Core Knowledge Foundation
Marching into Civil War Times: Little Women, Past and Present
Here is a fine unit of lessons which compare and contrast the culture during the time period of the classic book, Little Women to present day. Topics covered are the family, politics, morality, fashion, transportation, cities, historical...
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Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...
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Finding Our Way Home: Immigration to the United States, 1815-1860
Students break into families of 4 members. They brainstorm issues that they would encounter as an immigrant family by creating a web. Students are given roles to research focusing on that perspective: father, mother, grandparent, and child.
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Medieval African Kingdoms
Seventh graders examine the geography and political history of West Africa. They role-play as applicants to a company that transports customers to any historic time period. Working in teams, they create promotional products encouraging...
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Celebrate Colonial Maryland
Students research colonial Maryland. In this colonial Maryland lesson, students participate in a WebQuest to investigate how families led their lives long ago. Students compare family and city life from long ago and today. Students...
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Village Children in Northern Pakistan
Student use maps to answer geographic questions. They analyze Earth's surface by using a map to identify physical features that lead to different transportation routes. Student create a collage to show geographic insight into the topic...
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Where Do You Live?
Second graders study and compare rural, suburban, and urban communities. They play a board game, read books about communities, and complete several other activities regarding the different types of communities. Several extension and...
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KinderArt Drawing for Kids
Pupils illustrate a creative adventure idea. In this arts and crafts lesson, students design drawings based on where they would like to go for an adventure. Before creating their illustrations, pupils brainstorm the method of...
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Wildflower Beautification Project
Young scholars, in cooperative groups, design and create a wildflower garden for the community. They write letters to property owners requesting use of their land and then write invitations to their parents and to local, state, and...
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Creative Writing - Research and Letters
Here's a fresh approach that combines research, business and personal letter writing, and creative story telling. Student groups research different decades in the life of a famous Japanese astronomer. They then craft a decade fact sheet,...
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Dance: Discovering the Culture of Gullah
It's wonderful to see a lesson plan that incorporates art, movement, and writing. These three forms of creative expression are explored as learners dance to music from the Gullah people of West Africa. They analyze several paintings,...
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The Dragon of Brog: Stereotyping and Discrimination Social Justice Lesson Plan
Stereotyping and discrimination are explored in this social justice lesson. Students listen to the book Dragon of Brog, in which mythical characters experience discrimination. Then, they sculpt a magical character out of plasticene and...
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The Clay Marble
Students probe the story, "The Clay Marble" by Minfong Ho to identify examples of courage, quick thinking, and perseverance. The lesson creatively extends the plot of the story by celebrating the heroin's birthday many years after the...
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Dude, Where's My Karma?
Students research various aspects of Indian culture. They create a Book of Knowledge about India. In a second activity they research the history behind any game. They make presentations and play the different games during Game Day.
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A Visit to Mexico City: An Introduction to World Communities
Third graders complete a variety of activities as they take an imaginary trip to Mexico City, complete with passports, maps, and Spanish dictionaries. They write postcards to send home and create items to sell at the market. The unit...
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The City of New Haven
Students examine the geography, politics and history of their local town of New Haven, Connecticut. Using the internet, they explore the neighbors of New Haven and write directions from their house to school. In groups, they research...
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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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Can You Hear Me Now?
Students explore the industry involving communication and put communication devices into activities. In this communication lesson plan, students put items into chronological order, review primary sources, compare and contrast items, and...
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Building a Memorial to the Underground Railroad
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Underground Railroad instructional activity, students examine the attributes and function of the Underground Railroad...
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Biomes: Land of the Inuit
Learners study Inuit and their ancestors. For this biomes lesson students study the relationship between the Inuit and their environment and create a class art gallery.
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Learning About Slavery
Students locate on a map the places in Africa where the majority of slaves came from. They express their own personal thoughts and feelings about slavery.
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Be a River Pioneer!
Students role-play as pioneers in Illinois river towns. They research and choose a home town and participate in the development of the town. They present their simulation in either a written report or visual presentation.
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Quilting the Past and Present
Students construct a quilt using symbols of the past and present. In this communities lesson plan, students interview an older adult and discuss the history of their community. Students create a quilt.
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Images from South Carolina Cotton Mills
Fifth graders write a paragraph comparing their lives to the lives of a child working in South Carolina during the early 1900's. In this Industrial Revolution lesson plan, 5th graders explore primary and secondary sources to teach them...