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Dough Lake Topology
Students practice coordinates and measurements, develop 2D, 3D topological map, construct grid with string on real surface, establish "level" fixed point for measurements, take and record data points of elevation, and enter data on...
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The Dynamic Earth
Students use the Internet to investigate earthquakes and plate tectonics. In this plate tectonics instructional activity, students complete a web quest with multiple links and activity types relating to earthquakes and volcanoes. They...
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Volcanoes
Second graders review the characteristics and aspects of volcanoes. Using this information, they write a creative story and draw illustrations to accompany the words. They use geographical terms to describe a location and the physical...
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GPS Art
Students design their own logo or picture and use a handheld GPS receiver to map it out. They write out a word or graphic on a field or playground, walk the path, and log GPS data. The results display their "art" on their GPS receiver...
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Estimating Distances
Young scholars investigate distance measurement. In this middle school mathematics activity, students find the average length of their pace and use their pace to measure various unknown distances in feet and miles. Young...
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This Land is Your Land - Delaware
Learners determine how land was divided and marked for boundaries in the early days of settlement in Delaware. Students mark out land on the playground according to the methods used by the early settlers. Learners write a description of...
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Medieval Castles
Second graders design a scale model of a medieval castle and its surroundings including the following items: castle, moat, bailey, drawbridge, turrets, dungeon, grounds, and outer walls. A perfect lesson for those kids who are fascinated...
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Plant Life of the Rainforest
Young scholars study pictures of tropical rainforests and discuss its stratified character. Students then work with a partner to make a scale drawing of the rainforest strata.
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Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake
Learners examine the frequency of earthquakes in Illinois. They discover the distribution of earthquakes in the Midwest. They also practice reading measurements from the Richter scale and Mercalli Intensity scale.
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Finding an Earthquake's Epicenter
Students examine the process used to identify the epicenter of an earthquake. They identify the Richter scale and interpret a seismograph reading. They also view photographs of the aftermath of earthquakes.
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Science: Draining the Land - the Mississippi River
Students use topographic maps to identify parts of rivers. In addition, they discover gradient and predict changes in the channels caused by variations in water flow. Other activities include sketching a river model with a new channel...
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Globe Lesson- The Revolutionary War
Students discover using globes. In this geography lesson, students use a globe to outline the original 13 colonies. Students also use a globe to measure the distance from London to New York City and determine how many days it would have...
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Searching the Attic
Students conduct field research, including the use of a grid system, in order to discover important or interesting family artifacts.They map discoveries of important artifacts on a grid map in order to track and better analyze...
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Measuring Distance and Area in Satellite Images (College Level)
Students are able to download, install, and use Image J image analysis software to quantify change over time in satellite images. They access and download satellite images for specific locations and times. Students set a scale (spatial...
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Field Trip - San Francisco Bay Model
Students investigate scale models while attending a field trip within the San Francisco Bay Area. In this oceanography lesson, students identify the currents of the Bay Area and discuss how they are created by different tides....
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Charles Lindberghs's Flight to Paris
Young scholars practice map skills. In this map skills instructional activity, students locate the cities of New York and Paris on a map. Young scholars read about the flight made by Charles Lindbergh in May 1927 from New York to Paris....
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In a Galaxy Far, Far, Far Away
Sixth graders compare distances between objects in the solar system. They investigate how light years are measured and when using them to measure how distances compare with one another. They write an essay exploring the possibility of...
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World Cities and the Olympics
High schoolers examine the various cities in which Olympics have been held. Using a map, they describe the reasons why those cities were chosen and choose their own city for the Olympics and state the reasons why. They examine...
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Outlandish Landforms
Seventh graders examine landforms. In this world Geography lesson plan, 7th graders research and create a physical model of a chosen landform. They then draw a 2-d paper map of that model.
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The Middle Ages
Students read books about the Middle Ages. They discuss characteristics of the Middle Ages. In groups, students construct a castle and draw a map to scale. Pupils create a Venn diagram comparing rules in different countries in the...
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Striking Zone
Students review the states and their capitols. On the teachers signal, each student use their hand or a paddle to strike the ball in different ways towards the wall. When the ball hits a state, students recite the capitol of that state.
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The Best Birthday Present Ever
Students view a PBS "In the Mix" video about smoking and identify cigarette ingredients, the physical effects of smoking and techniques used in tobacco advertising. They compose a letter persuading someone to quit smoking.
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Earth Science: In Depth Look at Earthquakes
Students engage in an interactive Internet lesson covering the reasons and results of earthquakes. After reading eyewitness accounts and viewing animations, they use seismograms to measure and locate the epicenters. In an ongoing study,...
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Guide Me "Home"
Students find how freedom quilts helped free slaves. In this American History lesson, students read the story Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt and discuss the Underground Railroad. They use their map skills to locate...