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European Exploration
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...
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The Great Exchange
Sixth graders examine the connection that the present has to the past and how different cultures impact each other with lasting results. They discuss European exploration in North America and West Africa by describing cultural...
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Review
Eighth graders review and assess their knowledge on the big picture of exploration and the origins of early America. They piece together all the pieces of the puzzle from the past two weeks of study on trade, technology, exploration and...
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Natural Resources
Seventh graders consider how US natural resources have helped it to become a leading industrialized power. They research, discuss, write and edit an expository paragraph in groups. They can present paragraph to another class or compile a...
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Territorial Expansion
Eleventh graders brainstorm a list of characteristics of adolescence. They use selected websites and draw a parallel between the characteristics of adolescence and the characterisitcs of Romanticism, as seen in visual art and literature.
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Colonization and Emigration
Students explore emigrants deciding to leave the United States and the events that lead to their decisions.
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Return South Migration Lesson Plan
Students study the reasons so many immigrants returned to the South following the Civil Rights Movement. They examine how the former slaves influenced the cultural life in the Northern cities.
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Context for Exploration
Students examine watershed maps from the Columbia River. They practice using maps and create their own watershed map. They share their map with the class.
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Exploring with Cartography
Students are introduced to the topic of cartography. Using the internet, they research the paths and goals of early explorers. They create a PowerPoint presentation of the information they collected. They also develop a...
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Selling the Developing World
Learners compare and contrast the industrialized nations with the developing ones. In groups, they link a developing country with a industrialized one that could increase its economic development. They present their findings to the class...
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Exploring New Frontiers
Learners gather information about the contributions of various explorers. Using the internet, they discover the many viewpoints of those who conquered new frontiers. They examine and compare life 200 years ago to their life today.
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Explore Your World--Geography Takes You Places
Students 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...
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Health and the Community
Learners illustrate cause and effect of pollution to human health through the analysis of an image from the American Industrial Era. They investigate how industry affected rest of the community or city.
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Leaves
Students explore, observe, and collect leaves from outside. They make journal entries, discuss the differences and common features of leaves and what function leaves serve. They will discuss the plant and tree leaves. Students draw...
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Redwood Trees: How Does Water Get to the Top of the Tree
Students discuss photosynthesis. They explore and discuss surface tension, hydrogen bonding and capillary action with hands on experiments. They make journal entries and draw pictures of the different stages of the experiments.
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Artists as Explorers
Students brainstorm a list of famous explorers from the past. In groups, they complete a worksheet analyzing the art of Karl Bodmer and how one could view him as an explorer as well. They answer discussion questions to end the lesson.
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Settling Nroth America: Improvisation and Playwriting
Learners map the classroom by marking the movement of the first Americans' migration from Alaska down into North America. To improve their skills in map-reading and sense of direction, students identify physical features of the map and...
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Cooperative Conjectures
Students compare and contrast how animals have coexisted with humans. They also identify industrial changes and how animals were affected. They use the internet to research information and present their findings to the class.
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Writing with Writers
Students identify unique characteristics of different writing genres such as biography, folktales and mysteries. They create original piece of writing using the writing process and then post their original writing online. They think...
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The Renaissance: How did it change the world?
Eighth graders identify the conditions in Medieval Europe that contributed to the beginning of the Renaissance. They find characteristics of the Renaissance in its art, economy, discoveries, and ideas. They examine the ideas of Humanism...
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Lively Read of the Tale of Despereaux
Students create a character map of the main characters in The Tale of Despereaux. After reading the text, students create a character chart based on information they gleaned from the story. They use this information to write a letter...
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Marine Life, Oceans, Lakes and Rivers
Students examine the types of organisms found in oceans. In groups, they read articles about the research done at certain sites. They work together to research their own water ecosystems and report the findings to the class. To end...
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Myths, Folktales, & Fairy Tales
Srtudents explore the folktale and folklore genres as well as the world of myths. They read myths and folktales to increase knowledge of world cultures and traditions and follow the writing process to create writing in different genres.
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Go For the Gold!
Middle schoolers are introduced to the history of Greece and the Olympic Games and then research the history and sports in order to write a research paper. They make connections between the 2004 Olympics and the past Olympic Games and...