National History Day
Leland Linman’s War: A Look at Soldiers’ Daily Lives in World War I
Hunkering down in the trenches of World War I, Leland Linman decided to write a journal about his experiences. By reading Linman's entries in the fourth installment of an eight-part lesson series, scholars get a firsthand look at life in...
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Advocacy Through Letter Writing
Pupils develop an advocacy plan to address a health-related need for a local, national or global health problem. Students write a detailed letter as part of their advocacy plan.
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Final Reports
Students write reports, including a summary of their research findings and their historical journal entries, to be shared with friends and families, and publish their reports.
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Amazon Rainforest
Seventh graders complete a simulation in which they travel through the Amazon rainforest. Using their map skills, they determine the best route and where to see specific plants and animals. They develop their own database to organize...
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Sea Floor Spreading I
Students use Excel to explore the geodynamics Model equation for ocean depth around a sea-floor spreading center. They complete an introductory tutorial on Excel for students with no prior Excel experience.
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Using a Statistical Procedure To Search A Database For Out of the Ordinary Values
Young scholars develop a spreadsheet containing formulas and find summaries for them. In this investigative lesson students choose a topic, investigate it and use MS Excel to sort data.
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Recycling: Creative Uses for Items
Third graders list creative uses for old objects. In this recycling lesson, 3rd graders work in groups to brainstorm creative, new uses for old, everyday items. This is the first lesson in a unit on recycling.
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Quit Smoking-Together We Can Do It!
Students explore how tobacco threatens the health of smokers and non-smokers. They research smoking and second hand smoke using the Internet. Students create a Quit Smoking brochure. They present a computer slide show to describe how...
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Writing A Resume
Students practice the skill of writing a resume that reflects professional presentation. They use a worksheet that is used for writing guidelines. The tool is effective for the scaffolding of different ability levels. Then students...
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Stratospheric Ozone
Students explore about the structure of Earth's atmosphere and about the stratospheric ozone. They discuss how it is produced and destroyed, where it is located, why it is important, and how it is changing. Students investigate about...
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The Art of Improvisation
Pupils explore the work of 3 for All. In this performing arts lesson, students watch a video segment about the improvisation group 3 for All, study improvisation, and participate in their own improvisation routines.
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Personal Medical History
Students record their personal medical history. In this medical history activity, students practice completing a medical history form. Students write with a purpose in this lesson.
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Dinosaurs
Students research and identify the characteristics of a variety of dinosaurs. They participate in a class discussion about dinosaurs, analyze and examine fossils, and conduct research using a variety of sources to write and present a...
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Writing Applications: Different Types of Writing and Their Characteristics
Twelfth graders rewrite a story in a different format to understand the effects of the author's style. In this writing style instructional activity, 12th graders read Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and...
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Using Word Processing to Create Graphic Organizers
Students create a graphic organizer and instructional rubric using word processing software. They conduct Internet research at the History Alive website, and publish an essay.
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Middle Ages Diary
Young scholars research life in the Middle Ages. They write a historical fiction diary based on a character they create. Students use the six steps to process writing to complete their diary. They orally present their diaries to the class.
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The Color of Poetry
Students listen to a story about colors and then write their own color poems.
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Looking Back to 1980
Pupils use clustering/mind mapping techniques to generate ideas, graphically represent inferences, organize their conclusions and write a report that presents conclusions the writer has reached, and facts substantiating those conclusions.
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Rate Your Plate
Third graders analyze the nutrients, calories, and food groups using the USDA CNPP website Interactive Healthy Eating Index. They write a summary of their personal findings related to their eating habits - including some ways to improve...
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What Kind of Student Do You Want to Be?
Third graders write an essay which answers the question, "What kind of student do you want to be?"
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Monster Magnet Rally
Pupils explore the properties of the N and S poles on a magnet. They attach small bar magnets to the top of "match box" cars and attempt to crash them into each other. They each write a summary describing their findings.
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Remember When?
Students work in cooperative groups to research life in a decade of the 20th century. Each group member writes a 7-10 page paper highlighting the social, political and cultural events and the group presents a Powerpoint presentation to...
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Christmas Truce
Students research the Christmas truce during World War I. In this social studies lesson, students discuss World War I and the Christmas Truce. Students write a response about the truce.
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Author Study
Students work collaboratively to create PowerPoint presentations on an author of their choice. This lesson is written for a first and third grade joint project with students pairing up across grade levels.