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Urban Treasure Hunt
Fourth graders use clues, and a photo, to find the location of a building in Illinois. They then take a present picture and create a powerpoint presentation to compare past and present features
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Inventions Multimedia Time Line
Eighth graders research the impact of particular inventions on various times throughout history. They compile information from the Internet and a database to create a multimedia timeline of important inventions. The program Timeliner is...
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Family Life
Students investigate the lives of families in two different centuries. They compare the 1600's to the 1800's. Students write an essay about the differences and how they developed in history. Special attention is paid to the external...
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Body Building
Students determine whether ancient Egyptian drawing was proportional and in perspective by comparing ancient Egyptian drawings, a mummy's x-ray, and contemporary photographs of people.
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Water Quality
Students investigate the water cycle and evaporation. They study the porosity and permeability of groundwater, and the capillary action in soil in this unit.
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We Really Dig Archeology and Palentology
Sixth graders examine the differences between archeology and paleontology. Using the internet, they explore the tools and techniques used in each field. They must use the correct tools to uncover and record the objects they find. They...
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Math: Where Do I Put the Elephant?
Students listen to the story, "Harriet Goes to the Circus," to launch into a lesson plan on positional words, such as over, under, and behind. After clipping out and coloring pictures of circus animals, students place them into a parade...
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Langston Hughes: Artist and Historian
Students examine the life and works of Langston Hughes. In groups, they research the characteristics of the Harlem Renaissance and how Hughes' poems relate to the era. They use the themes in his writings and relate it to the Great...
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Treasure Tales
Create an artifact kit to engage your young learners. Then, assign small groups a section of chapter three. They will identify the main idea and three supporting details for their section. Then, they select one artifact from the kit that...
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Mapping the Prairie
Fifth graders study maps of the Chicago area looking at defining characteristics and place names. They investigate settlement patterns by looking at the maps.
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Rosie the Riveeter and Mary the Munitions Worker
Tenth graders study the role that places like the Joliet Arsenal played in how women were view in American society during and after World War II. They interview a person from the World War II era about the job they performed and how...
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Who's in Charge of This Animal?
Eleventh graders study wildlife management and identify the appropriate government agencies that are in charge. They examine different wildlife management techniques. They write a letter showing interest in the activities of one of the...
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South Asian Architecture
Seventh graders review and discuss architecture from South Asia. They then study images of various buildings from North Africa/Southwest Asia, and make comparisons
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Hunt the Fact Monster: February #3
In this search engine activity, 3rd graders will need to use factmonster.com to discover answers. Students will respond to 5 multiple choice questions using the given website.
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My Promise
Students define their own civic responsibility and create a PowerPoint presentation about their volunteer efforts. In this civic responsibility instructional activity, students define the word volunteer and read an article about a...
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Lesson 25: The Great Chicago Fire Must Become a Movie
Students write a persuasive letter asking James Cameron to choose their disaster for his next movie.
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Systems of Power Against and Within American Indian Communities, 1880-1940
Students explore methods and the struggles of power between the federal policies and Native populations. They discuss the issue of controlling the Native Indian population, driving them from their land, and providing a mandatory...
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Working on the Railroad
Learners plan a trip on the railroad. In this railroad creation and implementation lesson, students listen to the song "Working on the Railroad", make a map of where the track was laid and discuss the geographical challenges. Learners...
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Traveler's in Time
Students analyze artifacts to become familiar with the Great Migration. In this migration lesson, students read an article and answer comprehension questions. Students role play a migration scenario using an artifact to help describe...
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Before Dred Scott: Freedom Suits in Antebellum Missouri
Students examine and analyze original documents that enhance understanding of antebellum slavery in Missouri and a particular method of gaining freedom: the freedom suit.
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Kidding Around In The 1980s
Young scholars examine pop culture of the 1980s. In this historical time period lesson, students view a Smurfs cartoon from the 1980s and discuss its similarities and differences to cartoons today. Young scholars work in groups to...
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Discovering Details: Shoebox Designs
Students investigate architectural art by creating an interior design for a box. In this art design lesson, students analyze modern artifacts such as doorknobs, brackets and mailboxes by using a Venn diagram to identify similarities and...
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A Bracero Protests Low Pay and Discrimination
In this primary source analysis activity, students analyze an interview with a bracero. Students respond to 3 short answer questions based on the interview.