Curated OER
Shadow Trackers
Learners use online websites to inquire about the cycle of day and night. In this web based instructional activity, students are able to see the movement of the sun and Earth. Learners can look at different parts of the Earth as if they...
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The World (With an emphasis on the United States)
Fourth graders recognize the different continents. They are introduced to longitude and latitude and how to find locations using these measurements. This series ends with an emphasis on the fifty states of the United States and their...
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Follow That Ship!
Students in this exercise are introduced to the distinct ways of measuring distance (nautical miles) and speed (knots) at sea, as well as the concepts of latitude and longitude for establishing location.
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Exploring and Comparing Other Communities
Third graders search TDC database for images of physical geography maps, weather maps, natural resources maps, and old travel brochures. They create a new travel brochure of an area of their choice using the information they gathered.
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What Are The Characteristics of Your Neighborhood?
Students make a mental map of their neighborhood. Using a software program, they make an aerial and digital map of their school and locate their school on given maps. In groups, they calculate the distances to various locations and...
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If You Build It, Will They Come?
Students examine the city of Duluth, Minnesota. In groups, they use the internet to discover its current state of urban geography. After their research, they create and plan their own redeveloping of the city. They share their results...
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Where Do Animals Come From?
Students use library search engines to research an animal and its origin. In this animal research lesson, students research their assigned animal using ProQuest. Students then find the country of origin of the animal using a library...
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Tools of the Explorers
Fifth graders examine the history of the European exploration of the New World. They research and create replicas of many of the tools used by the explorers including a compass, quadrant, hourglass, log and map.
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Go West My Class
Students find data that can be mapped on the Factfinder Web page. They analyze the data from the web site and state recommendations on whether a person should live in Illinois or not based on their preferences.
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Rapping Regions in America
Students determine what designates a place as a region. They apply their criteria for a region to the US map. They work in groups to write a rap about their region that describes its organization, type and structure.
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Introduction to the Barnegat Bay Estuary
Students research estuaries. In this estuaries lesson, students discuss the differences in a bay and an ocean. Students watch a PowerPoint of the properties of the estuaries and geography of Barnegat Bay. Students complete a worksheet...
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Where Did That Come From?
Fourth graders participate in a scavenger hunt. They locate specified items, finding the country origin. Students collect and organize the data, marking each country on a map. After researching the results, 4th graders write an analysis...
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Plotting Plates
Learners investigate plate tectonics and their correlation with natural phenomena like earthquakes and volcanoes. They use the internet to see real-time data about earthquakes and volcanoes. Students plot latitude and longitude points on...
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Oregon Trail Landforms
Fourth graders explore landforms located along the Oregon Trail. They discuss the significance of the Oregon Trail, identify visual landforms, and explain the definition of each one. Students complete worksheets, color, and label maps.
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Where in the World Am I?
Students are introduced to geography skills. They answer questions on a worksheet using the internet and maps. They examine the area of Japan as well.
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Our Way of Life
Students interview Native American Elders about animal migration, traditional food gathering, and subsistence. They research endangered animals, draw a game cycle, and create maps of local migration of animals.
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Prairie Settlement
Middle schoolers make a decision for site selection for a farm during the 1840s in the Midwest. They build research and writing skills by recording the information used for analysis in a chart and as diary entries.
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An American Spy with Money To Spend
Sixth graders use their imagination, math, reading, computer, geography, and social studies skills in this unique, innovative, and fun instructional activity where students pretend to be international spies!
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Growth in A City Neighborhood
Young scholars take the "role" of city planner. They overlay a map of one area of the city in the past, present, and projected future project. Students discuss reasons for selecting the special features of the area. The lesson refers...
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Alaska Trade
Students spend two days traveling throughout Alaska, trading as they go. They explore universal principles related to trade and commerce while studying about Alaska's geography and indigenous people. At the end of the lesson, students...
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Sand, Sand, Everywhere Sand
Students study the physical characteristics of four types of desert regions. In this desert regions lesson, students watch a video about deserts and discuss the deserts. Students compare the deserts and research the ways humans have...
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World Religions
Seventh graders identify major tenets and the distributions of world religions. In this world religions instructional activity, 7th graders work with a group to research a religion using the given website. Students complete a graphic...
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Students Become Mapmakers
Learners practice making a map of a continent and correctly plotting five cities on that map. They place latitude and longitude lines on a map, determine the need for various map projections and explain why map scales are necessary.
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Product Line
Students research products imported from Europe and use a map to show the routes the products might have followed to reach this country. They take a field trip to a store that carries imported products and take note of how many come from...