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The Changing Face Of America

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explain historical and contemporary patterns of immigration to the United States. They observe immigrant markers in the cultural landscape and identify trends in population change in the local state and community.
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Our Water Resources

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students build a model aquifer to study groundwater zones and water table formation. Students use the models to measure the movement of polluted groundwater.
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Social Studies: Regions of the United States

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create Powerpoint presentations of various geographic regions of the United States. They focus on the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions. Students combine their individual slides into a class presentation.
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Topographic Connections: Earth's Surface Shapes Streams; Streams Sculpt the Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners identify physical characteristics of developing streams and infer changes in the landscape by creating a river model.
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The Gift of the Nile: Egypt and its River

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students begin with a piece of a puzzle that shows an artifact from ancient Egypt. They find others who have pieces that go with their puzzle piece. Students work in these groups to construct a relief map of the Nile River Valley.
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MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH MAPS

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students define choropleth map. They construct a choropleth map. They interpret a choropleth map. They present geographic information.
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Bears and Panthers Aplenty: Early Settlers Make a Home in Arkansas

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young historians research the Southwest Trail, which ran through Arkansas back in the 19th century. Pupils are divided into four groups. Each group researches a pioneer who blazed the Southwest Trail. Then, the group presents an oral or...
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Scarcity of Land Throughout the World and in Hawaii

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the importance of "land." They review the four types of land classification--urban, rural, agricultural and conservation--and participate in an activity involving an apple that demonstrates the use of land in Hawaii....
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Pizza and the Economy

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars become aware of the history behind pizza and how it was adapted to the economic and geographic conditions of the United States. They have a basic understanding of the concepts of supply and demand.
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The Magic of Cranberries

For Teachers K - 5th
Young scholars research climatic and soil conditions for growing cranberries and illustrate how cranberries grow. They research how cranberries are used past and present and create an a-b-c book on cranberries.
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Chinese Landscapes

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explain some of the topographical features of China's landscape. They view a Chinese landscape and discuss their view of the harmony between man and nature, then create their own karst mountain scene.
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Personal Travel Guide to a Chinese City

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Scholars become travel guides in this group research project to investigate a Chinese city or region for a presentation. Heavily based on Internet research, the activity requires participants to jigsaw the final project, so each team...
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Where Does Our Food Come From?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify the state or country that a food product came from and locate it on a map. They identify products that are grown in Hawaii and the factors important in the location of economic activities.
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Traveling with Flat Stanley

For Teachers 4th - 5th
students use the internet to gather geographical data about a state of their choice. Using new vocabulary, they describe the features present in the state, its climate and attractions. They develop a PowerPoint presentation to share...
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Bridges- Design a Bridge

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this bridge design worksheet, students answer 5 general questions about bridges. Students follow the directions to construct 4 types of bridges with paper and test them for strength.
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Indian Meets Colonist - Role Play

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners role play as colonists and Indians. They are assigned a specific colony and Indian group, and write a script and then role play in front of their classmates.
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My Life As A Social Scientist

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine different areas of social studies and tell classmates about what social scientists do. They work in small groups: each group member researches a different social science focus, then presents to the class.
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Backyard Habitats

For Teachers 5th - 8th
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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In Harm's Way: Natural Disasters in My Community

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders research and debate natural disasters that have occurred in their community. They assess whether these natural disasters were avoidable or were accidents. They investigate the extent of insurance coverage for disasters.
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The Ancient World

For Teachers K - 8th
Students explore the concept of migration. In this ancient civilizations lesson, students watch "The Ancient World" and research life in the Fertile Crescent. Students then write letters from the perspective of people migrating from...
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Map of Town

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders draw a map of the town given different sites to locate on the map by the teacher. They explain that latitude and longitude are used to locate places on maps and globes, identify the distinctive physical and cultural...
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Weaving a Story of Cooperation: The Goat in the Rug

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Weaving is an important part of Navajo culture. Read The Goat in the Rug to your fourth and fifth graders, and give them a glimpse into the process of rug making from the point of view of a goat! They will learn new vocabulary words and...
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Water Sources in Cape Verde and West Africa

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young explorers study the scarcity and importance of a continuous supply of fresh water in Cape Verde. They research the five main ways that fresh water is obtained in these countries. Each research group prepares a presentation, and...
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Map Exploration

For Teachers 2nd
Are you looking for a terrific lesson on map activities for your second graders? Then, this resource is for you! The activities range from decoding, to fill-in-the-blank, to read-and-search. There is a website activity related to maps...