Curated OER
Illinois' Habitats Happening
High schoolers use the scientific inquiry method to examine the ecosystems and biomes in Illinois. Using the characteristics of a local habitat, they identify the best conditions for an ecosystem to survive and how a slight change can...
Curated OER
Lost Illinois History
Students discuss "The Trail of Tears," why it happened, what it is, and where it began and ended. They work in groups to complete a reading section and answer a series of questions then share the answers with the class. Students take a...
Curated OER
At Home on the French Frontier: 1700-1800
Students role play bartering for goods and services as the French settlers did in colonial Illinois. They start with eight household items to acquire through bartering. They have to calculate values for each object and determine the...
Curated OER
Bats Migrate South
Students examine the life of bats in Illinois. Using the internet, they research the history of the bat in Illinois and describe the way they find prey by using echolocation. They report their findings to the class and answer any...
Curated OER
Educated Action
Pupils review what they already know about birds. Using the internet, they discover major issues involved with birds in Illinois. In groups, they determine what they can do to help them and contact a local agency.
Curated OER
Bringing Illinois into the Curriculum
Students of all ages are introduced to the geography of Illinois. Depending on the grade level, they participate in different activities which allow them to discover Illinois in the past and present. They examine the animals and...
Curated OER
Bird Banter
Students listen to examples of common bird songs of birds found in Illinois. As a class, they discover the importance between the differences in songs and calls. They practice making their own bird calls and songs to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Taxonomy
Students work together to identify groups of endangered animals. Using a pamphlet, they group the pictures according to specific criteria and cut the pictures out and color them. They place the animals in the correct habitat and share...
Curated OER
The Civil War - Lesson #1 of 3
Eleventh graders design a newspaper, with images, that reflects historically accurate information about how Illinois residents felt and acted during the Civil War.
Curated OER
Prairie Settlement
Students make a decision for site selection for a farm during the 1840s in the Midwest. They build research and writing skills by recording the information used for analysis in a chart and as diary entries.
Curated OER
Lesson 10: History of Illinois 1700's Dual Timeline
Students create a journal that includes historic events that occurred in Illinois in the 1700's that features entries on the same topics from different perspectives.
Curated OER
Chicago's Amazing Growth
Students, in groups, collaboratively explore the rapid growth of Chicago (from 350 to 300,000 in less than 40 years), and how the city changed to accommodate such rapid growth.
Curated OER
The Great Chicago Fire: The O'Leary Hearing
Students dramatized the O'Leary hearing regarding the Chicago fire using the transcript from the original hearings as a script.
Curated OER
Geography Grid
Fourth graders search a database to find images and scan and affix them on an 8-foot long map of the state of Illinois. They then use it as a basis for discussion.
Curated OER
School Museum
Fourth graders research individuals who contributed to the history of Illinois, and what school was like at that time. They compare schools of various times.
Curated OER
National expansion of the United States (1815 to 1850), and its connection to local Illinois history.
Students discuss the importance of establishing the I & M Canal water route. They watch a video about the canal's history. They collect and write a personal migration story by interviewing a family member. They analyze trends and...
Library of Congress
Loc: Local Legacies
Experience America through its grassroots! Diverse populations lend cultural colorfulness to our country. Read about an International Food Fair in California, Annie Oakley Days in Ohio, and Wabanaki Basketry in Maine. Click on your...
University of Missouri
Famous Trials: Illinois v. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb
Discover everything you would want to know about the Leopold & Loeb trial. This comprehensive tool provides an abundance of information including the evidence, the confession, the crime scene, the summations, the decision, photos,...
Other
Illinois State Museum: At Home in the Heartland Online
Exhibit about family life in Illinois from 1700 to the present lets visitors experience the kinds of changes that an environment can undergo over several hundred years. Uses historical narratives, images of objects, timelines, maps, and...
Other
Illinois State Museum: At Home in the Heartland
Wonderful site that takes you on a tour of the history of Illinois! You are treated to pictures of such things as early prairie household objects and stories of early settlers - and much, much, more!
Other
Illinois State Museum: At Home in the Heartland
Wonderful site that takes you on a tour of the history of Illinois! You are treated to pictures of such things as early prairie household objects and stories of early settlers - and much, much, more!
Other
Illinois.gov: Official Website for the State of Illinois
The official web page of Illinois Government is chock full of information about the state from government, business, and employment to recreation, arts, and entertainment.
Other
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency: A Chronology of Illinois History
Permission has been granted to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to provide this thorough timeline of the history of the Midwest state of Illinois. The chronology begins with B.C. 10,000 and goes through 1999.
Other
The American Institute of Architects: Illinois Great Places
Discover the impressive architecture scattered throughout the state of Illinois. Landmarks range from A.D. 1000 with the Cahokia Mounds to the few buildings in 2005.