Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spice Up Your Life

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify major spices found in the world. They link spices with countries they are grown in and the uses for these valuable items.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where is Everybody?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students collect data from different grade levels at their school and develop thematic maps which show population density, and determine how this might affect the school and themselves in the future.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the United States Are We?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students spend the lesson identifying the location of the fifty states and the capitals. Using a software program, they retrace te outline of each state numerous times. To end the lesson, they write a story about a state and city of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Iraq, Where's That?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify the Middle Eastern countries on the map and the oil-producing countries of OPEC in the region. They examine whether the presence of important producing oil fields qualifies as a characteristic of this region.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Forests: A Disappearing Act?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine and locate rainforests on maps, and research the patterns of their destruction. They develop a bar graph of rainfall and temperature data, write a journal entry, and research the people, animals, and plants/products of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

America Grows - Trailblazers Pave the Way

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students study the time period after the Revolutionary War when people were striving to move away from the coastal areas and look for pathways to the west. Westerward expansion is a central theme and students use a variety of resources...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planning A Vacation Online

For Teachers 4th - 6th
If you could travel anywhere in the United States, where would you go? Use this question to interest your fourth, fifth, and sixth graders as they experiment with Mapquest or other direction-based resources. They choose where they'd like...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spanish Colonials Encounter Quechan Culture

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use primary sources from the de Anza expedition of the 1770's to research colonial encounters with the Quechan people from Yuma Crossing, Arizona.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Maps

For Teachers 1st
First graders look at their classroom or school setting. They use positional word to describe where things are located in the school. Students discuss a map and why they are important. They read the story "Taylor's New School" and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 2: Mapping With Words

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students demonstrate an understanding of the personal relationship that Wabanaki peoples had with the land by analyzing selected Wabanaki place names. They practice map-reading and map-making skills.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Globe Raider: Part I

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners research a Spanish speaking countries using the Internet and other appropriate resources. They work in groups to complete a computer based treasure hunt before completing a Globe Raiders worksheet. They use the research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using My Nasa Data To Determine Volcanic Activity

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners use NASA satellite data of optical depth as a tool to determine volcanic activity on Reunion Island during 2000-2001. They access the data and utilize Excel to create a graph that has optical depth as a function of time for the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World War? Mapping WWII in the Pacific

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students study the geography of the Pacific theater of World War II. They study maps to examine the geography and features of the land.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Breaking News English: Map Shows Chinese Discovered America

For Students 5th - 10th
In this English instructional activity, students read "Map Shows Chinese Discovered America," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Where in the World is my School?"

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students learn new vocabulary and discuss what GPS is and does. They locate their school using the equipment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Snow Cover By Latitude

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create graphs comparing the amount of snow cover along selected latitudes using data sets from a NASA website. They create a spreadsheet and a bar graph on the computer, and analyze the data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Latitude and Longitude: Geography and Geometry!

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders use latitude and longitude coordinates to pinpoint an exact location on the map. For this geography lesson, 2nd graders utilize handouts from the Maritime Museum in order to gain practice in finding locations throughout...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Time Is It? (Latitude and Longitude)

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students practice latitude and longitude by identifying locations by degrees, use meanings of a.m. and p.m. appropriately, become familiar with 24-hour (universal) clock, and calculate time at different degrees longitude.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shadow Trackers

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students use online websites to inquire about the cycle of day and night. In this web based lesson, students are able to see the movement of the sun and Earth. Students can look at different parts of the Earth as if they were on the Sun...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Two Reasons for the Four Seasons

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore the reasons for the seasons. In this season instructional activity,students use flashlights to demonstrate the movement of the Earth and how it influences the seasons. Students label pictures and discuss what would...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ireland: the Emerald Isle

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders complete a unit of study that examines several perspectives of Ireland. They explore how climate shapes Irish culture, reference historical and political maps, compute exchange values for Irish money, complete worksheets,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Around the World in 5 Days

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore continents, draw map, discuss cultures, use research to learn geography, and investigate cultures.
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Continental Differences

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Students break into groups and closely investigate primary sources associated with the seven different continents. After deciding which continent their primary sources relate to, representatives from each group present their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japan

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate the similarities and differences between Japan and the United States. They develop a KWL chart, locate Japan and the U.S. on a globe, conduct Internet research on life in Japan, conduct an interview, and create...