Curated OER
Exploring an Atlas
Students explore global geography by participating in an atlas activity. In this countries of the world lesson, students collaborate in small groups and analyze an atlas while researching continents, countries and demographics. Students...
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Me on the Map Lesson 2
Students analyze and interpret maps, globes and geographic information systems to define and identify cities, counties, states, countries and continents to create a booklet called me on the map. They also determine and calculate the...
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Why Koala Has A Stumpy Tail
Students examine Australian folktales. In this folktales lesson, students read the Australian folktale, Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tale. Students list characteristics of the characters from the book. Students act out these characteristics...
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HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL STUDIES
Students select a country in South Africa and writes a one-page report on the economic and social issues facing that country, offering suggestions as to how the conditions of poverty and HIV/AIDS.
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Absolute Location
Fifth graders examine the geographic concept of absolute location. Using a variety of resources, they create a life-size classroom grid and locate the coordinates of a point, identify latitude and longitude of different locations, and...
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Cacao Tree Geography
Students use a map to learn about where chocolate comes from. In this lesson on the cacao tree, students locate various regions where the cacao tree grows. They will discuss why the cacao tree grows more favorably in particular climates...
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Mapmaking
Students examine the craft of cartography and how the Lewis and Clark expedition created and used maps. They analyze maps, read a handout, create a map, participate in a mini expedition and map out a route based on travel directions,...
National First Ladies' Library
Brrrr! Expeditions to the North and South Poles
Young scholars examine the first successful explorations of the North and South Poles, through a study of the four men who accomplished them. They present the fruits of their research on posters, or with PowerPoint presentations.
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Aboriginal Peoples And The Universals of Culture
Sixth graders research specific features of a province or territory of Canada. In this Canadian history lesson plan, 6th graders identify aboriginal culture areas on a map, identify cultural features represented in their region,...
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GPS Sports Field Activity
Students practice using GPS receivers and explore how knowing the coordinates of two locations allows them to determine the distance between those two points. They use the theory that they already had knowledge of and apply it to a...
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Map Making
Young scholars use a tennis ball and paper to construct a student-made globe. They sketch in continents and major map features and then compare a flat map to a globe.
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Old World and New World - Why Contact Took So Long
Young scholars use a globe to determine why contact between the old world and the new world took a long time. In this map skills instructional activity, students analyze routes between regions to determine why it took so long for the old...
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Globe Lesson 4 - The Compass
Students study compass' and their use in navigation. For this compass lesson, students use a compass and a globe to answer the questions about navigation.
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Where In the World Are You?
Fourth graders fill in blank copies of the United States Map and then the World Map.
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Celebrating the Solstice and Equinox
Fourth graders graph the number of daylight hors throughout the year and examine why day length varies. They discover that seasonal changes and latitude on Earth affect the number of hours of daylight in each day. Students listen to...
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What Time Is It? (Latitude and Longitude)
Students practice latitude and longitude by identifying locations by degrees, use meanings of a.m. and p.m. appropriately, become familiar with 24-hour (universal) clock, and calculate time at different degrees longitude.
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Anza and Font in Search of Latitude
This is an integrated lesson that incorporates Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. In Social Studies, 7th graders complete an online interview and complete an online worksheet about latitude of sites on the Anza trail. In Science...
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Storm Clouds-- Fly over a Late Winter Storm onboard a NASA Earth Observing Satellite
Students study cloud data and weather maps to explore cloud activity. In this cloud data activity students locate latitude and longitude coordinates and determine cloud cover percentages.
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Instruments From Around the World
How much does the environment affect how and what man creates? Children explore the effect of the environment on primitive man as they research raw materials from a specific location. They use their findings to write a short essay about...
Orange County Water Atlas
Location, Location, Location…
Young geographers discover not only how to read and recognize coordinates on a map, but also gain a deeper understanding of latitude and longitude and how climate changes can vary significantly across latitudes.
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Terrabagga Activity Using a Magnetometer
Clever! Earth science learners construct a model of a planet containing a magnetic core. The planet, Terrabagga, is made out of a paper grocery bag, magnets, a dead D battery, and rubber bands. Pictures of each step of the construction...
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The Seven Continents Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn't enjoy an engaging scavenger hunt? Here, scholars listen to, and discuss, the informative text, Where is my Continent? by Robin Nelson. They then explore the seven continents and four major oceans using...
National WWII Museum
“My Dear Little Boys…” Interpreting a letter home from the war
Letters have long been prized by historians as primary sources for what they reveal not only about events but also about the emotional responses of the writers to these events. "My Dear Little Boys," a letter written by Leonard Isacks on...
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Interactive Atlas
Second graders examine the different ways people move from place to place in a neighborhood. Using the interactive online atlas MapQuest, they identify the various ways people move around their own neighborhood by creating a map and...