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The Greatest Survival Story of All Time
Students use the Internet to read about an explorer's survival in the Antarctic. They try to find a better route for him to have taken.
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Mapping the Circulatory System
Students investigate the circulatory system in human beings. In this human body lesson, students create an outline of a human body using colored markers and butcher paper. Students use red and blue colors to simulate the oxygenated...
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Every Picture Tells a Story
Students examine the ways in which a work of art represents the culture or lifestyle of people living in a state. They analyze the back of the Iowa quarter and discuss how art reflects the time period in which it was created.
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Dancing Rainbows: A Pueblo Boy's Story
Students read the book "Dancing Rainbows," and complete a variety of activities across the curriculum. In this Native Americans lesson plan, students create pottery, discuss Pueblo traditions, discuss the importance of rain, and learn...
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LA CENERENTOLA (Cinderella)
Students work in groups to create a map key. The map key represents the diversity of each of the Cinderella stories previously read. They explore the cultural dimensions and contributions of the arts.
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The Hunter Using Children's Literature to Teach the Geography of Africa
Students are able to answer basic questions about the region and the use of natural resources, sketch a mental map of the story's setting, and find their way through the thematic maze/map.
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Drought Threatens Huge Man-Made Lake
Students locate Lake Mead, then read a news article about Lake Mead drying up and how that would effect water and power supplies to the region. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary...
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Antebellum North Carolina
Eighth graders examine pictures & documents relating to the Hayes Plantation (Edenton, NC). They also use various maps of North Carolina to help them analyze how James Cathcart Johnston used, modified and adapted to the physical...
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Giving Generously
Students explore philanthropy. In this service learning instructional activity, students read Runaway Rice Cake, identify the elements of the story, and make rice cakes to share with others.
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Trouble With Trolls
Students listen to The Trouble With Trolls and discuss fables. In this story elements lesson, students work on reading skills. Students participate in different reading activities.
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LA CENERENTOLA (Cinderella)
Students investigate different cultures' versions of the Cinderella tale in comparison to the Rossini opera synopsis. They experience dramatizing a Cinderella tale and study about the group and individual process required for theatrical...
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Hero Within
Students interview a hero. For this heroes lesson, students read Number the Stars to begin a discussion about heroes and then create mind maps on each character. Students pick a local hero and interview them and then write a personal...
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More Than Anything Else
Second graders investigate the life of Booker T. Washington by reading a biography. In this biographical lesson, 2nd graders read the story More Than Anything Else, and examine the geographical locations Washington once resided in. ...
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Sense of Place: No River Too Wide-Bridges
Fifth graders discover the history of their hometown Des Moines River. In this U.S. Geography lesson students speak with Iowans that tell stories of the settlers and early villages near the Des Moines River. Students document their...
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A Year (a Day or a Week) In My Life as a Shorebird
Learners describe the basic life history of one shorebird common to their area. They use the writing process which includes brainstorming, rough draft writing, peer editing, and re-writing to create a factually and grammatically...
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How Far Can a Butterfly Fly
Students draw a picture of their favorite insect and describe. Students make a paper art project ladybug and write a story about it. Students map areas where certain insects are more prevalent. Students count dots on ladybugs and record.
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The Pony Express
Fourth graders answer four math questions based on their reading of a short story on the history of the Pony Express.
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Language Arts: Women in History
Students read excerpts from Amelia Earhart's autobiography, "The Fun if It," and identify her character traits. To aid visualization of her transatlantic flight, they search books and the Internet for photos related to Earhart's flights....
Smithsonian Institution
The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
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Mystery Island Greg Hansen
Fifth graders explain how human activities shape the earth's surface.
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Why Do You Live Where You Do?
Eighth graders identify reasons why settlers bought land from the railroad and not a Homestead grant. Using that information, they compare and contrast the types of land given in each situation. They discuss the reasons why given...
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Lesson 1-I Live in a Community
Second graders brainstorm the concept of a community and all the elements involved in the make up of one. They pull from the resources on the community that they already live in or have lived in. In addition, they share their reflections...
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Letters from the Plains
Eighth graders read and analyze primary source documents dealing with Nebraska history. In a role-play, they present the information they gathered to their classmates. They examine what live was like for people settling in Nebraska.
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My Heritage Country Report
Students list five food dishes that are part of their family's heritage. Each student then does research of a country and a recipe (possibly a family recipe). With the help of members of his/her kitchen group, the student prepares the dish.