Learners gain knowledge about the impact of drought in agriculture. They investigate soil types, water flow, and various erosion conditions which occur during a drought and see how farming practices changed after the 1930's.

We take a steady shower stream and clean drinking water for granted, but in many countries around the world, the lack of water or a clean water supply is responsible for higher sickness and death rates. Taking a closer look at the water...

Students investigate the climate of their region. Students research statistics and conduct interviews. Students take a virtual tour of Ghana and discuss its climate. Students consider water conservation and the role it plays in both...

Great information, images, and wonderful higher-order thinking questions await your class. They'll discuss, consider, and examine multiple factors related to the Dust Bowl. A cross-media comparison is made between the historical events...

Small groups read assigned chapters from the book, Letters to Rifka, then work together to fill out comprehension worksheets associated with their chapters. This fine, 13-page instructional activity culminates with each group getting...

Here’s a must-have resource for anyone using The Grapes of Wrath. Everything from guiding questions to background information, from photographs to documentary films, from activities to assessments is included in a richly detailed packet...

Students compose narratives describing the difficulties faced by those living in the Dust Bowl. They use resource sheets and photos in this small group activity. Their stories include plots, settings, and characters either taken...

Discuss life in the 1930s in relation to the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, then do a cross-media analysis. Here you'll find background information on film maker John Ford, writer John Steinbeck, and 1930s America. You can compare the...

Students develop their abilities to solve problems both in school and in a variety of situations similar to that they have encountered in life. They define the term ecosystem in nature by comparing them to familiar organizational...

Is your class reading Out of the Dust? If they are, or if this is your first time teaching Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winning novel, check out the ideas in a presentation that outlines what you and your class can do while reading about...

If your class is reading the historical fiction novel, Out of the Dust, then you are in luck. Here are a few slides that will help you provide historical context for the book, as well as define main characters, setting, symbolism, and...

Dorothea Lange's "Migrant Mother" and other images set the stage for a PowerPoint about the Great Depression. Whether used as background for Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, or as part of a historical study, the presentation would...

Rising sea levels, strong storms, melting ice ... who or what is to blame? Scholars browse the website in preparation for a class discussion or debate about whether human activity is causing climate change. They gain a balanced...

Try out this reading passage when teaching your class about the 1920s and 1930s. After reading the text, which provides an overview of some major events in these years, learners respond to five related questions.

Unveil the mysteries of ancient China in this presentation, which includes photographs of historic relics from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Slides detail the Hsia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties; especially helpful is the final slide, which...

Students explore philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read Runaway Rice Cake, identify the elements of the story, and make rice cakes to share with others.

Fourth graders research the location and causes of the Dust Bowl in 1935. In support, they interpret photos from that period in Oklahoma history, They also compare/contrast the American Dust Bowl to the dust storms that occurred in...

Students explore the Westward Expansion Movement of U.S. history. In this Westward movement lesson, students use primary and secondary source documents research personal accounts of those who travelled west during the era....

Sixth graders participate in mapping and other activities to understand why ancient civilizations developed as they did. In this ancient civilization lesson, 6th graders recognize that there were three important climate zones and...

Pupils complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book The Legend of the Blue Bonnet. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer...

Students examine human sacrifice and read about Aztec gods and religious practices. They study Aztec sacrifice while looking at opportunity costs of doing things for the common good.

Students read about the history and locate dams in Arizona. For this Arizona dams lesson plan, students write a summary about what they read focusing on word choice, ideas, conventions, and geography content.

Fourth graders assess the development of animal husbandry, outline it in detail as well as arrange the steps in sequential order. In addition, they discuss how certain animals came to be domesticated, concentrate to research on one of...

Young scholars view examples of Depression era images and relate them to chapters from Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this Maya Angelou lesson, students discuss chapters 8 and 9 from the text and define setting. Young...