Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable: Haitian Frontier Fur Trapper and Explorer

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the life and contributions of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable. They read and discuss an informational handout, define five words from the passage, conduct Internet research, and write a journal entry from the...
Unit Plan
University of Southern California

What Is The Ocean?

For Students 4th - 8th
Go on a tour of the ocean through the lens of a scientist. Learners read maps of the ocean floor, study tide behavior, examine wave motion, and analyze components of soil. Each lesson incorporates a hands-on component.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mystery of Exploration

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students comprehend the history of European exploration of North America. They are introduced to basic reasearch techniques. Students focus on four explorers who visited New York State: Verrazano, Cartier, Champlian, and Hudson. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Yours, Mine, and Ours

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars explore the five themes of geography while they conduct Internet research to compare and contrast their city, region, or country with the city and region of Nagano, Japan.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History Close to Home: Creating Your Own Special Museum

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students create their own museum exhibit. In this museum creation lesson plan, students research their local history so they can decide on a theme for their exhibit and what objects they will use in order to design a museum exhibit. A...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adventures in Exploration

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research major explorers in history using their textbook and then create a timeline using Timeline Software. Students participate in class discussions and write an essay about the explorer they researched.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design A Community Program

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students take community action. In this philanthropy lesson, students consider issues in their community and collaborate in small groups to rank the issues identified. Students read Brandy Cake and reflect on the story's themes in order...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Le Cirque: A Global Simulation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study about circus performers as they visit various French cities. They make decisions about events, management, and create a graphic organizer about the various French Cities. Also, they care a database to rate some...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Through the Past, Lightly

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders engage in a variety of activities in the study of Native Americans and the times of the early explorers. They create art, write in journals, and study how art influences society.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explore Your World--Geography Takes You Places

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners examine how the world around them is constantly changing. In groups, they travel between centers in their classroom to role play the role of explorers in Washington D.C. They share their experiences with their classmates and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

European Exploration

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders analyze key European explorers and focus on where and why they explored. They research who sponsored the explorers as well as the accomplishments of the explorers. They discuss the lasting effects of the expeditions in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Do Maps Show?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover the uses for various types of maps. In this geography skills instructional activity, students discuss the type of maps that exist and what their individual features are. Students then practice using different types of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Early History of Haiti

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders make list of places Columbus explored on his first journey to Americas, locate island of Hispaniola on map, examine groups of people who have inhabited island, complete blank map and key of Hispaniola, and research early...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In the Wake of Columbus

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students explore how the population decreased in native cultures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of Ponce de Leon in Florida

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Based in sound Educational Theory, this lesson uses art to convey the story of Ponce de Leon. Mild to moderately disabled students hear the story of the Fountain of Youth, examine a paining of Ponce de Leon, and act out a scene as Ponce...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Heroism

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Young scholars research heroism online. In this heroism instructional activity, students use the documentary of Heroes of Ground Zero to explore the theme of heroism. Young scholars complete five days of activities to research and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

“Pardon This Interruption-Columbus Has Landed!!!”

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploration--Widening Our Horizons

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the difficulties of exploration and some of the motivations for exploration. They investigate various types of explorers and identify the difficulties faced by the New World explorers. Students create a journal of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

European Exploration

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders use their research information to design their explorer slide using PowerPoint after observing the teacher's model. They design the first slide as a team coming up with a title, slide 2 should give background, slide 7...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Manifest Destiny, Louisiana Purchase, and Lewis and Clark

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners discuss famous explorers. They discuss manifest destiny and watch a PowerPoint presentation. Students relate the explorers trips to a trip to Mars. They create a graphic organizer showing what they would bring on a trip to Mars....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Explorations: To the End of the Earth and Beyond

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Young scholars analyze the factors that affect exploration such as religion, trade, territorial expansion, and science. In this Great Explorations lesson, students determine the names of famous explorers as well as their routes and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

True Tales of Adventure for Young Part 1

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the Passageways website. The lesson leads students through the website and requires that they read to find answers to a series of questions. Students study some of the general aspects of exploration, as well as the terms...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Attend a Chat Session

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners participate in chat sessions with explorers on an expedition. In this chat lesson plan, students construct questions for people who are on an adventure. They access a chat room to ask the questions and to receive answers. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Act-It-Out Columbus Boat

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students investigate the trip Christopher Columbus took to the new world.  For this U.S. History lesson, students create a fictional ship from cardboard and construction paper simulating the ship Columbus used to get to the New...