Curated OER
How Do We Learn About the Past?
Sixth graders discuss the role of an archaeologist as a class. After viewing photographs, they relate the objects found in their local area and Ancient Egypt. They draw a picture of an object that represents their own culture and gives...
Curated OER
Digging Deep
Students investigate the job description for archeologists and share their findings with the class. They research a current archeological dig and present their material to the class.
Curated OER
Kincaid Creatures
Students brainstorm a list of nocturnal and diurnal wild animals they see in their community and discuss how the animals would be different if they were living during the Ice Age. Using a handout, they discover how archeologists record...
Curated OER
It's in the Garbage
Students analyze how studying garbage relates to methods of archaeology. They examine garbage to determine things about their culture and relate that to prehistoric peoples.
Curated OER
Super Scientists Code
In this science learning exercise, students use the key code on the right to unscramble each of the scientists. They also match each of the scientists found to their correct description.
Curated OER
Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Students describe the complementary relationships between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, identify adaptations that flowers have developed to "encourage" pollination, and create and draw their own "designer" flowers.
Curated OER
Mineral Scavenger Hunt
Students complete a scavenger hunt worksheet as they find examples in their classroom, at home, etc., of minerals. Excellent worksheet!
Curated OER
Create a Classroom Exhibit: Rocks and Minerals
Students bring in rocks and minerals from home. They observe them and describe them carefully, completing a worksheet. Finally, a classroom exhibit is created.
Curated OER
Plants and Animals, Partners in Pollination
Students participate in multiple hands-on activities to explore reproduction and pollination. In groups, using a cotton swab and powder, students simulate being pollinators and plants. They name the parts of the flowers and the function...
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Students bring rocks and minerals from home to investigate in the classroom. In this rocks and minerals lesson plan, students observe all the rocks and minerals brought into the class and answer 7 questions about the features of the...
Curated OER
Under the Spell of Spiders
Learners examine spiders. In these spider lessons, students will view spider images and live spiders to determine physical characteristics, habits, and habitats. Learners will examine fantasy and folklore about spiders to create and...
Curated OER
"ART ZOO 'Blacks in the Westward Movement', 'What Can You Do with a Portrait', and 'Of Beetles, Worms, and Leaves of Grass'"
Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and investigate their natural environment. This humanities instructional activity provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in...
Curated OER
How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
Curated OER
Fossils Footprints Across Time
Students examine fossils to understand how they are formed and how they give information about geological history. In this fossil activity, students research and write about fossils and make models of different fossil types.The PDF...
Curated OER
Going...going...gone? Tropical Rainforests-How They Work, What They Do for Us, What's Being Done to Them...
Sixth graders explore the Tropical Rainforest and come to understand what it is and how it affects the ecosystem. In this rainforests instructional activity, 6th graders write about the Tropical Rainforest, imagine they are in the...
Curated OER
Work Made Easy
Second graders maneuver placement of the fulcrum on the lever to see how to lift weight most easily. They role-play as archaeologists with the task of lifting a heavy rock from the dig site. They write in science journals about what...
American Museum of Natural History
Finding Fossils
How does one go about finding fossils? Find out with an informative webpage that looks at the digging process, showcases rocks and common fossils, helpful tips, and a list of archeological do's and don'ts.
Curated OER
Point of View
Students participate in an inkblot test to discuss how what they see is different than their classmates. After viewing various artifacts, they write down what they believe the object is and then they are placed into a group to discuss...
Curated OER
Archeological Thinking
Sixth graders review the differences between a historian and archaeolgists. At a recent archaeological dig site, they examine the artifacts and determine their usage. In groups, they are given a bag full of artifacts and write down what...
Curated OER
Investigating the Mammoth Mystery
Fourth graders go on a virtual dig to find out where the mammoth bones found in a rural U.S. county came from. They determine whether the bones were created by humans or were they the actual remains of mammoths who walked the area during...
Curated OER
Stratigraphy and Cross-Dating
Students interpret archaeological strata using the law of superposition. They apply cross-dating to determine the age of other artifacts.
Curated OER
Pieces of the Past
Students study the importance of preserving the archaeological record. They write a paragraph describing an object and why it is important to them. They cut their paper into a puzzle and compare their own to the student they trade with.
Curated OER
Why is the Past Important?
Fourth graders discuss the importance of North Carolina's archaeological heritage. They share with the class an object, photograph, or drawing of an object that represents their own or their family's past.
Curated OER
POWERFUL POTATO
Pupils will observe the growth process of a potato plant.Plant a potato in a large clay pot or gallon bucket. You may purchase seed potatoes
from a seed outlet in early spring or use a potato from home that has started to sprout. Make...