Curated OER
From Home to School, GPS Style
Students are introduced and increase proficiency in the use of the hand held GPS system. They explore the meaning of longitude and latitude lines, then identify the parts of the map.
Curated OER
Going for the Gold
Students determine the impact of gold mining operations in 1879 on the immediate environment and compare the early impacts to extraction methods and regulatory laws governing mining operations today in South Dakota.
Curated OER
If You Build It, Will They Come?
Students examine the city of Duluth, Minnesota. In groups, they use the internet to discover its current state of urban geography. After their research, they create and plan their own redeveloping of the city. They share their results...
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Where Is Hoku?
Students are introduced to map making and reading. Using maps, they identify the cardinal directions and discuss the importance of a legend. They analyze the human characteristics of the classroom and create overhead view maps of the...
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Big Apple, Here We Come
Students role play the role of immigrants coming to America for the first time. They complete an imaginary trip with their family and must rent a car and make seven stops along the way. They calculate distances and use maps to...
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Gridding a Site
Students make observations of effigy mounds and record them in a notebook. In groups, they must determine the scale of measurement and create their own grid to scale part of the Effigy Mounds National Monument. They also practice using...
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Stream Gages and GIS
students interpret recent regional-scale climate events based on current stream flow, monitor changes in time, and to consider additional interpretations that could be derived if other data were in map form.
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What Does a Quarter Weigh?
Students study the historical figures and symbols of U.S.
patriotism depicted on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter coins. They
create a balance scale from common materials to measure the approximate weight
of a quarter.
Curated OER
What Are The Characteristics of Your Neighborhood?
Students make a mental map of their neighborhood. Using a software program, they make an aerial and digital map of their school and locate their school on given maps. In groups, they calculate the distances to various locations and...
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America the Beautiful
Students listen to a read-aloud discussing the landmarks of the United States. In pairs, they use the internet to research a landmark of their choice. They create a visual aid to be given with a presentation sharing the information...
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Exploring Infrared Image Technology
Students view infrared images of a blowing hair dryer, a Popsicle, and a toaster. They discuss the images and ways they are different than visible light images. Students view a temperature scale and discuss which parts of the item are...
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Exploring History Through Photographs
Fifth graders compare and contrast photographs from the 1800s to those of 2003. In groups, they create drawings of how society has changed over time and use maps to locate local streets. Individually, they practice measuring the...
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Geography: Islands and Alcatraz
Students, in groups, create maps of islands including map keys and compass roses. They compare and contrast their island communities with that of the island prison, Alcatraz. Students select from a series of projects, including writing...
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Deer Tracks
Young scholars use satellite images to track to movement patterns of deer and examine deer behavior. They write stories about a day in the life of a field scientist.
Curated OER
Sea Surface Temperature Trends of the Gulf Stream
Students use authentic satellite data to produce plots and graphs of sea surface temperature as they explore the seasonal changes of the Gulf Stream.
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Architectural Buildings
Fifth graders explore various styles of architecture. They work together to create a town with clay buildings that come together in order to form this small town. They discuss maps, layouts, and the structure of buildings.
Curated OER
Sea Surface Temperature Trends of the Gulf Stream
Students explore the importance of the Gulf Stream. Using a NASA satellite images, they examine the sea surface temperature. Students collect the temperature at various locations and times. Using spreadsheet technology, they graph the...
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Route Reconstruction
Young scholars trace sailing route of Spanish and Portuguese exploration ships. They calculate and compare distances that different explorers traveled. Students calculate how long it would take to travel an explorer's route using...
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A Capital Idea
Students write a description of the spatial organization of the former and present location of New Hampshire's state capital. They analyze maps, participate in a class discussion, and calculate the distance of Concord from the borders...
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Peru's Earthquake
Students identify the patterns of earthquakes by mapping USGS data and comparing it to mapped tectonic plates. They discover the relationship between earthquakes and the moving plates of the Earth's crust.
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Researching the World's Oceans
Students research and compare important features of the oceans based on current data. They examine the globe or map, determine the major oceans of the world, and record their names on the data sheet.
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Ecosystems
Students work together to identify the characteristics of their local ecosystem and another one nearby. In groups, they use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two. They use this information to create a collage of both...
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Ridgerunner
Students jog for three minutes at the beginning of the class, increasing one minute per week for ten weeks. They count each lap as one mile on the Appalachian Trail, computing the class average and plotting their progress on a class map.
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Earthquakes and Seismic Waves
Learners investigate the Richter scale and seismology in a teacher-led lab in which they are introduced to the concept of seismic waves and epicenter location. They further investigate the inner workings of a seismograph and practice...