Smithsonian Institution
The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
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Touring Ancient Egypt
Students study the geography and resources available to the ancient Egyptians and create a multimedia tour that demonstrates this learning to others.
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Using computers in the content area
Students practice grade appropriate computer basics and integrate them into the curriculum areas. in this technology lesson, students understand correct behaviors while using the computer. Students become familiar with the Internet...
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Community Treasures (Rivers and Trees): An Integrated Curriculum Unit
Third graders demonstrate an understanding of geography and its effects on lifestyles and culture. Then they apply basic economic terms and principles
and identify the United States government and history. Students also identify and...
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Backyard Habitats
Students identify habitat elements. They create a habitat in a backyard, on a balcony, at a workplace, or in a schoolyard and provide the four basic requirements of wildlife survival (food, water, cover, and places to raise young). They...
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Where I Live…
Second graders explore their community. In this social studies lesson plan, 2nd graders use Internet tools to locate their community on a map and then locate where they live.
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International Festival: Venezuela
Students become familiar with the Venezuelan culture and geography. In this Venezuelan Festival lesson, students compare and contrast themselves to the people of Venezuela. Students participate in activities to understand the...
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Exploring China
Second graders explore the geography, holidays, important teachers, and inventions from China in the nine lessons of this unit. The results of their inquiries are expressed through a variety of products, writings, and presentations.
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Let's Build a Map
Students gain an understanding of maps while studying the map of the Louisiana Purchase and the trail of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. They demonstrate understanding of maps by creating a basic classroom map.
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Manifestations of the Manifesto
Students explore the workings of FARC, a Marxist guerilla group in Colombia, as well as study the basics of Marxism. They examine the discrepancies between Marxist theory and Marxism as it is actually realized in Colombia and other parts...
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Cells: Structures and Processes
Students explore the basic unit of life, the cell in this nine lessons unit. The cell structure of animal and plant cell functions and how they affect our world are probed in this unit.
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A Visit to Japan
Studnets complete a variety of activities as they develop an awareness and appreciation of Japanese culture: geography, food, homes, holidays, celebrations, education, games, etc.
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My Community
First graders design a Powerpoint presentation to reflect information about their community. In this community lesson, 1st graders create slides to explain the weather, geography and other information about the city.
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A Recipe for Reading: Asian Style Rice and Eggs
Learners read, write about, and cook with rice in this home economics lesson. They reflect on the experience eating rice at home or in other ethnic foods.
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Animal Adaptations
Young scholars expand their knowledge of animal features and behaviors that can help or hinder their survival in a particular habitat. They participate in classroom discussions and visit a website to research animals
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Learning about Native Americans through Artifact Analysis and Artwork
Sixth graders assess how a Native American's environment and the geographic region where they lived influenced their food, clothing, shelter and the overall culture of a tribe. They study the impact of conservation, family, rural life,...
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The Mystery of Exploration
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...
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A Year (a Day or a Week) In My Life as a Shorebird
Students describe the basic life history of one shorebird common to their area. They use the writing process which includes brainstorming, rough draft writing, peer editing, and re-writing to create a factually and grammatically...
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Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
Challenge geography classes to locate the major volcanoes and earthquake faults on a world map. In groups, they identify the pattern made and examine the relationship between the locations of the faults and volcanoes and tectonic...
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Island Biogeography and Evolution
Young scholars use this activity as a logic problem that is based on real organisms and real data. The problem is to develop phylogenies for seven related populations of lizards living on the Canary Islands. Three phylogenetic charts...
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Christopher Columbus Lesson Plans
Columbus Day lesson plans are great for teaching students about geography, history, and exploration.
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Export-Import Game
Students recognize how international trade affects them as consumers and become familiar with basic agricultural crops grown in Kentucky. They identify items used in their daily lives and .heir place of origin and examine export/import...
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School Redesign and Multiple Intelligences
Students examine their own intelligence to find areas of strength after studying the multiple intelligences. In this diverse learning styles lesson plan, students analyze how the school environment fosters or fails students of...
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Learning About Animal and Human Migration
Students can gain a greater understanding of human and animal behavior by studying migration.