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An American Scene Painter
Students study the work of American scene painter Charles Burchfield. In this visual arts lesson, students research the nature paintings of Burchfield and then paint their own watercolor scenes in his style.
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A Vacation Expedition: Universal Design and Differentiated Instruction Lesson
Students plan a vacation to either a mountain, deep-sea location, rainforest or to the moon. In this vacation planning lesson, students research information about the location of their choice. They watch video clips on the SMARTBoard,...
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Calling All Owls
Students research various types of owls. For this owls lesson, students observe owls and discuss their characteristics. Students go to an owl habitat and listen for the call of an owl. Students read The Owl in the Shower and debate the...
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Declarations of Independence
Learners examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian.
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A Historic Gamble
Young scholars explore and evaluate the economic impact of legalized gambling on Native American Indian communities. They draft short, persuasive speeches that take the perspective of a tribal elder appearing at a town council meeting.
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Consider Your Options-Plastics
Students explore plastics and what plastics students use to pack a lunch. In this plastics lesson plan, students observe each other pack lunches and take note of all the plastics used in packing the lunch. They discuss the impact of...
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Meting Out Justice
Students investigate the murder case of Emmett Till and identify the missing pieces from the case. Through research, they then work to fill in the gaps to create a basis for examining how justice might be served anew in this...
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The Race to Learn
Students explore the history of education and race in the United States. By researching Supreme Court cases dealing with race and education, students examine the ways in which these cases have reflected changing social and cultural norms.
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Intervene or Interfere?
Learners research the motives, actions, and results of U.S. intervention in foreign affairs between the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
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Tribal Truths
Students research and analyze the interactions of American Indian tribes with Meriwether Lewis and iam Clark. Then they stage displays to inform the public about their findings.
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Atmospheric Pressures
Students research past, present and proposed climate change policies. They develop timelines based on different predictions of climate change effects and assess the likelihood of each timeline playing out in reality.
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Bootleg Bytes
Students conduct background research to explore the positions of different groups involved in the digital piracy debate, then participate in a fishbowl discussion that seeks to find a consensus on the issue.
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The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Students reflect on the role of DNA in society since its discovery in 1953 by creating works of art and poetry that metaphorically illustrate the importance, influence and concerns of DNA research.
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Nine Lives, One Habitat
Students explore reintroduction of endangered species into new habitats. They research and promote possible sites for reintroducing populations of Florida panthers outside of their current habitat in the Big Cypress Swamp region of...
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Frighteningly Fabulous Festivals
Students explore the significance of holiday foods, first by researching Halloween-type festivals from around the world, and then by reporting on foods related to different holidays celebrated in their homes.
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A City Lost and Found
Students hypothesize about the origins of the Incan lost city of Machu Picchu. They examine archaeological methodologies used by researchers to piece together the history of the site and create an audio tour of the location for visitors...
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Weathering the War
Students research maps, weapons and weather from a variety of wars, then create a presentation showing the impact weather and topography has had on military operations.
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Deep Thoughts
Students examine what lies within the Earth. They research and create scale models illustrating the layers of the Earth and write skits advocating a travel plan to send a probe into the Earth's mantle.
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The Eyes Have It
Students explore the health risks associated with wearing decorative contact lenses. They research other cosmetic modes of expression that can pose health risks and debate whether these practices should remain legal.
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Cooking Up an Explanation
Students pose scientific questions about food items and research their explanations. They then create recipe cards with the answers and present their findings in a cooking show format.
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The Heat Is On!
Students research severe weather conditions common to their geographic location and create weather emergency guides. They, in groups, develop guides for extreme weather conditions such as heat waves, tornadoes, floods, and storms.
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Species for Sale
Students explore wildlife conservation by investigating animal species that are near extinction due to their value as commodities. They defend the protection of an endangered species researched in class by creating an informational poster.
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A Piecemeal Peace Process
Students explore Indian and Pakistani steps toward peace since the Indian subcontinent gained independence from British rule in 1947. They, in groups, research and then create multi-tiered timelines representing politics during those...
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Give a Little, Get a Lot
Learners research a specific charitable organization on the Internet, focusing on the organization's history, services, and importance in society. They develop an outline for a charitable organization with a mission statement.