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Working for Water

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners examine the ways that government works to help improve aquatic habitats. In this water habitats instructional activity students view a video and plan a school restoration project. 
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Can You Control Floods

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students assume the role of an engineer or planner. As an engineer or planner they must come up with ideas that can be put into place to control floods. They produce a working model of flood control.
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Describing Drum Beats in Native American Music

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students analyze the drum patterns and changing styles of the music and dance for the Native American song and dance "Owl Dance." They listen to a recording of "Owl Dance," discuss the cultural context of the song, and perform the song.
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The Great American Desert

For Students 5th - 6th
In this American deserts activity, students study the images and read the passages to learn about the 6 divisions in the American landscape: the Eastern lowlands, the Flood Plain, the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific...
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Spirituals

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders realize the significance in the Negro spirituals concerning the Underground Railroad. They choose a position, either for helping slaves or ignoring the slaves. They describe, in a paragraph, their position.
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The Achievements of the Sumerian Empire

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify four achievements of the Sumerians. They explain the importance of the inventions. They write about a Sumerian invention.
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Sea to Sky

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the Earth's major landforms and how they occur, and how engineers apply this knowledge for the design of transportation systems, mining, and measuring natural hazards. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, match...
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The Mormon Trail Through Iowa

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students read selections from travel diaries and create their own travel diary.  In this Mormon Trail through Iowa lesson, students discover background of the Mormon Trek of 1846 and discuss how a group may be persecuted for...
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On the Road

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a diorama to illustrate the challenges of and requirements for long distance travel in the West before the coming of the railroads.
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Prairie Voices: German Immigrants Move to Iowa

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students create historically accurate travel journals. In this Iowa history lesson plan, students research the German immigration experience as they write travel journals that feature a German family's move into an Iowa county.
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Water Scarcity in the Middle East

For Students 6th - 9th
In this water scarcity activity, students respond to 11 short answer questions about water resource sharing after they read assigned textbook pages and the included article.
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Bringing Water to a Lesotho Village A Classroom Simulation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate Lesotho village water committees that plan, design, and build a water supply system. The student committees present their plans to the village to persuade them that their plan will increase the availability of water to...
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Lesson 9 - Along Our Coast

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students study the benefits of estuaries. They construct a saltwater food web, and complete worksheets and a quiz.
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Petroglyphs: Protecting the Past

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the three types of rocks and study about petroglyphs. They explore why petroglyphs were used by the Nez Perce People. Students investigate the properties of the three types of rocks and they discuss cultural...
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Decision Making, Take a Seat or Get off the Bus

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the positive and negative consequences of choosing to fight against discrimination. They read the story of Rosa Parks. Students discuss the movement against segregation. Students read other books about...
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George Washington and the Beginnings of the French and Indian War

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students read about the causes of the French and Indian War. In this French and Indian war lesson plan, students read about the physical and human problems that lead to the war. They also learn about George Washington's role in the war.
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Mark Twain- Teaching About American Authors

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Mark Twain lesson plans can shed light on his famous works, like "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."
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Make a Community Almanac

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students gather geographic information about their community. They work together to create a community almanac.
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Mark Twain's Hannibal

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students research life in Hannibal, Missouri. In this Mark Twain lesson, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of life in Hannibal in the late 19th century. This lesson may be used as an introduction to Twain's...
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Canada, Our Neighbor to the North

For Teachers 3rd
Students obtain knowledge of Canadian geography and history. Students work in groups gathering information to create a brochure on Canada. Students discover how French and British history helped shape Canada as a nation.
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Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine the frequency of earthquakes in Illinois. They discover the distribution of earthquakes in the Midwest. They also practice reading measurements from the Richter scale and Mercalli Intensity scale.
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Virginia Geographic Regions

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders observe the five geographic regions of Virginia which have distinctive characteristics based on their landforms and bodies of water. They then describe the types of landforms and bodies of water in the region where they live.
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Vietnam Revisited

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners explore the impact of the Vietnam War. In this Vietnam and popular culture lesson, students research and plot major events in the conflict. Learners interview people regarding their memories of the war and watch the movie " The...
Worksheet
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Reading Comprehension: Louisiana

For Students 4th - 6th
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a 2-page article regarding Louisiana and respond to 10 true or false questions regarding the selection about the state.