As Ken Jennings said, "There's just something hypnotic about maps." Certainly, the longer you look at them the more you can learn. In this project-based learning instructional activity, individuals study both historic and...

Young scholars create a timeline and reinforce the concepts of past, present and future as well as scale.

Coming up on the Olympics? Be sure your middle schoolers understand the dynamic and ancient history of this global tradition. They begin by recalling traditions parents have passed down, considering their relevance and ways they might be...

The concept of change over time is presented in this history lesson. In it, learners discuss how some things stay the same over time, while other things change. Teams of students research and create a timeline of important events that...

First graders use an October calendar to trace numbers, trace letters, and identify dates as being in the past, present, and future. In this Social Studies lesson plan, 1st graders label events on the calendar in order to gain deeper...

Students examine the theme of independence in American history by participating in a class-wide paper quilt project. Each student creates three quilt squares representing the past, present and future of independence in the United States.

Learners explore school history by documenting daily life. In this time capsule lesson plan, students discuss the impact a fire had on their school during the previous year and identify ways to preserve information about their school by...

Second graders explore the lives of actual people who make a difference in their everyday lives. They differentiate between events that happened long ago and events that happened yesterday by studying their family histories. The unit...

Upper graders read the story One Grain of Rice, and use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast topics found in the story to current event topics today. Groups of three learners work together to create their diagram. The topics they must...

Learners analyze the evolution of cultural attitudes through the lens of transportation, examining several artifacts, documents, and photographs. Topics covered include how American attitudes have influenced society's evolution into a...

Students write a letter to future residents of their town to complete a time capsule activity. In this letter writing lesson, students discuss the ideas of past, present, and future and review writing conventions. Students study images...

High schoolers analyze and discuss the 19th Amendment, and read the document, Why Women Want to Vote. Students illustrate statements from the handbill, then conduct a play about women's suffrage.

Where did the Olympic Summer Games originate? The class takes a look at ancient origins of modern Olympic games. They research the Olympics and write a compare and contrast essay that describes how the Olympic Games have changed since...

Seven major abstract art movements are analyzed by learners in groups. Each group analyzes various works by determining which work belongs to which movement. They then read Flatland, engage in an art and literary analysis discussion,...

Students consider the stories of two immigrants and translate their past, present and future into original pieces of writing or artwork.

Students examine how the Mexican-American culture developed in Los Angeles. They explore the past, present and future of Mexican-Americans in LA and present their findings in a PowerPoint presentation.

Students read poetry and a biography of poet Anne Carson as part of a creative writing instructional activity. In this poetry analysis instructional activity, students read about the poet, read her poetry, and analyze a photograph to...

Students create tri-fold biographical brochures. Each of the sections of the brochure refers to either the past, present or future of the student. They use the back of the brochure to list ways to be successful in high school and reach...

Where did our beloved Summer Games originate? Kids look for the origins of the Summer Olympics in our ancient past. They research how the Games came to be and how they have changed. They'll complete Venn diagrams to compare and contrast...

Eighth graders design a product or machine and determine the impact their invention has on a person's quality of life. They present their design and machine with a description of its possible impacts to an audience of peers and adults.

Students talk with older family members about favorite family foods and where they have originated. They learn the process that went into the preparation and cooking of these foods and contrast how technology has affected food...

Can knowing about things of the past help predict the types of things seen in the future? Advanced learners consider the idea that things extend. In other words, concrete things like bridges and intangible things like ideas extend from...

Allow your classes to research what interests them. An engaging STEM lesson, the fourth in the series of six, asks individuals to choose a topic of interest and analyze the data through regression models. The regression equations allow...

Young scholars use latitude and longitude to map the path of the Battle of Gettysburg.