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Colonial Vacation Planner
Looking for a good lesson on the Colonial Period for your upper-elementary class? Then, this lesson is for you! They use website designs, U.S. travel publications, and maps to plan a family vacation to states which were part of the...
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Where Did My Lunch Come From? A U.S. Regional Tour
Learners explore the regions from which their food comes. In this social studies lesson, students identify the different agricultural products that are found in the major regions of the United States. Learners create a lunch menu.
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My Summer Vacation
Learners study the United States geography using Google Earth. In this U.S. geography lesson, students create travel journals about five U.S. geographical locations. Learners research the human and physical characteristics for each region.
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Making a Travel Folder
Young scholars explore the United States. In this U.S. geography and expository writing lesson, students select a place in the United States to research. Young scholars take notes and create a travel "folder," or brochure, using...
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Kansas Crops: From Seeds to Food
First graders explore U.S. geography by researching food production. In this agriculture lesson plan, 1st graders identify the process of crops from a seed to a plate and discuss the importance of farmers in the production of such crops....
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Culture Regions of the U.S.
Students identify the location of different cultural groups within the United States (agricultural, retirement, urban, etc.) They map these areas and analyze the correlation between the landscape of a given region and the type of...
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Immigration: Marijana's Story
Second graders explore world geography by researching U.S. history. In this immigration lesson, 2nd graders read the book Marijana's Story and discuss the main character, her goals, and the plot. Students complete a worksheet about U.S....
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Know Your Area
Students investigate transit by analyzing their school surroundings. In this local geography lesson, students identify their school in relation to the rest of their state, country and globe. Students discuss their personal travel habits...
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Geography: Intro to Canada
Students investigate the geography of Canada by analyzing a map of the country. In this North American geography lesson, students identify the 13 provinces of Canada and their locations by examining a Canadian map. Students...
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How did Geography Affect the Economy of the Colonies
Eighth graders examine the impact of geography on a region. In this geography lesson, 8th graders study the themes of geography. Students write an open response to a question.
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Defining moments from the past with lessons for a post-9/11 world...
Learners examine extension ideas concerning 9/11, Defining Moments. They analyze a variety of Supreme Court cases, the U.S. Constitution, Mass Media Interpretations, Racism, Immigrant groups and U.S. geography. Many questions are asked...
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States and Capitals, Mountains and Rivers
Students identify geographical locations in the midwestern United States. In this geography lesson plan, students identify 12 states and capitals and geographical features in the region by using U.S. maps. Students use blank maps to fill...
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Images of the Parks
Students explore U.S. geography by completing a research project about the National Parks. In this scenery image analysis lesson, students identify the different national parks in our country and observe paintings and images by famous...
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Trading Traditions: Based on the American Samoa Quarter Reverse
Young scholars investigate U.S. Currency by researching American Samoa. In this monetary unit lesson, students define the reverse and obverse of a coin while completing a currency related worksheet. Young scholars identify...
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American Indian Homes in Kansas
First graders explore culture by researching U.S. history. For this American Indian lesson, 1st graders discuss the geography of Kansas and the different Native American tribes that inhabited the state and the types of homes they lived...
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Canadian Symbols
Students discover the ideals of Canada by analyzing its symbols. In this Canadian culture lesson, students identify the symbols that established the U.S. as its own nation and compare them to important Canadian symbols....
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Immigrants to Kansas: Why Did They Come
Students explore U.S. History by researching Kansas. In this immigration lesson, students discuss the benefits of immigrating to a state like Kansas in the 1800's while writing their thoughts and research in a reporter's notebook....
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Sense of Place: No River Too Wide-Bridges
Fifth graders discover the history of their hometown Des Moines River. In this U.S. Geography lesson students speak with Iowans that tell stories of the settlers and early villages near the Des Moines River. Students document...
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U.S. Possessions
Ninth graders research the United States acquisition of the Philippines and their fight for independence. They locate the Philippines on a map and brainstorm how its geography has benefits. They access the Internet and complete a student...
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Population Changes in U.S. Cities
Students investigate the changes in the population of major U.S. cities from 1920 to 2003. They write down as many U.S. cities as they can in one minute. Students discuss the top five cities on their lists and they disucss why there are...
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United States Map - Lesson 9
Students explore the concept of cardinal directions. In this geography lesson plan, students identify the compass rose on a large U. S. map and then discuss the cardinal directions.
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Race and Ethnicity in the United States
Students explore race and ethnicity as it is defined by the U. S. Census Bureau. They compare data from 1900, 1950, and 2000 and identify settlement patterns and changes in population. In groups, they map these changes and discuss...
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Study of States in the five U.S. Regions
Fourth graders identify the five regions and the states within them. They research a state from each of five regions, then they choose one of those states to do an extensive research report on following teacher guidelines. They work in...
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Our States, My State
Here is a very nice instructional activity on the shape of the United States, and the shapes of the individual states for your young geographers. They utilize worksheets embedded in the plan to color in a variety of states and to become...