Virginia Department of Education
Changes in Ecosystems
How does water pollution affect the environment? Provide your class with the resources to answer this question as they learn about eutrophication and ecosystem changes. Over two weeks, they simulate the effects of pollution on the...
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In the News
Third graders participate in a lesson that helps to improve reading comprehension. They move through several activities that help them understand how to express their opinions, support their statements and communicate these thoughts...
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The Campaign: Issues and Strategies. What do you think?
Learners research a candidate in an election and discuss how the media portrays that candidate and how the media influences voters. In this candidate lesson plan, students also distinguish fact from opinion, look at political cartoons,...
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Prayers for Paankhenamun
Students find out about key attributes, characteristics, and roles of ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses by writing a letter or a poem asking them to welcome an Egyptian to the afterlife.
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Fall
Students read "Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf" then they brainstorm words about fall that begin with the letters F, A, and L. They compose and decorate their own acrostic poem then they write a Fall story and complete a final copy in the computer...
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Commemorative Coin Poetry
Students discuss and research an individual or event that has been memorialized on a commemorative coin. They use the information they found to write acrostics, creating stand-up accordion books to display the poems.
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Careers Using Mathematics
Students role play the role of an employee who is to open a new department for people interested in careers using math. Using the Internet, they research the various types of careers and describe them in a portfolio. They also examine...
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Olympics
Students participate in Olympic events. In this Olympic Games lesson, students research information about countries involved in the Olympic Games and prepare to participate in a closing ceremony for their school Olympics.
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History: I'm Watching You 24/7
Learners examine the growth of authoritarian societies. Focusing on North Korea, they watch video clips looking for examples of totalitarianism and identify the problems there. They write letters to the editors of local newspapers...
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Assessing Health Habits
Seventh graders discuss what are the characteristics of a personal with good health. They read an article about influences on health and discuss and perform a self assessment to gauge their personal health. They then go to the gym and...
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Mali
Seventh graders begin the instructional activity by reading primary sources about the country of Mali. Using maps drawn in the past, they discuss what they can gather about the country from the map and how it has changed over time. ...
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Tree Hunt
Students identify the common trees of Iowa and make observations while creating a key. In this tree hunt lesson, students write a letter to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to receive a pamphlet of Common Trees of Iowa. Students...
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Famous People
Students listen to short biographies of famous individuals and discuss what it means to be famous for something. They write a short autobiography stating why they are a famous first grader. They take turns being interviewed by the rest...
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Hammurabi's Code of Laws
Students explore why the need arose for laws to govern society, comparing and contrasting hunter/gatherer societies vs. agrarian societies. They write letters to the editor of the Babylonian Times, discussing their opinion of Hammurabi's...
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Huey Pierce Long
Students study riddles and the life of Huey P. Long. In this Huey P. Long lesson plan, students complete a riddle activity where they solve 14 riddles. Students then complete a biographical flyer about Long and present it to their...
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One Step Closer to a Treaty
Learners speak objectively about the nuclear disarmament issue and interpret sections of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They become more informed by these discussions and readings on the nuclear
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The Issues-Substance not Style
Students continue to develop criteria for evaluating candidates, consider personal qualities needed in the presidency, and compare candidate's qualifications for office. They write in their journals: "What issues get the most air time or...
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Lesson Planning For The Social Studies Classroom
Students engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the concepts related to writing lesson plans for the elementary Social Studies class. They are introduced to the lesson planning template and create an initial lesson plan. Then...
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Desert Discoveries
Students correspond with Israeli students from Jerusalem by email as part of a study on desert and semi-arid regions. They conduct background research and become proficient in the use of electronic mail.
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Pine Wood Derby Prompt
Eighth graders use Newton's Laws of Motion to assist a troop in making a winning car in the Pine Wood Derby.
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Why Koala Has A Stumpy Tail
Students examine Australian folktales. In this folktales instructional activity, students read the Australian folktale, Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tale. Students list characteristics of the characters from the book. Students act out these...
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Born to be Wild
Students watch an episode depicting the human vs. polar bear conflict in Churchill, Canada. They conduct online research and analyze the information. They interpret the facts and use storytelling techniques and role playing to convey...
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Here's an Instant Activity for November 5, 2001
Third graders practice spelling ou words. In this phonics and spelling lesson, 3rd graders brainstorm words using the 'ou' spelling pattern. Students review compound words and brainstorm compounds words. Students complete the 'instant...
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Project WRITE
Second graders have been taught hwot o use a map. They also know about a compass and different types of maps. Students use a software program to locate and learn about the seven continents. At each continent they are to summarize what...