Curated OER
Principles of Flight: Where are We?
Young scholars explore the concept of topographical maps. In this topographical map lesson plan, students discuss how airplanes know where to fly. Young scholars use topographical maps to simulate a field trip on the...
Curated OER
California Geography
Fourth graders explore geography of four distinct regions of California: mountains, coast, central valley, and desert. They locate California on map, identify state's boundaries and borders, and explore agriculture, a major economic...
Curated OER
Navigation
Students explain that globes are the best way to show positions of places, but flat maps are portable and can show great detail. They make a mercator projection of the route Lewis and Clark took on their journey.
Curated OER
Is the Hudson River Too Salty to Drink?
Students explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. In this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why the...
Curated OER
Right Place, Right Time
Fourth graders complete mathematical word problems. They study the relationships among distance, speed, and time; and measure travel distances. They measure distances using a piece of string and a ruler and practice converting several...
Curated OER
"Yarning" About Latitude and Longitude
Students identify various locations using latitude and longitude. In this map skills lesson, students use yarn and labels to create a "human globe." Students identify the Prime Meridian, the Equator, and Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
Curated OER
GPS Treasure Hunt
Young scholars explore geography by participating in a treasure hunt activity. In this Global Positioning System lesson plan, students define the terms latitude and longitude while utilizing an electronic GPS device. Young scholars view...
Curated OER
Watershed Landscape
Students demonstrate how water flows by building a human watershed using themselves. For this ecology lesson, students compare and contrast point-source and non-point source pollution. They write what they have learned from this activity...
Curated OER
Stellar Navigation
Middle schoolers are introduced to the concept of stellar navigation. Inside a portable digital planetarium they identify various stars that were used as a navigational tool. They go through several activities in which they attempt to...
Curated OER
What On Earth
Middle schoolers explore earth science through concept mapping, discussion, and self-discovery.
Curated OER
Skeletal, Skin, and Muscular Systems
Eighth graders explain the functions of various body systems. Using a concept map, 8th graders identify and explain the fuctions of the skeletal, skin, and muscular systems of the body. After completing their concept map, students...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan of a Thematic Project - Water
Sixth graders investigate the properties of water. In this life science lesson, 6th graders create a concept map of water. They share their work with the class.
Curated OER
Showing "How Many" on a Map
Young scholars investigate a map of 1873 that shows forest cover in the United States.They learn the concept of density and to illustrate landscapes in the United States.
Curated OER
Converging Earthquake!
Students identify the fault lines and tectonic plates on the map. In this earth science lesson, students simulate landscape formation using robots. They take a quiz at the end of the lesson to demonstrate mastery.
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Hospitality and Tourism 1: Safety and Sanitation
Math and science come alive in this career-related lesson on sanitation. Along the way, learners explore bacterial growth rates using exponential notation and graphs. A link to a very brief, but vivid video shows just how quickly these...
Computer Science Unplugged
Treasure Hunt—Finite-State Automata
Introduce your class to the concept of finite-state automata with an activity that asks individuals to try to map their way to Treasure Island by taking different routes though an island chain. Each island has two ship sailing...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
More Tribal Homelands
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....
Star Wars in the Classroom
Star Wars Geography Unit
What kind of animals live on an ice planet like Hoth? How would the habitat on Tatooine allow different organisms to thrive? Connect social studies, science, and Star Wars in one engaging activity that focuses on the ecosystems...
Fluence Learning
Writing Informational Text: Lemonade Stand
Use a performance task to assess third graders' ability to read informational text. After they plan a lemonade stand business, young entrepreneurs implement that plan through informational writing. The task assumes learners can...
Curated OER
Tracking Satellites Using Latitude and Longitude
Students, viewing an Internet site, plot the path of several satellites using latitude and longitude over the course of an hour. They learn the four basic types of satellites and their purpose.
Curated OER
Story Stretching: Tall Tales in North America
Students are introduced to tall tales. In this introductory tall tales unit, students explore the tall tales of Casey Jones and Johnny Appleseed. This unit includes many interdisciplinary lessons including graphing skills and geography.
Curated OER
Endangered Animals Books
Middle schoolers research endangered species and create and publish books to present their findings. Designed to use Inspiration software, this resource could be adapted if you don't have access to the program. Contains handy website...
Curated OER
Dependence and Interdependence
Third graders explore the dependence and interdependence that plants and animals in every environment have on one another. They examine how plants and animals depend on each other for survival. Students complete a variety of experiments...
Curated OER
What's Up With the Water Cycle?
Students explore the water cycle. Students identify the stages in a water cycle and create a PowerPoint presentation based on their knowledge.