Smithsonian Institution
The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
Curated OER
Discovery Atlantis
High schoolers explore Atlantis. In this geography activity, students research selected websites to discover information about the lost continent of Atlantis. High schoolers use the fruits of their research to participate in a...
Curated OER
Taking Action! Educating as a Form of Service
Students read the story Happy Hearts in Manabí by Peace Corps Volunteer Kristen Mallory to consider how educating others can be a form of service. In this health education and service lesson, students read the book and...
Curated OER
Living Through Fire
Young scholars investigate the poverty found in Haiti. For this current events lesson, students research the noted Web sites to study Haiti's geography, history, and civil war.
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NFE General Knowledge Quiz
Eighth graders review various aspects of World History. In this World History lesson plan, 8th graders participate in a bingo game. Students complete a worksheet during bingo.
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Dominican Immigration: Understanding the Push-Pull Factors of Immigration to the United States in the 1960's
High schoolers complete a unit about the history and geography of the Dominican Republic and the reasons for Dominican immigration to the U.S. in the 1960's. They conduct Internet research, write a biographical sketch of Raphael...
Curated OER
Finding Historical Evidence: David Brion Davis
Students study the Tran-Atlantic Slave Trade and learn to evaluate historical arguments. In this slave trade instructional activity, students read about the Atlantic Slave System. Students take notes on slave trade and make a timeline...
Curated OER
Where In the World is the Dominican Republic?
Students begin the lesson plan by discussing how where they live affects how they live. As a class, they add examples to each category such as home types, clothing, jobs and food. Using those categories, they write about their life in...
Curated OER
An Upbeat West Side Story: Puerto Ricans and Postwar Racial Politics in Chicago
Tenth graders read an article about the migration of Puerto Ricans to Chicago. As a class, they identify the barriers the immigrants faced regarding employment and separation from family members. To end the activity, they work with a...
Curated OER
Convergence with The Cay: Exploring Geographic Concepts Wrapped in a Story
Here's an awesome unit that uses The Cay as the anchor text. The 16-page packet is loaded with teaching ideas, activities, and suggested adjustments.
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Baseball the National Pastime of the Dominican Republic
Ninth graders examine how the game of baseball has played a significant role in shaping the culture of the Dominican Republic. They analyze a world map, and read and discuss an informational handout. Students can then create a sports...
Curated OER
Island Research
Young scholars will work in small groups to gather information about the geography, history, economy, climate, culture, and other aspects of life on the island of Eleuthera. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Drake’s West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
Students examine the exploration routes of Sir Francis Drake. In this American exploration activity, students investigate primary sources to trace the routes and contact with the natives that Sir Francis Drake experienced on his voyages...
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Island Culture: Puerto Rico
Students explore the culture of Puerto Rico. They create maps of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. They work in small groups to research a decade in history and add drawings and pictures to a timeline of their decade. They practice...
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Imperialism and Expansion: Part 1
Students explore the era of imperialism and expansion of the United States. In this American history lesson, students play a game regarding the U.S. attempts to expand the nation in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching in the Caribbean
Students use authentic satellite data on the NASA website to determine when the sea surface temperature meets the criteria to induce coral bleaching.
Curated OER
Populations in the Path of Natural Hazards
Students read "Geographical Mobility: 1995-2000." They examine the maps in the handouts and compare them with maps from an atlas. In the second part of this lesson, students read "In Harm's Way." They receive three more handouts, one a...
Curated OER
Seas, Gulfs and Bays
Students define gulf, bay, and sea. In this bodies of water mapping lesson, students locate seas, gulfs and bays and explain how they knew which body of water it was.
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The Log Book of a Connecticut Slave Trade Ship
Seventh graders investigate the slave trade. In this Middle Passage instructional activity, 7th graders read excerpts of ship logs from Connecticut Slave Trade ships. Students respond to the provided analysis questions based on the...
Curated OER
Rooster's Night Out
First graders complete interdisciplinary activities associated with a folktale from Cuba. In this Cuban folktale instructional activity, 1st graders read the Rooster's Night Out, before completing comprehension worksheets, make recipes,...
Curated OER
Foods and Languages of the World
Students create their own ice cream sundae given various toppings from around the world. In this foods and languages of the world diversity instructional activity, students develop an understanding of diversity in culture, family...
Curated OER
Island Research
Students collaborate to gather information about the geography, history, economy, climate, culture, and other aspects of life on the island of Eleuthera.
Curated OER
The Cay
Fifth graders read The Cay as a shared literature experience. This lesson plan has many good activities across the curriculum to keep your students actively engaged in the story. They will do math, art, music, science and geography...
National Endowment for the Humanities
La Familia
Young scholars identify at least one country where the Spanish language is spoken, describe similarities and differences between Spanish, Mexican, and Puerto Rican families, and practice speaking the Spanish words for several family...