California Academy of Science
Guess That Spice
From medical treatments to cooking, people have been using herbs and spices for thousands of years. Perform a blind smell test of household herbs and spices to engage students in learning about ancient spice trading. Research the history...
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Social Studies and Children's Literature
Young scholars write a journal in response to literature. The story that is read is about prairies. The subject of prairies becomes an object for research. The culminating activity is the making of a map where prairies exist in the...
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Social Studies For Elementary School
Fourth graders become familar with maps and work in groups to get an overview of what Europe is like. The real assignment is in the form of students creating their own trip if it could really be taken.
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How Many Ways Can You Say Merry Christmas?
Students create a multicultural holiday bulletin board map! students research and study saying Merry Christmas in different languages. They correctly locate the countries on a world map.
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The Desert Alphabet Book
Learners explore world geography by researching a science book with their classmates. In this desert identification lesson, students utilize a U.S. map to locate the geographical locations of deserts. Learners create an oral report based...
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GANDHI'S INDIA
Students describe key events in the life of Gandhi. They determine why knowledge of geography is necessary to understand the history of the people in a place or region. They write a summary of how the events in Gandhi's life,...
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African Safari
Seventh graders examine different countries in Africa to research. They choose one to concentrate their research on using the five themes of geography. They design a multimedia presentation that will make up the African safari.
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The Nile: A Gift to Egypt
Sixth graders discover the Egyptian culture. In this Nile River lesson, 6th graders examine why the river is so important to Egypt.Students study the religions, geography and the people of Egypt. Students create an exhibit where they...
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Play Doh Map of Your State
Students create a state map using Playdoh. In this hands-on state geography lesson, students work in groups to form a three-dimensional map of their state using Playdoh made at home following a (given) recipe. Students use four colors...
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A Tough Nut to Crack
Sixth graders explore agriculture by examining world geography. In this pecan cultivation lesson plan, 6th graders identify the history of the famous nut and the impact it has on the U.S. economy, diet and human body. Students define...
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The High and the Flighty
Students study women aviators and act out a talk show-style interview with one of them. They plot Amelia Earhart's flights on a map.
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The Effects of Limited Space on a Culture
Students predict the impact of population density on shelter, transportation, recreation, land use, and social skills and then research that impact on Japan. They write a response about the impact of population density on food...
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A Ticket to Japan
Fourth graders discover similarities and differences in the lifestyles and geography of Utah and Japan. They use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast daily life and geography in Utah with daily life and geography in Japan. They make...
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Baseball the National Pastime of the Dominican Republic
Ninth graders examine how the game of baseball has played a significant role in shaping the culture of the Dominican Republic. They analyze a world map, and read and discuss an informational handout. Students can then create a sports...
National First Ladies' Library
Brrrr! Expeditions to the North and South Poles
Students examine the first successful explorations of the North and South Poles, through a study of the four men who accomplished them. They present the fruits of their research on posters, or with PowerPoint presentations.
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Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Students read about and discuss the fifty-three recommended travel destinations for 2008 from the Travel section of The New York Times. They list three places they would each like to visit, read and discuss the news article, and create...
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Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders engage in a lesson which integrates the study of the Underground Railroad in Indiana with a Language Arts unit on quilts. They write a book report on one of the quilt books read in class and design a quilt block for the...
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Global Intelligence
Students discuss the war in Afghanistan and the conditions surrounding the hunt for Osama bin Laden after reading the article "Bin Laden and Omar: Far Harder to Find" from The New York Times. After the class discussion, students...
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The Mother Culture of Mexico: The Olmecs
Sixth graders study the Olmec civilization. They develop a map of Mexico and a map of the area of the Olmec civilization. They research Olmec art, religion, and architecture. They construct Olmec symbols including giant heads, altars,...
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Lake Tahoe Then and Now
Students investigate the differences in Lake Tahoe from the past to the present. In this geography instructional activity, students read the book Washoe Seasons of Life and identify the descriptions of the land and lake. Students create...
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Site and Situation: Right Place at the Right Time
Students put their geography skills to work. For this geography skills lesson, students research maps and other primary and secondary sources to simulate the site selection process for the Pennsylvania Railroad Shops post World War II....
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Asia's Global Influence
Students explore Hong Kong. In this geography skills lesson, students watch "Asia's Global Influence," and then research the culture, landmarks, and geographic features of Hong Kong. Students use their research findings to design travel...
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Crossroads of the Continent: Early Trade in Kansas
Students study early Native American-European trade. They play bartering games to discover trade as an economic funtion, as well as other implications of trading one good for another.
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Walk in My Shoes
Learners discover how culture, geography and history affect how someone views an area of the world. They role play the role of a Palestinian, Jew or Briton and examine how they felt about Israel during its formation. To end the lesson,...