Science 4 Inquiry
Edible Plate Tectonics
Many people think they can't observe plate tectonics, but thanks to GPS, we know that Australia moves at a rate of 2.7 inches per year, North America at 1 inches per year, and the Pacific plate at more than 3 inches per year! Scholars...
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Interior of the Earth
Sixth graders identify and describe the composition and physical properties of the layers of the Earth. They also explain how scientists used the scientific process to know about the center of the Earth. Finally, 6th graders read a...
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CASTLE ROCK PUEBLO: A TRIP THROUGH TIME
Students use a map to respond to a series of questions. They determine how much time it would take to travel to Castle Rock Pueblo from different pueblos and locate modern pueblos on the Indian Country map.
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Geography: Map Making
Students, working in groups, share notes and maps collected during a study of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They draw large composite maps of the western United States on butcher paper including land formations, bodies of water, and...
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Land Surveys
Students read and think about the relationship between maps and nature. They examine the origins of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the large-scale topographical surveys that were commissioned a century later. They also read and analyze...
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Quad Squad
Young scholars pretend they have visited a forest research station on an overnight field trip. They study forest fires, use compass directions, read maps, interpret imagery, and think about the impact of fire on ecosystems.
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Touring Delmarva
Young scholars plan a trip. For this trip planning lesson, students use a map to find where they would like to visit with a pretend family of 4. They get a specific amount of money and time and need to decide where they will stay and...
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Underground Railroad
Fourth graders read about Harriet Tubman and develop vocabulary lists. In this Underground Railroad lesson, 4th graders find similarities and differences in primary and secondary sources, create a timeline and recognize important people...
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The Amazing Maud Lewis
Students investigate cultural art from Canada by reading about Maud Lewis. In this Canadian history lesson plan, students identify the work of Lewis by visiting her magazine website. Students identify other heroes in Nova Scotia before...
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Africa Unite!
Learners work in pairs to research assigned African countries. They compile their research to label a continent map of Africa, present their research to the class and design a game of trivia using their findings.
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Microclimates of Our School
Students read the story "Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman, define the term microclimate, gather and record data in various places on school grounds to establish the presence of difference microclimates, analyze and compare microclimates,...
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Reach for the Stars
Students investigate the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson plan, students read books about slavery, the Undeground Railroad, and how slaves escaped the south. Students develop knowledge about coded songs and constellations...
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Old Kids From The Bloc
Students study about wide scale construction and development in Moscow and its impact on cultural and historic preservation. They research the political, social, economic, and cultural changes in the former Eastern Bloc and create a...
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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Sixth graders examine the causes of the stock market crash of 1929. In this integrated math/history unit on the stock market, 6th graders study, research, and read stocks, visit a local bank, and create a PowerPoint to show the finished...
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Exploring Egyptian Culture and Pyramids
Students access a variety of Egyptian Culture and pyramid related resources on the Internet. They explore various websites, read articles, create an Egyptian art figure, construct a model of a pyramid, and describe the mummification...
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Westward Movement
Students explore the concept of philanthropy in historical context. In this Westward Movement lesson, students read Our Journey West and explain examples of settlers working together for the common good.
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A Bird's Eye View of our 50 States
Third graders focus on state birds as they learned absolute location (latitude/longitude) of each state, as well as their relative location (bordering states).
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THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale : Integrating Visual Art and Social Studies
Students comprehend how the use of color impacts a work of art. They research how a theme can be rendered in a variety of ways (words, music, visuals). Students analyze how an artist's choices affect the aesthetic quality of artwork.
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Country Mouse, City Mouse?
Students recognize the characteristics of a rural area. They analyze land use to determine whether the map is of a rural (country) area or an urban (city) area.
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Magnitude vs Intensity
Students use a zipcode map to locate earthquake experiences based on the Modified Mercalli Scale. They discuss the difference of the magnitude of an earthquake compared to the intensity of the shaking it causes.
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The Artifact Problem
Learners work in small groups and make a map of a familiar room. In this artifact lesson, students decide on a suitable scale for their maps, the tools they will use and how they will make it and decide on strategies they would use to...
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Rosie's Walk
Students use maps and globes to locate and describe locations, directions and scale. Using the maps, they identify man made or natural features of different environments. They practice using geographical terms to describe a specific...
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Finding an Earthquake's Epicenter
High schoolers examine the process used to identify the epicenter of an earthquake. They identify the Richter scale and interpret a seismograph reading. They also view photographs of the aftermath of earthquakes.
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Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake
Young scholars examine the frequency of earthquakes in Illinois. They discover the distribution of earthquakes in the Midwest. They also practice reading measurements from the Richter scale and Mercalli Intensity scale.