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What's It Say Today?
Young scholars consider important structures in their community -- specifically, those structures that have had a great impact on the history of their community.
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Science: How Solids Become Liquids
Second graders discover how matter changes from one state to another by observing melting ice cubes. They decide on means to warm the ice and predict what will happen. Students record how long it takes for the cubes to melt.
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Get the Word Out!
Students think about problems facing their community and about how to raise public consciousness. They also think about the importance and effectiveness of various forms of media in getting a message out to the public.
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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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Early Native Americans
Students create a scrapbook illustrating the culture of Native Americans that settled in the Kickapoo Valley. Working in groups, students choose a topic related to the Kickapoo Valley Indians. Using traditional and technological...
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Human Body Parts:
Students locate and label body parts. After having their picture taken with a digital camera, students cut out their body and label body parts.
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Nutrition Fitness
Learners review the number of servings of each section of the food pyramid appropriate to eat per day.They work in small groups to place food in the correct locations on the food pyramid. They complete the process to music.
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Epidemic!
Pupils research recent episodes when diseases like colds or flus spread through their school. It also asks them to think of public health measures that might stop a disease from spreading again.
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Smart Art
Students examine and practice the art of political cartoon-making by focusing on how and why they are so effective in making a political point.
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Quiz the Biz
Students research their town's economy and quality of life. Using a variety of data, such as interviewing the local chamber of commerce or speaking with the business editor of your town newspaper, students come up with a report card for...
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Talk Back
Students study print and TV ads and search for examples in which advertising companies rely on negative stereotypes or misleading information to market their products.
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Good Old Days
Students think about what people did for entertainment many years ago. To answer this, they should not only do library-type research but find and interview a senior citizen.
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Click!
Young scholars think about what it was like when audiences flocked to movies that simply showed glimpses of everyday life. They make a film n the style of the earliest cinema, when moving pictures were just that -- moving images of...
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What's the Cost?
Pupils consider what things cost 150 years ago and what those costs would be in today's money. They compare costs and services between the 1850s and today to find out if things are cheaper or more expensive today, in inflation-adjusted...
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Find the Tallest
Students use a variety of local resources to find pictures and information about the tallest structures in your town during four different periods. By comparing pictures, students gather information about a town's values, major...
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Unplugged!
Pupils consider several things: the importance of electricity and energy in their lives, the costs of that energy, and the importance of conserving energy.
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United We Stand?
Students consider the consolidation that led to the creation of greater New York City in 1898, and what would happen if their own class, school, or community united with its neighbor or neighbors.
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Stowaway?
Students research and describe what happens to immigrants coming to America today. It is designed to get students thinking about the similarities and differences in immigrant experiences over the past 100 or so years.
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Raise a New Torch
Students write their own poem about immigration. They are asked to write a kind of "welcome to America" update of Emma Lazarus's classic verse.
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Who Was Here?
Students explore how their community has also had various waves of immigration over the years. It asks students to visit a local cemetery and examine the names and dates on the headstones to find evidence of who lived in the community...
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Engineer a Solution
Students start by considering the numerous problems facing New York City during the first half of the 19th century, including fire, epidemics, and crime. In addition, they explore how New York's citizens and government tried to solve...
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Paving the Way
Students explore how to take action to improve their town's transportation routes -- and make a small but significant difference in their community. They first examine some of the different ways people get around their area.
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You Make the Rules
Students explore the nature of rules and see how they help in the formation and operation of organizations. Working in small groups, students create their own charter for a new club
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Find the Oldest
Students track down their town's oldest standing man-made landmark. By learning more about the oldest structure in their area (whether it's a church, store, graveyard, bridge, etc.), they discover interesting details about their town's...