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Personal Stories and Primary Sources: Conversations with Elders
Students learn from their elders. In this oral and social histories lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the America in which their grandparents grew up. Students conduct interviews with elders in...
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Develop a Bird Feeder Watch List
Students explore biology by identifying animals on their school ground. In this bird species lesson, students create and utilize a simple bird feeder to attract birds near their classroom at which point they observe the color, size and...
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Cemetery Mapping Lesson
Eighth graders explore historical records. In this cemetery mapping lesson, 8th graders analyze local community data as they examine gravestones and read epitaphs.
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Zora Hurston Teacher's Guide
Students explore American culture by reading classic literature in class. In this African-American history activity, students read the story Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree while identifying the work and contributions of the real...
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Breaking News: International Coalition Attacks Libya (March 20th, 2011)
Students explore current events by completing a list of worksheet activities. In this Libyan history lesson, students read a news article discussing the problems with Gaddafi in Libya and the effect it is having in the Middle East....
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Catch the Gullah Beat: Rhythm and Percussion
Students explore the Gullah culture. In this social studies instructional activity, students construct and play instruments similar to those of the Gullah people.
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Balloons
Students explore the different types of balloons. In this materials instructional activity students can complete several experiments including building their own hot air balloons, making balloon animals and experimenting with static...
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Thanksgiving
Teach little learners about the first Thanksgiving. In this Thanksgiving lesson, young scholars discover what it was like to live during that time period. Students compare and contrast the first Thanksgiving to their own.
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Brucemore Mansion
Students take a closer look at Brucemore Mansion. In this Iowa history lesson, students research what life was like at the mansion during the Gilded Age and through history. Students also research the responsibilities of servants as well...
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Barter Day
Fifth graders research bartering. In this bartering lesson, 5th graders investigate bartering as a way to trade for goods and services. Students experience bartering first hand while playing a game.
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To Come to Illinois - Or Not?
Students analyze primary documents to determine whether the author is pro- or anti-emigration. They outline reasons for or against immigration to Illinois during the early 19th century.
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John Lawson's Emigration Impact: Short Essay
Students review John Lawson's writings to discover the impact they had on emigration to America. Using the writings, they analyze the influence of them and review the early settlement of the colonies. They write their own essay sharing...
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A Journey to Language Arts
Young scholars explore events of the Lewis & Clark expedition. Students observe a PowerPoint presentation. They demonstrate journal writing using first person point of view. Young scholars describe life in North America during the...
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Evita: The Woman Behind the Myth
Pupils explore the meteoric rise of Eva Duarte Peron, First Lady of Argentina. Born in poverty, Eva Peron rose to become the most powerful woman in Latin America and one of the most powerful women in the world.
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Children of Loneliness: Immigration and Intergenerational Stories
Students evaluate Anzia Yezierska's story, "Children of Loneliness," in relation to Jewish immigrants coming to America. They discuss the connections in the story to their own coming to America and their roles as parents. After...
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History or Mis-story?
Students explore some of our country's founding myths and legends by participating in an online poll. For example, did George Washington really chop down a cherry tree, then confess to his father about the deed, saying, I cannot tell a lie?
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The Regions In Which I Live
Students investigate different regions. Beginning with the idea that a neighborhood is a region, students explore maps to discover that towns, states, and countries can also be considered regions. Students create a book, with...
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What's Important?
Students, through teacher modeling and guided practice, explore four steps/rules of summarizing. In groups, they read a short passage and then, by applying the summarization rules and skills, write an effective summary of it.
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Native American
Students investigate how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected peoples. They comprehend that Europeans had misconceptions about Native American literacy...
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American Civilization - The Ice Age
First graders discuss the Ice Age land bridge over the Bering Straits and how it affected the population of the Americas. They construct a clay model of the land bridge and research common animals of the time.
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Celebrating A Century of Flight
Pupils investigate the Wright Brothers. They complete an online Webquest, explore various websites, use a flight simulator, answer discussion questions, and locate newspaper articles on the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first...
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Truth or Hogwash
Explore the history of domesticated pigs and their important byproducts. After discussing the use of pigs, class members create game boards describing the animals. While playing the game, they determine if the answers are true or...
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Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy
High schoolers discuss the election of 1960. They examine the political styles of important leaders, the issue of money, and the issue of fair play in American politics. Students explore the lives of Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
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Religions of Japan
Students explore, analyze and study the religions that originated in Japan, including Shintoism and Zen Buddhism. They assess the beliefs of each religion and compare/contrast all the Eastern Religions and view their people and...