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Exporing Our Community
Students explore attributes of the community in which they live. They compare rural, urban and suburban communities and attempt to classify their own community. Each group illustrates their assigned area by drawing buildings, trees,...
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Online —On Stage—and Action
Use your tablets to participate in a culture-sharing project with a class in a foreign country. Your class can communicate and share ideas with a class in another country, swapping information regarding language and culture. Together you...
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Diversity
Students work in groups to research and prepare an oral report about a region. In this regions lesson, students find out about the geography, population, state capitals, and landmarks. Students assign attributes to the people based on...
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Alike and Different
Second graders listen to a book about how farms feed the world. They discuss elements of rural life. They listen to a story about the suburbs and discuss elements specific to a suburban community. They listen to a story about city...
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Our Little Town
Young scholars take local walking tours and incorporate technology by using a digital camera to take photographs. They use the computer to display these photographs using different software programs such as SimTown, to create a visual...
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Exploring Native Americans
Students, as a group, read "Sees Behind Trees" about a Native American boy. They discuss how the Native American culture is different from theirs. They also draw Native American scenes and read poetry.
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US Geography, The Blues
This lesson enables teachers to use blues styles and performers to think about various geographical regions of the United States. By studying different blues styles from the Mississippi Delta, Texas, and the Piedmont region of the...
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The People and Places Around Us
Students investigate the different kinds of habitats for humans, animals, and things. They illustrate the interior and exterior views of their homes. Finally they create a map key and a block map of their school neighborhood.
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Places in My World
Second graders explore where they are located on the globe. In this maps and globes lesson, 2nd graders use a map to show where they live and show the cardinal directions. Students identify characteristics of mountains, flat land,...
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Once Upon A Time...
Students discuss elements of fairy tales, examine selected piece of Robert Harris' art, and compose fairy tales based on what they see and imagine. Students then view homes in Harris' artwork collection, create home in which they would...
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Shoot for the Moon
Second graders distinguish the different phases of the moon. In this astronomy lesson, 2nd graders study the history of its discovery and myths about its origin. They simulate how the moon's surface is illuminated by the sun.
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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...
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Lewis and Clark in Washington Shrub Steppe Habitat
Students reserach the flora and fauna next to their school for two days and also Lewis and Clark's journals. They compare Lewis and Clark's description of the area to the one they have today. They also discuss the idea of restoring...
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Texture Towns
Students explore different kinds of communities as well as identifying and discussing the attributes of their own neighborhood. They make choices about what kinds of shapes best create the look of the type of community they wish to...
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Map Creation
Second graders identify a map, symbol, key, and compass rose. Students create and print a map for teacher evaluation using the computer. Students identify the symbols on their map and orally present them to the class.
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Making a Map
Students are introduced to maps by examining the various types and practice using a key to find information. They each create their own map with a key and graph information. As a class, they read the story "Henny Penny" and share their...
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Between the Rivers
Second graders compare and contrast historical American cultures. In this American history lesson, 2nd graders participate in reading, writing, oral, and hands on activities. Students discuss the similarities and differences between...
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My Community
Students engage in a lesson about the community in order to find out what different things go on within it on a daily basis. They conduct field research and look up information in order to answer some key questions addressed.
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Lesson 9-Our Local Community
Second graders brainstorm and create a list of important features/characteristics that they would want to include in a community setting. They include physical features, economic activities, kinds of housing, etc. This lesson is a...
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What is a Community?
Second graders write sentences in a graphic organizer about communities and what they include. In this community lesson, 2nd graders will also draw a picture based on their description.
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"CREATE YOUR OWN COMMUNITY"
Second graders, after spending several weeks developing skills necessary to become a "Community Development Team," create and build their vision of a community. Consideration is given for needs and wants, food, shelter, safety concerns,...
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Old Bear
Students explore different aspects of nature through a bear. In this lesson about Old Bear, students understand nature and how it all works together. Students read the story and then participate in answering discussion questions about...
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Population Pyramids
Students utilize population pyramids to answer questions, make comparisons, draw conclusions and support predictions about the populations of China, India and the Unites States. They arrange numbers and symbolic information from various...
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Improvisational Setting - "Where are You?"
Second graders explore setting through improvisations. In this theatre lesson, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments.