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The Presidents of Mount Rushmore
Students understand the importance of Mount Rushmore as a national symbol. In this Mount Rushmore lesson, students locate Mount Rushmore on the map and investigate each of the four Presidents on Mount Rushmore. Students understand how...
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Industrialization
Eleventh graders examine government regulations. In this industrialization lesson, 11th graders look into what was going on inside American factories during the era. Students read excerpts of The Jungle and watch selected video clips...
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THE PLOW
Young scholars create a time line. They research major events and advancements in the development of the plow. They describe and date at least ten major events and advancements in the development of the plow from prehistoric to...
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PUPPETRY
Learners explore world cultures through their puppetry. Your students explore puppets that are used in various cultures and create their own. The Internet experiences in this instructional activity are designed to be teacher-directed...
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Geographic Luck
Students examine why some countries are rich while others remain poor. They view a video on the website, Guns, Germs and Steel, analyze primary sources to conduct research about plants and animals, and create a game based on their research.
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Creative Writing
Students criticially read an unfinished creative writing piece, answer factual questions concerning the piece, and then finish the story or create their own story about their own neigborhood and possible environmental issues.
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Water Creative Writing
Students red and discuss an example of a biographical essay. They read The Last of the Falling Tide by Car Hiassen, answer factual questions concerning the work, and create their own story about a natural place they are familiar with ,...
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Objects of Adornment
Students examine the portrait of two historical princesses. In this art history instructional activity, students define the term "adornment" and discuss the characteristics of each painting. Students compare and contrast the objects worn...
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Solving Environmental Problems
Students identify a community environmental problem and possible solutions. They analyze the connection between the problem and the solutions and the importance of it to the local community. Students then draw a picture of an...
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Castle/Fort Unit
Students compare and contrast castles and forts. They observe buildings in their community and consider how castles and forts are similar. They design their own castle or fort and brainstorm materials to build with, discuss how the...
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Animals in Motion
Students draw and sculpt animals in motion. In this artistic drawing lesson, students are introduced to art depicting arrested motion, then observe and sketch animals in motion and use the drawing as they create a balanced sculpture.
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Putting a Spin on Current Events
Students examine the symbolism on a 17th-century cabinet. In this symbolism lesson, students view samples of a 17th century cabinet and identify it's symbols. Students create their own cabinet by using various art supplies and paint...
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Flat Shapes in Three Dimensions
Students examine the 20th-century sculpture "Gandydancer's Dream" by Mark di Suvero. For this visual arts lesson, students examine the sculpture and then use flat shapes and wire to create their own sculpture. The students are...
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Exploring Photographs, Lesson 2—A Closer Look: Analysis in the Museum
Students explore photographic works of art. In this visual arts lesson plan, students analyze selected photographs by Garcia, Ray, and Eggleston. Students take their own photographs in the style of these photographers.
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The West the Railroads made
Students investigate the effects of time and distance for the creation of a successful railroad. In this railroad lesson plan, students recognize the railroad's need for an exact time schedule was the cause for the creation of time...
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Seeing Ancient Worlds
Learners view the images from the Nature Images Photo Gallery and identify various elements of nature. They then group the elements into categories and discuss what these images tell about the worlds of ancient Native Americans.
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Plants in Texas: Then and Now
Seventh graders discuss continuity and change, identify various plant materials, and compare and contrast ways in which early people used plants in Texas in prehistoric times with ways that modern man in Texas uses plants today.
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History Detective: The Case of the Mysterious Trunk
Students role play as history detectives. In this historical inquiry instructional activity, students discuss what detectives do, analyze a trunk of "artifacts" and make conclusions about its fictional owner. Students complete six pages...
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Burn, Baby Burn (Or Not)
Physics learners apply the concepts of fluid pressure input and output to firefighting. Divide your class into small groups and give them each a few cards that list nozzle type, hose length, hose size, and structure dimensions, They are...
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Vessels: Then and Now
Learners determine the role of vessels in ancient Greek life and identify their modern-day equivalents. They describe the role of resources in ancient Greek everyday life and identify modern-day equivalents to ancient Greek tableware.
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Ancient Abstraction
Students compare and debate how an ancient Greek sculpture is similar to modern art. Then they orally describe the cultural contributions of early Greek civilization and their relationship to the modern world.
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Meet a Creature From Ancient China
Young scholars view an image of a Chinese chimera and complete a chart describing what they see and understand about the creature. They compare funerary customs today to those of ancient China. They compile a list of items that might be...
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Facts, Feats and Folklore: Spiders
Students review and discuss a variety of sayings, folklore and superstitions about spiders. They discuss this information and choose either an interesting fact or appealing foklore tradition to illustrate.
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Transportation and Communication Timeline
Students discuss the growth of transportation and communication technology since 1500 C.E. Individually or in groups, they research lists of developments in the two areas. Finally, students create timelines indicating the development...