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Visual Arts, Literary Arts, and Performing Arts: Their Connection and Place in America's Minority Culture
Students explore the rich, varied, and full artistic culture of each of these three minority groups, Native Americans, Chicanos, and African Americans. They explore art through dance, music, literature, and many other different mediums....
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Drake’s West Indian Voyage 1588-1589
Students examine the exploration routes of Sir Francis Drake. In this American exploration lesson, students investigate primary sources to trace the routes and contact with the natives that Sir Francis Drake experienced on his voyages in...
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Lesson 6: Examining Events from Different Perspectives Friend or Foe?
Fifth graders sequence events of European exploration and colonization by creating timelines. They define the differences between primary and secondary sources. They discuss claims to Texas land in the 17th Century.
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Imperialism: Locations of Colonial Rule
Eighth graders examine the conquest of the Americas. In this Exploration lesson, 8th graders locate the areas of colonization. Students create a visual map of these areas of conquest.
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Pre-Columbian Native Peoples and Technology
Students explore Pre-Columbian native cultures. In this Exploration Era lesson, students define the words "primitive," "civilized," and "technology." Students consider the connotations of the words and then investigate misconceptions...
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Jamestown
Fifth graders research the Jamestown settlement and examine life in the colonies from 1607-1610. They explore websites, develop a timeline, select two settlers to research, and write three letters written from the point of view of their...
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Sail, Sail, Sail Your Ship!
Students listen to the book, Columbus Day, by Paul Showers and discuss the historical significance of Christopher Columbus. They create Columbus Day booklets, sing a Christopher Columbus song, and develop graphic organizers.
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Hernando De Soto's Trip Through South Carolina
Fourth graders become familiar with the explorations of Hernando DeSoto. For this DeSoto lesson, 4th graders recognize the routes and territories of DeSoto's explorations. Students use primary and secondary sources and research to answer...
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Celebrate Sunflowers
Students skip count with sunflower seeds. For this interdisciplinary lesson, students discuss the history of sunflowers. Students count by 1's, 2's, and 10's with bags full of sunflower seeds.
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Coronado: Misfortune's Explorer
Fourth graders discuss the importance of Coronado's expedition through Texas and the trials his men endured during the journey. They view and discuss a map of Coronado's route, the effects of weather on the Great Plains, and Buffalo....
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THE PEANUT WIZARD
Students read information about George Washington Carver and outline the information. They are given peanuts in the shell, students examine them and eat them. Students discuss the following questions: Why did George Washington Carver...
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The Westward Movement
Learners study the westward movement through examining stamps. In this westward movement lesson plan, students draw conclusions, determine cause and effect relationships and examine the westward movement of the United States by...
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"You Shall Do Your Best Endeavor" - Working With Primary Documents
Students read and interpret primary source documents regarding historic Jamestown. In small groups, they read the primary documents, answer questions, and view online maps of Jamestown Island and Virginia.
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Review
Eighth graders review and assess their knowledge on the big picture of exploration and the origins of early America. They piece together all the pieces of the puzzle from the past two weeks of study on trade, technology, exploration and...
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Other Worlds: The Voyage of Columbus
Students utilize Internet sites to explore and compare current ideas and opinions concerning the impact of christopher Columbus' famous voyage of 1492.
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Values and Beliefs of Manifest Destiny
Fourth graders examine the beliefs of Manifest Destiny and its role in the California Gold Rush. They analyze a painting to gather information about Manifest Destiny.
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Cultural Exchange
Students are introduced to the concept of cultural exchange and identify two examples of the concept. Individually, they research two specific examples of exchange and write about how it affected the two groups involved. They identify...
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Be A Food Explorer
Students read about and discuss the origin of many different fruits and vegetables. Students complete surveys, sample a variety of new foods and write about their reactions. They commit to trying at least three new foods.
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But Where Is It On This Modern Map? A problem-solving, mind-boggling experience!
Trace Columbus' voyages by locating them on 21st Century maps. Using a navigators lesson, 4th graders will examine the Age of Exploration and trace Columbus's routes accurately on laminated world maps using different maps. Note: You...
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Arizona!! How the Heck Did I End Up Here???
Learners research the historical background of the potato. In this potato research lesson, students cut out the important dates in potato history. Learners make a timeline for the events.
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Rollin' Down the River
Students examine the contributions of Lewis and Clark. In this Louisiana Purchase lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the Lewis and Clark expedition.
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Philanthropy and You
Learners identify human rights and study the values of historical figures who fought for human rights. In this human rights lesson, students define the term human rights and research examples of human mistreatment in history. Learners...
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The Search for the Northwest Passage
Third graders listen to lectures and research the motivations and history of the Spanish, French and English explorers searching for the Northwest Passage to India. They trace routes on maps and consider how these explorers helped shaped...
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What do Bison Eat?
Middle schoolers identify the three major categories of food eaten by bison. In groups, they collect examples of grass and forbs and press them. They complete a chart of the percentages of each type of food the bison eat in a day. ...