California Polytechnic State University
Australian Geography Unit
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
Teachers.net
Columbus - Thanksgiving lesson plan
Students learn the history of Thanksgiving and Columbus Day, and they also create a "New World" mural in small groups.
Curated OER
Signs and Symbols
Sixth graders carefully analyze a triptych of the nativity, paying close attention to the lines, shapes and symbols included in the artwork. They explore the role of the Catholic church in society at the time the piece was created and...
Washington University in St. Louis
Teaching Jazz as American Culture
Jazz and the City, Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement, Jazz and Gender, Jazz and Literature, Jazz and the Arts, Jazz and Film. Here's a packet of unit plans organized around themes that reflect American culture. Each unit examines how...
Montana Natural History Center
Studying Grassland Ecosystems
At first glance, grassland ecosystems might seem dull and uninteresting, but once you start to explore it's amazing the things you'll find! Through this series of engaging lessons, activities, and experiments, elementary students examine...
Colorado State University
Can it Really Rain Fish and Frogs?
You've heard of it raining cats and dogs ... but what about fish and frogs? It turns out, one scenario is much more likely than the other! Intrepid weather investigators examine the curious behavior of waterspouts using a leaf blower,...
University of Pennsylvania
Using Comic Strips to Teach Multiple Perspectives
Scholars view comics from two different perspectives; one paints the Alfred Dreyfus as innocent, while the other portrays the exact opposite. They solve the mystery of what happened by analyzing the source, working in groups, and...
Curated OER
Earth, the Universe, and Culture
Middle schoolers view segment of documentary, Swift: Eyes Through Time, explore famous scientists, their theories, places of origin, and culture, document scientific viewpoints of famous scientists throughout history, and discuss...
NASA
Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Science is magic that works. Magical color-changing beads and a coffee can that follows voice commands are just two examples of magic tricks that rely on science. After completing a hands-on activity and an experiment investigating the...
Curated OER
History of Blood Transfusions
Eighth graders use the Internet to research the important people in history of blood transfusions. In this blood transfusions lesson students prepare and present an oral presentation of their research.
Curated OER
Folktales: Oral Traditions as a Basis for Instruction in our Schools
Middle schoolers visit their school library to read a variety of folktales. While they read, they identify the trickster or hero in each and discuss how the character represents the chaos in the real world. In groups, they write their...
Curated OER
The Invasion of the Medfly
Pupils examine the invasion of the fruit fly in California. In groups, they observe and record the fruit fly's lifecycle and how they affect humans in society. They also discuss the history and geography of the fly and the different...
Curated OER
Impact of the Progressive Era
Eighth graders examine the impact of the Progressive Era on the state of North Carolina. Using primary source documents, they discover the reason for the creation of schools during this time period. After reading news articles, they...
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: The Stalemate Seventies
A glimpse of the political and economic contexts of the 1970's, this series of slides includes two graphs (median family income and Consumer Price Index) and a map that details the results of the 1972 Nixon-McGovern Presidential...
University of Chicago
Ancient Egyptians and Death
What archaeological evidence remains of ancient Egyptian burial and mortuary practices, and what can this information tell us about ancient Egyptian society?
DePaul University
Egypt
The country of Egypt is more than just big pyramids and ancient pharaohs. After reading a brief overview of this African nation, young learners will demonstrate their understanding of the text by identifying the main idea and supporting...
Curated OER
Westward the Course of Empire Goes: American Imperialism in the Pacific Ocean during the Nineteenth Century
Eleventh graders research the acquisition of colonial outposts throughout the Pacific Ocean by the United States during the late-nineteenth century. They present their findings to the class and propose which countries or territories the...
Curated OER
Multas
Combine history and Spanish instruction with an exploration of descriptions of fines given in Florida in 1790. Partners read the brief text, fill out a graphic organizer about the crimes described, and interview each other about fines....
Curated OER
St. Patrick's Day
Take a look at a variety of St. Patrick's Day themed websites. They locate information on the history of the holiday, play games, complete arts and crafts, and read poetry. This is a great way to celebrate the holiday.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diabetes in the Family: A Case Study
Learners examine a case study of a woman with a family history of type 2 diabetes and create a "family health portrait" that assesses her risk of developing diabetes. They use the family health portrait to record the woman's family...
Curated OER
How Old Are the Stars?
Students determine the age of a star cluster by observing, measuring, and plotting astronomical data. They examine the Jewe lbox cluster, located within the southern constellation Crux and determine its age.
Curated OER
Alexander and Alexandria
Middle schoolers explore the history of libraries. In this ancient civilizations lesson, students consider the work of Ptolemy to build a library in Alexandria. Middle schoolers discuss the availability of books then and today. Students...
Curated OER
The Education of Henry Adams Quiz
For this online interactive reading comprehension worksheet, students respond to 12 multiple choice questions about The Education of Henry Adams. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Abigail as Mother (Part 1)
In part one of a two-part series, scholars compare two of Abigail Adams' letters: one to her son and the other to her daughter. Researchers use the provided worksheets to contrast evidence of the tone and themes in the two letters.