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Abraham Lincoln's Presidency: Trials and Triumphs

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders access the TDC database and view the Brady photos, which depict Abraham Lincoln throughout various times in history. They analyze the photos and discuss the reasons for the changes in President Lincoln's appearance over time.
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European Explorers

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders research European Explorers lives. They create a Word Document, or slide show based on their research.
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Hurricane

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students use children's literature in order to investigate the concept of hurricanes and how they occur. The metaphor is used to describe a play area that is magical. They use their imaginations and write about their favorite places to...
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The Hidden History of the Roman Empire

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compare entertainment in ancient Rome to entertainment today. In this ancient Rome lesson, students research the details regarding the entertainment that occurred in the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus in Rome. Students compare...
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Patchwork Quilts

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine about traditional quilting patterns, the symmetry in such patterns, and practice creating patterns of their own. They design a quilting pattern, and groups make colorful "patches," of a pattern. They assemble the...
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Immigration to the United States

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders search TDC database for images of immigration from other countries, maps, and diaries. They identify why immigrants came to the United States and engage in a role-play simulating an experience the immigrants might have had.
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U.S. Geography- The Northeast

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the geography of the Northeast states. In this map skills lesson, students are shown a map of the Northeast states and identify the state names and borders. Students construct individual maps of the Northeast using...
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Lewis and Clark Expedition

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders read excerpts and research the Internet to learn about the expeditions of Lewis and Clark and their impact on the United States. Students fill out a KWL chart as they learn.
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African Novel Study

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders participate in literature circles as they read African novels. They read, work on word studies, and complete comprehension activities. They share their reading with other literature circle groups in the class.
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Aztec, Inca, and Maya

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders use images of Aztec weaponry to analyze its' value. They create a Word Document with the information.
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Memior: The Stuff of Our Lives

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders reflect upon the significance of remembered events and to keep a "notebook" of their thoughts and feelings. They read books that exemplify memior writing. They write their memiors, taking it through the writing process.
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Choosing the Lincoln Statue

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research photographs or artwork depicting Abraham Lincoln during the time when he was traveling the 8th Judicial Circuit and practicing law in Champaign County. They develop a Powerpoint presentation of the results of the...
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What's That Relic?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders listen to a read aloud of David Mc Cauley's book Motel of the Mysteries. They discuss an unknown artifact and decide what it might be used for. They research other artifacts and play "What's that Relic?"
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Great Questions

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research and create questions about a famous person. They create questions in a game format, create a computer generated brochure, and develop rubrics for their finished projects.
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Building a Better Home for the Three Little Pigs

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders draw a set of blueprints and record measurements on them. They add, subtract and multiply to work within their house-building budget.
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Incan Artifacts - Clay Pottery Lesson

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students study Incan artifacts found at an online database and create samples using clay pottery and paint.
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Map Directions and the United States

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders search TDC database for images of a compass rose, a miles marker, and a US map. They identify cardinal and intermediate directions to help identify their state and other states on a US map.
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People and Their Place in the Community

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders search TDC database for images of famous people, such as Rosa Parks, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., etc. They also retrieve information about their accomplishments, time frames, areas, and how they made a difference in...
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Our Sky: Home of Stars and Planets

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students discover that astronomy is a branch of science that includes the study of planets, stars, and constellations.
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Female Poets Speak For Themselves

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Student examine selected works of twentieth-century female poets that speak to the stereotypes about women inherent in Western culture. Individually, young scholars explore these stereotypes and their experience with them. Students...
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The Civil War/ A Unit Overview

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders will look at the causes of the Civil War in detail. A brief unit on the war itself will follow. Battles, historical figures, and daily life will be studied. The webpage is a link to many different related lessons.
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Introduction to Primary and Secondary Sources

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are introduced to primary and secondary sources. Using examples of each type of source, they work together to identify which are primary and which are secondary sources. They end the lesson by reviewing the...
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Introduction of Primary Sources

For Teachers 1st
First graders create two personal artifacts to add to a primary source shoebox that represents information about themselves. The first draw a self-portrait then build an artifact from Play-Doh and pipe cleaners to represent something...
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Type To Learn: Lesson 2

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders demonstrate proper finger placement on the keyboard and beginning keyboard techniques (shift key for capitals and symbols, tab to indent, number/caps lock, identify home row keys, anchor fingers to home row, use two hands...