research and examine primary sources concerning the Washington Territory. In this Native American removal lesson, students view portrait images created by Gustav Sohon. Students then read several biographies that correspond to...
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Geography of China (Tibet): Dalai Lama Day Three of Five
Sixth graders research another culture. In this geography and culture lesson, 6th graders read about the geography of Tibet, compare the United States and Tibet, use various resources to research information about Tibet and discuss...