Before maps went mobile, people actually had to learn how to read maps. Pupils look at map elements in order to understand how to read them and locate specific locations. Finally, young cartographers discover how to make aerial maps.

Take out a map, a paper, a ruler, and those coveted colored pencils for a lesson on Chinese culture and geography. This is a multifaceted approach to basic geography skills that incorporate story telling, class discussion, primary source...

Young scholars practice basic map and geographic skills as they compare Oregon to Wales. Students color map of Wales and Oregon using color codes to distinguish between land, water, and bordering nations or states, listen to stories and...

Once upon a time are four words most children are familiar with when reading a fairy tale. But do they know that fairy tales are a great way to learn the literary elements of reading and writing? Use a thorough fairy tale unit...

Here is a nice set of activities and discussion questions to accompany your class reading of No Pretty Pictures, a memoir of a young girl's experiences and struggle for survival during the Holocaust.

Students investigate the role of lighthouses in navigation and practice the use of cardinal directions through reading activities, discussion, locating geographical features, and mapping lighthouses along the east coast of the United...

At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.

This nine-page packet, the first in the series of support materials for the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt thematic units on journeys, contains enrichment activities for learners who have mastered the basic concepts of the lessons....

Students examine sketch map of Burrets' Trail at the Nightengale Archaeological Center, interpret map symbols to play game, and identify reasons people modify environment to meet their basic needs.

Should Turkey be admitted to the European Union? Before debating this question, class members research the background and stated purpose of the EU, read articles of Turkey's bid to become a member of the EU, and the concerns other...

Here is a very fun idea that introduces young learners to how geographical location affects cultural development. They are introduced to four areas where Native Americans have lived in the past by reading stories and examining images....

Students play a bingo-type game to locate cities by coordinates. They explain the use of orientation on a map and identify cities in the western hemisphere. They compare road maps, shutttle images, and a CIR image and obtain an...

The political, social, and economic challenges the European Union faces as it enlarges is the focus of a six-lesson unit. Class members investigate and craft a presentation about a member country, the treaties member states must...

Students read a multicultural book called "This Is the Way We Go to School" by Edith Baer and Steve Bjorhman. They become culturally aware of the different nationalities around the world and different ways that they may do things on a...

Here's a packet of activities, designed to be used with the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt textbook, that will engage and challenge learners who have already mastered the basic skills in a thematic unit study of traditions.

The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...

Provide a historical context for the political unrest between Russia and Ukraine that began in late 2013. Learners review their prior knowledge and chronicle new understandings with a KWL chart, watch a video explaining the Ukrainian...

Sixth graders write journal entries o school site at least once during each season, including sketched and written observations of present environment. They can use sample topographical maps and student's own maps. Students can use...

First graders look at their classroom or school setting. They use positional word to describe where things are located in the school. Students discuss a map and why they are important. They read the story "Taylor's New School" and...

Write dear old Peter Rabbit a letter with this lesson. First, youngsters listen to the story Peter Rabbit and analyze the story elements. Then they complete a story map graphic organizer in order to write a letter to Peter...

Fourth graders are shown how to read a map and identify key cities, landmarks, rivers, state boundaries, and train routes. They solve basic mathematical problems. Students reivew the componets of a map legend. They are asked to find...

Sixth graders explore economic systems. In this economics instructional activity, 6th graders discover global markets. Students work in small groups to identify where their clothing and materials originated. Students locate countries on...

Students determine how to find geographic information about places they read about in the news. In this geography lesson, students look at political and physical maps to determine the difference. They access maps online to find the...

Third graders identify roles of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in establishing new country, create posters with their ideas about each part of Constitution, and explain three branches of government, including their...