University of Kansas
Newspaper in the Classroom
Newspapers aren't only for reading—they're for learning skills, too! A journalism unit provides three lessons each for primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. Lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, and procedure, and...
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Geography Lesson Plans Using Google Earth
Geography lesson plans using Google Earth, or other interactive websites can make this topic current and interesting for students.
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Geography: Analyzing the Local Environment
Students, in groups, explore the school grounds and organize their findings according to the five themes of geography. They take notes and sketch the grounds. Students divide the school and grounds into regions based on use.
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The Search for the Five Themes
As a review for their study of geography, 6th graders read the worksheet questions and then click on the links in blue to locate the answers. They then write them on the worksheet to turn in.
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Study of States in the five U.S. Regions
Fourth graders identify the five regions and the states within them. They research a state from each of five regions, then they choose one of those states to do an extensive research report on following teacher guidelines. They work in...
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Illusions of Depth
Learning to create depth when painting or drawing takes skill and the ability to understand how things should be placed on the canvas. The class will use the Charles Deas painting Long Jakes to learn about composition, sharing...
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States and Capitals Unit
Fifth graders explore the regions, states, and capitals that make up the United States. Through the five lessons in this unit students locate and name the fifty states and their capitals.
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How Can We Organize Study of a Given Place?
Seventh graders embark in discovery of basic facts about an assigned continent and are asked to organize their information into categories. The Five Themes model is taught and students reshuffle their information appropriately.
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Four Corners Mystery: Where In The World Are We?
Students research and describe various locations around the world using five fundamental themes of geography.
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"Double Jeopardy" Class Review
Sixth graders participate in "Double Jeopardy," which is a game show type of question/answer game used to review a chapter/unit/region assessment. students use the five themes of geography as the basis for their required number of...
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Great Questions
Fourth graders research and create questions about a famous person. They create questions in a game format, create a computer generated brochure, and develop rubrics for their finished projects.
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Leapin' Landmarks: Locating 10 man-made landmarks around the world
Third graders engage in a lesson which addresses their curiosity about some of the outstanding people-made landmarks of the world. They explore the geographical themes of location and place through literature.
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Region Reality
Eighth graders compare and contrast world regions and explore the theme of world regions. In this world geography lesson, 8th graders name regions in the U.S. and mark them on a map. Students discuss the cultural and physical...
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Weather Words Decoder (Easy)
Kids love a mystery! There are 11 sets of numbers, and each number translates to a certain letter. To find the word, learners have to record which letters are associated with which numbers. The theme is weather related vocabulary and...
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Goldilocks and the Three Hares
Students read the book Goldilocks and the Three Hares and complete activities to go along with it. In this Goldilocks and the Three Hares lesson plan, students complete activities on puns, facts about weasels, rabbits and hares, and more.
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Political Geography of Europe
Fifth graders listen to a lecture that traces the political geography of Europe from 814 through 1997. They incorporate these themes into a research project on Western Europe.
Reed Novel Studies
I Am David: Novel Study
Many people dream of getting a fresh start or starting over again. David, a main character in I am David, gets that chance and must learn to live life outside of the concentration camp. Scholars read about David's adventures as they...
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Ancient Egypt: Connecting Literature and Geography
Students brainstorm prior knowledge of Ancient Egypt, locate Egypt on map of Africa and on world map, watch King Tut film, discuss term biography, and map geographical information mentioned in stories and documentaries about Ancient Egypt.
Huntington Library
The Poetry and Prose of Langston Hughes
Eleventh graders discover the poetry of Langston Hughes. In this social issues lesson plan, 11th graders experience the views of Langston Hughes. Students read Hughes' poetry and discuss the basic theme. Students evaluate the political,...
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Tissue Paper Geography
Students explore geographic features of the desert and apply their understanding of the topography of the desert by creating a tissue paper painting.
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Where's My Dot?
Students explore the five basic elements of Monart, dot, curved line, straightline, and angle line to create a book about their home address. The concept of "big" is explored in this lesson.
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Why All Maps Lie
Eighth graders discover the fundamental advantages/disadvantages of both maps and globes. They see that maps may distort size, shape, distance and direction. They discuss the advantages and applications of 5 types of map projections and...
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FRED the FISH
Young scholars engage in the study of the human impact on environmental systems (specifically rivers). This instructional activity enhances Students' exploration of a variety of themes or topics.