National First Ladies' Library
Social Studies: Who Burned Down Barnum's Museum?
Learners examine the social conflict of the 19th century and the destruction of the American Museum. In pairs, they conduct Internet research and attempt to solve the mystery of who burned down the museum. Clues to the mystery are found...
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What's That Relic?
Fifth graders listen to a read aloud of David Mc Cauley's book Motel of the Mysteries. They discuss an unknown artifact and decide what it might be used for. They research other artifacts and play "What's that Relic?"
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Wetland Metaphors
Students are presented with a selection of hands on objects for investigation as metaphors for natural functions of wetlands. A 'Mystery Metaphor Container' is presented to the class with everything having to do with a wetland in some...
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Place Value
Fifth graders explore number meanings and their relationship. Using place value clues and base-ten blocks, 5th graders build a models of numbers and determine their value. To reinforce number relationship, students participate in a...
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Who Am I? Jackie Robinson
In this sports heroes worksheet, students read the clues about a famous African-American baseball player. Students fill in the blanks to break the code and use the code to name the mystery person - Jackie Robinson.
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Drama: Inferential Thinking
Students anonymously answer a set of questions listing favorite activities and preferences. They exchange papers and attempt to determine certain characteristics of their "mystery" classmate.
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Life Science: DNA Whodunit?
Students role play an honorary detective to assist in solving a crime committed. They investigate by a bank robbery and interview eyewitnesses using their Crime Investigation Notebook and clues from an eyewitness account from the...
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Math: Mr. E Graphs
Second graders role-play as members of the "Math Graph Detective Academy" and assist in solving a mysteries. Once they have watched a "top secret" video, they sort objects according to traits into five categories. Throughout five...
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Under the Sea
Students culminate a science and language arts unit by participating in a performance. In this performance activity, students make costumes and scenery before performing a play entitled, "The Mystery of the Missing Jewel Fish."
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Creating Animal Prints
Students investigate the habits of animals by studying their prints. In this animal life lesson, students investigate the different types of tracks left from animals by researching the Internet. Students utilize clay or Play-Doh to...
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What's Out There? Space Shuttle Exploration and Simulation
Students role-play the jobs of space shuttle astronauts, conduct experiments, and research space using the Internet and offline experiments. Student-astronauts hold a "press conference" to share their information with others in a...
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Women in Science
Students study the roles that women have played in science throughout history. They work in small groups while visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
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Advanced Paragraph Correction #1
In this advanced paragraph correction worksheet, students read a passage about the plays of Shakespeare. Students then answer 8 questions in which an underlined error is corrected with one of 5 choices.
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Wildlife Animal Skulls
Students observe skulls of wild animals and determine their characteristics for survival. They evaluate the skuylls to discover the diets, and if the animals were predators or prey. They complete worksheets on mystery skulls.
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Time Travel
Students investigate the concept of time travel and quantum physics. They complete a Webquest, read excerpts from the book, 'The Time Machine,' play an online time traveler game, and read and evaluate newspaper articles about time.
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Alien Invaders!
Students play math detectives and solve a series of story problems or word problems in order to finish an adventure. The activity connects math and reading while reinforcing critical thinking and problem-solving skills
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Foods and Nutrition
Students study nutrition, healthy choices for food, and ways to prepare food. They review the Food Guide Pyramid and play Nutriend Tic Tac Know to select healthy foods. As a group they make pretzels, Mystery Muffins, soda, and play the...
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What's A Mammal?
Students examine mammals understanding what a mammal is and reviewing the eleven mammal groups. In this science lesson, students play a game known as Mystery Mammal Game. Yet, first students research about the mammal and then give...
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Bagels, Pico, Fermi
In this number game, 7th graders work as a class to figure out a three-digit mystery number. Students use logic and the process of elimination to find the answer. It is a great time filler when there are 10 minutes left in class, and...
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Anastasia-Dead or Alive
Students complete an investigative activity that requires them to use precise observational skills. They observe a partner's ear recording pertinent data so that they can make a positive identification. They identify the teacher chosen...
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Rhymes
Students complete rhyming word activities. In this rhyming words lesson, students play an online game for rhyming words and recite a well known nursery rhyme as a class. Students pick out words from the poem that rhyme and brainstorm...
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The Case of the Missing Steller Sea Lions
Students identify and analyze the various roles organisms play in food webs, populations, communities and ecosystems. Students assess the requirements for sustaining healthy local ecosystems. STudents evaluate human impacts on local...
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Science, Sounds And Hearing
Pupils examine various sounds that are played on musical instruments. They conduct an experiment to listening to different instruments. They define significant vocabulary like "vibration" and "oscillation". Students suggest ways that...
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Martian Mummies
Students participate in "Raiders of the Future", a role play about futuristic scientists sending a spaceship to Mars for research and exploration. They collect geological samples for analysis, discover the ruins of an ancient...