Curated OER
US Geography: The Midwest
Students investigate the geography and agricultural products of the Midwestern United States. In this US geography instructional activity, students watch and discuss a video that depicts the Midwest of the US as the breadbasket of the...
Curated OER
California's Golden History: 1848-1880
Using a variety of online resources, learners study life and society in California during the gold rush. They use a map to identify area where gold was located, explore pre-selected websites, describe mining practices, and create an...
Curated OER
California Geography
Fourth graders explore geography of four distinct regions of California: mountains, coast, central valley, and desert. They locate California on map, identify state's boundaries and borders, and explore agriculture, a major economic...
Curated OER
Where in California is Amelia?
Students find Amelia somewhere in California. In this geography lesson plan, students learn about the regions of the state where different crops grow and see how they are produced with the help of many families like Amelia’s
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The 50 States and its Holidays
Though the format of this ELL lesson is confusing (the standards listed are for plate tectonics, yet the objectives are for American geography and holidays), a teacher could glean some ideas from the main idea. Here, pupils complete a...
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Your Mission: The Last Mission
Fourth graders develop a research report to determine the best location for the final California mission. They conduct Internet research, create charts and diagrams, and develop a presentation.
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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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Ocean Life Mural
How many oceans can you name? First, have learners try to name as many oceans as they can, and then have them locate and identify the oceans on a world map. They create a recognizable ocean animal using poster board and tissue paper....
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Maps and Homelands
You are never too young to learn about maps. To better understand the concept of a homeland, learners work together to construct a map of their local area out of paper puzzle pieces. They'll put the maps together and then add details by...
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"Go West, Young Man!"
Students examine reasons why people migrated west. They describe how the geography of the U.S. changed in the 19 th century and design a PowerPoint presentation to convey factors for westward expansion.
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The Great Depression and Everyday Life
Examine everyday life during the Great Depression, as well as the effects if the Depression on American population, society, and economy. Learners write who, what, where, when, and why summaries of a person who relocated to California...
Museum of Tolerance
Disenfranchised People of the New Nation
Why are some immigrant groups in the United States embraced while others become disenfranchised? To answer this question, teams investigate why groups emigrated to the US, why some of these these peoples were...
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The Environments of Big Sur:Which Do We Protect?
Students examine the California environments. In this environmental lesson, students examine the various ecosystems of California, creating a presentation on how these environments impact Big Sur. They write a paper defending their point...
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Shasta Dam: How High is Too High?
Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...
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ESRI Live Earthquake Site
Students examine a World map and find earthquakes near plate boundaries. They locate and describe earthquakes in the United States and California.
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Mapping Mistakes
Young scholars examine early European maps and explore geographic errors. They also view maps of the geography of North America. Students discuss the obstacles faced by early explorers in mapping unexplored territory. They consider what...
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History Detectives
Fifth graders investigate the significant events in America's history. Students listen to a variety of books based on significant historical events in America. Students divide into 6 groups, each of which is responsible for researching...
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Making A New Nation
Eighth graders read standard road maps and topographical maps, and examine the lives of pathfinders who opened the trails to the West. They develop Living History presentations, role-playing a character from the past.
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Not Just Another Native American Lesson
Second graders focus on Native Americans through hands-on crafts. They also study various Native American tales and legends, geography, and fine arts of the different regions.
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Where Does It Come from?
Students read articles about various agricultural products and create a map using the statistics in the article. In this agricultural statistics lesson, students look at the geography of the country and which products come from the...
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Water Features - Lesson 2 - U.S. Political Map Grade 4-5
Students locate water features on maps. In this geography lesson, students complete worksheets that require them to identify water features on a U. S. political map.
Curated OER
University of California Botanical Garden Field Trip
Students explore plant species and the climates and conditions in their environment. They explore this living museum on the Garden's thirty-four acres to encounter over 13,000 plant species from around the globe.
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Extreme Elevations
Seventh graders use highest and lowest points of land elevation around the world to find the differences. Sea level is zero, so students be operating with positive and negative numbers. After students find the information on the...
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Spanish Colonization: The Anza Expedition
Students research the Spanish explorations and North American geography. They create web pages based on their study.