Lesson Plan
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This Guilty Land

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the actions and motives of John Brown. In this abolition lesson, students discover details about Brown's background as a free-state and abolition supporter. Students discuss his role as that of a martyr or terrorist....
Lesson Plan
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Winter at Valley Forge

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students assess the events leading up to the American Revolution. For this United States History lesson, students read "Crossing the Delaware: George Washington Fights in the Battle of Trenton," then discuss the highlights in the story....
Lesson Plan
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Gray Whales

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Explore the majestic grey whale while deepening your understanding of animal adaptations. Grey whales from head to toe are specifically designed to fit their environment. Learners will examine the ways in which the flippers, head, body,...
Lesson Plan
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Classroom Meteorologists: An Experiential Approach to Learning about Seasons and Weather

For Teachers K
Students examine several concepts about weather in the seven lessons of this unit. This year long activity helps students to gather data seasonally about wind, clouds, precipitation, and temperature. Earth's three climate zones are...
Lesson Plan
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Basic Needs of Plants

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders conduct a plant experiment.  In this basic needs of plants instructional activity, 2nd graders observe plants for two weeks. Students record data from their plants in journals. 
Lesson Plan
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Lincoln: The Man Who Needed Nevada

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners understand how Nevada became a state and the role of Abraham Lincoln in Nevada's statehood. In this Nevada statehood lesson, students listen to background information, primary sources and research about Nevada's statehood....
Lesson Plan
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A Country Recovering from Crisis--Kenya

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore Kenya. In this Kenya activity, students research Internet and print sources regarding the political and economic issues the country is facing. Students compare life in Kenya to life in the United States.
Lesson Plan
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Fitting Trash into Yesterday: A Fifth Grade Activity

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the concept of waste management. In this recycling lesson, 5th graders discover the history of waste management and discuss how the U.S. should respond to the issue of ever-increasing waste.
Lesson Plan
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the concept of Japanese internment. In this Japanese internment lesson plan, students examine primary sources that enable them to discover what internment camp life was like and its implications, Students write...
Lesson Plan
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The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover how the Declaration of Independence transformed from a draft to a treasured historical document. In this Declaration of Independence lesson, students discuss the context in which Jefferson wrote the document and analyze...
Lesson Plan
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Forces in Action

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders experiment to understand how force is effected by friction.  In this forces in action lesson, 2nd graders view a website to simulate what happens when the height of a ramp is changed. Students participate in an...
Lesson Plan
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Freedom and You

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research the American Revolution. In this Revolutionary War lesson, students research facts about the American Revolution, write an expository essay, and peer edit for good content. The paper is suggested to be written after...
Lesson Plan
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Ancient Rome

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Ancient Rome. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer questions, have...
Lesson Plan
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Waldseemüller’s Map: World 1507

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers take a closer look at historical maps. In this primary source analysis instructional activity, students examine the first world map produced by Martin Waldseemuller. Middle schoolers complete the included map analysis...
Lesson Plan
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Searching for Meteorites

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students examine meteorites and attempt to recover meteorite fragments.  For this space lesson students complete a demonstration on the impact of a meteorite using water balloons and make experimental predictions.
Lesson Plan
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Minerals of the Earth

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students learn and practice identifying Earth's minerals and their properties. Working in small groups, they evaluate minerals. This is a well-described lesson, which students enjoy.
Lesson Plan
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Calorie Connection

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students calculate the calories in a Brazil nut and the calories needed for daily intake. In this calories lesson plan, students use calorimetry to measure the change in water temperature heated by the burning of a Brazil nut. They also...
Lesson Plan
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Technologies of the Civil War

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discover new and interesting technologies of the Civil War. For this Civil War portfolio of lessons, 5th graders analyze primary resources, develop new vocabulary, investigate websites, and create a time line of new...
Unit Plan
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Necessity is the Mother of Invention

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students research the Industrial Revolution. In this Industrial Revolution lesson plan, students research on the Internet, with books, magazines, fill out worksheets, and more to learn about inventions that were made out of necessity or...
Lesson Plan
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Drake’s West Indian Voyage 1588-1589

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the exploration routes of Sir Francis Drake. In this American exploration lesson, students investigate primary sources to trace the routes and contact with the natives that Sir Francis Drake experienced on his voyages in...
Lesson Plan
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Just a Little Bit of Effort: Exploring Levers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students build models of types of levers. In this simple machines lesson, students use dowels and modified wooden rulers to build different types of levers. They compete to create the most efficient lever in the class.
Lesson Plan
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Statistics with State Names

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students analyze the number of times each letter in the alphabet is used in the names of the states. In this statistics lesson, students create a stem and leaf plot, box and whisker plot and a histogram to analyze their data.
Lesson Plan
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Fishing Fun

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Learners complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Fishing Fun. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer questions, have...
Lesson Plan
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Germs and the Importance of Washing Your Hands

For Teachers K
Students determine the importance of hand washing through experiments. In this hand washing and germs lesson, students listen to a reading of Germs! Germs! Germs! by Bobbi Katz, and discuss what they learn about germs. They experiment by...