Virginia Department of Education
Synthesizing to Support a Thesis- Big Picture Emphasis
Help your researchers as they begin to develop a topic for research with these worksheets. Included are two nicely designed graphic organizers that assist students in narrowing and researching their topic, and an efficient evaluation...
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Critical Thinking About Government
Students research the Comox Band's system of government and report on what kind of government they think would work for them. In this government lesson plan, students decide between a hereditary system or an election system of...
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Mothers' Milk-Unleaded, Please
Lead toxicity is a hot topic these days, especially when it was a common component in household paint for many years. In Taiwan, there was concern that babies were being exposed to toxic levels of lead through breast milk. A study was...
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Story Starters for Beginning Readers and Writers
Students respond to a story starters about a dinosaur, present, pet store, puppy or another topic of interest to primary-grade students. They dictate or write stories in response to 15 story starters designed to develop language skills.
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Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
Denver Art Museum
Putting Images into Words
Engage your class in art analysis of Indian Look-Alike by Melanie Yazzie. Using this work of art as inspiration, writers compose a poem or short story. After a peer review session, the teacher conveys information about the work of art as...
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Personalities of the Renaissance
Have the class interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. They examine sources regarding architecture, art, exploration, government, literature, religion, and technology of the era. Then they use their...
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Youth Activity: How People Get Their Water Reservoirs: "Holding Tanks" for Drinking Water
Students experience and participate in "Riding the Water Cycle" with this lesson. They explore, analyze and study the role of reservoirs in maintaining a reliable supply of drinking water. Each student constructs a model of a reservoir.
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Class Presentation on Coal
Did you know that coal was formed from plants? After being assigned a coal-related topic, groups gather, organize, and present information about this energy source. The presentations should include visuals like graphs, charts, tables,...
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A Year in the Work of the Bard
Students study the life and times of Shakespeare. In this William Shakespeare instructional activity, students research the noted Web sites to discover details about Shakespeare's life and the times he lived in. Students also virtually...
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Irish-Americans: Work and Song
Students explore Irish-American culture. In this immigration lesson, students watch video segments regarding immigration in the 1840's and 1850's. Students discuss the discrimination Irish-Americans faced as they listen to songs and...
Smithsonian Institution
The Proper Gentlemen: George Washington and "The Rules of Civility"
Students read and interpret a portion of the "Rules of Civility." They describe the significance of these rules in Washington's time. They discuss how the rules might be significant in today's world. They write rules of etiquette that...
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I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends
Eleventh graders "walk a mile" in a person's shoes who had a role in the Underground Railroad and examine the risks and complications of the Underground Railroad.
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What is an American?
Learners investigate how the definition of being American has changed over the years using online primary source documents.
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Civil Rights and the Michigan Supreme Court I: A Case of Racial Discrimination in the late 1800s and Minority Supreme Court Justices
Students read the decision of the Michigan Supreme Court in the Ferguson v. Gies, a case dealing with discrimination in a restaurant. They participate in a class discussion about the case and the justices that presided over it. They...
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African Americans in the Columbia River Basin
Students research the Columbia River Basin Ethnic History Archive (CRBEHA) and use a variety of primary sources to explore the history of blacks in the region.
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Confederation Politicians
Students explore the production of newspapers about Confederation. The students are organized into groups and are asked to take on the roles of newspaper staff members. Their first assignment is to write a story based on an interview...
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Bird Flu: the Next Pandemic?
Students discuss what they know about bird flu and check the accuracy of their facts using primary sources related to the topics and classroom discussion activities. They create projects that illustrate what they have learned about...
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Growing Files for Women's History
High schoolers research a woman from their local community. They use primary source documents and old newspapers to gather information. They present the information to the class.
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News Interviews of Historical Figures During the Indian Wars
Pupils examine the lives of important historical figures. Using primary source documents, they develop a list of questions to ask the figure if they were still alive. In groups, they discover information about the other historical...
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Racists Actions Toward the Native Americans
Young scholars explore Thomas Jefferson and his attitude toward Native Americans. They study maps from European colonization and the westward movement that pushed the Native Americans further west. Students analyze primary source...
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How Michigan Law Affects You
Students examine how the laws in Michigan affect their lives. They use primary source documents to analyze the state's history. They discuss laws pertaining to women as well.
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Character in Leadership
Fifth graders inquire and research using secondary and primary resources. In this leadership traits unit, 5th graders investigate information about Harry S. Truman and present on his early life and leadership abilities. Possible lesson...
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Consumer Culture in the 1950s: New Shopping Centers and Advertising trends
Eleventh graders analyze the cultural and social aspects of the 1950s. Using primary source documents, they work together to determine what society was like. They use that information to write an essay about how their information...