K12 Reader
Absolute Location
Where in the world are we? As a reading comprehension exercise, kids read a short passage about navigation using latitude and longitude, and then respond to a series of questions based on the article.
Curated OER
A Celebration of Africa
Students investigate early African civilizations. They create Kufi hats, musical instruments, pottery and African masks, sing songs, play African studenT games, and participate in a feast and tour of a museum where their artwork is...
Curated OER
Civil War Prison Camps
Fourth graders work with a partner to create a puppet show that demonstrates the condition of the prisoners in Andersonville, Georgia during the Civil War.
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India and Pakistan: Rivals from Birth
Seventh graders, after being divided into two groups, are assigned either Pakistan or India. They conduct research using the Internet, reference books, and magazines. The class compares and contrasts the two countries to find sources of...
Curated OER
The Prairie Climate
Ninth graders research the average temperature and precipitation of a prairie region to determine the type of climate it is, and how it differs from other biomes. They examine the types of adaptions animals have made to live in the...
California Academy of Science
Which Way is North?
Who needs a compass to find cardinal directions? Just place a stick in the ground and record the movement of its shadow over the course of a day. Then, measure the shadow lengths in order to determine a north-south line. A simple...
Curated OER
The Seven Continents Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn't enjoy an engaging scavenger hunt? Here, scholars listen to, and discuss, the informative text, Where is my Continent? by Robin Nelson. They then explore the seven continents and four major oceans using Google Earth.
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Bears and Panthers Aplenty: Early Settlers Make a Home in Arkansas
Young historians research the Southwest Trail, which ran through Arkansas back in the 19th century. Pupils are divided into four groups. Each group researches a pioneer who blazed the Southwest Trail. Then, the group presents an oral or...
Sea World
Whales
A whale of a lesson is sure to intrigue your elementary oceanographers! Learn about the mammals of the sea with a series of activities about whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Kids complete worksheets about the anatomy of a whale, create a...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
How does climate change affect you? First in a three-part series, the activity focuses on how individuals living around the world are affected by climate change. Individuals take on the role of a given character and share their...
Space Awareness
How Light Pollution Affects the Stars: Magnitude Readers
Did you know light can decrease visibility? Light pollution absolutely makes it more difficult to see stars. Scholars build a simple magnitude reader to determine the magnitude of stars. They use these data to estimate the impact of...
Curated OER
To Be Or Not To Be a State? That Is the Question
Eighth graders research Puerto Rico's culture, religion, language, government, etc. and identify differences and similarities with the United States. They participate in a debate about whether or not Puerto Rico should become a state.
Curated OER
Watercolor Ways
Students investigate the concept of being part of a global community. For this global community lesson, students learning the definition of stewardship as it relates to taking care of the Earth. They listen to the lyrics of the song,...
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Canada
Fourth graders sample the rich diversity of Canada's people and cultures, glimpse the vastness of Canada's lands and waters, and get an idea of the wealth and variety of its resources, wildlife, and history.
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Where We Live: Homes Near and Far
Second graders explore where they live, and about homes around the world. They explore the different reasons homes differ in a variety of locations.
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Ticky Plans His Trip to Antarctica to See Tacky
First graders participate in creative problem solving activity to get from Utah to the Atlantic Ocean.
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What's In A Name
Second graders write a paragraph about their findings on what their name represents. In this writing lesson plan, 2nd graders will research their name and why they were named that. They will draw a picture that represents them along with...
Curated OER
Treasure of the Tar
Learners, using an atlas, locate the region known as the "Tar Sands" in the Central Plains of Canada. They hypothesize about the future economic potential of this natural resource. They create a poster about the Tar Sands industry in...
Curated OER
Spice Up Your Life
Second graders identify major spices found in the world. They link spices with countries they are grown in and the uses for these valuable items.
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The Mysteries of El Nino: How Much do We Really Know?
Seventh graders investigate the causes and effects of El Nino and explore its global impact on weather related occurrences through this series of activities.
Curated OER
Town Growth and Immigration
Fourth graders describe how Michigan has changed and stayed the same over time. They explain reasons why people settled/settle in Michigan, then explain the role of geography on the settlement of Michigan.
Curated OER
Where in the United States Are We?
Learners spend the lesson identifying the location of the fifty states and the capitals. Using a software program, they retrace te outline of each state numerous times. To end the lesson, they write a story about a state and city of...
Curated OER
Cartogram of the Great Compromise
Students create cartograms of populations during 1790.