Polar Trec
Swan Savvy
Just like so many other birds, swans migrate during the cold winter months. Your class can gain a better understanding of migration and bird life as they act out some of the activities common to the tundra swan. They make a nest, sit on...
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The Harlem Renaissance Births a Black Culture
Students examine the men and women who were a part of the Harlem Renaissance. Individually, they recreate their favorite pieces of art from the time period and create their own original works after reading poem from the movement. In...
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Get Your Mojo Workin': Part 1 Writing Your Very Own Blues Tune!
Upper graders listen to the blues. They discuss blues scale, read a description of the blues, and work together to write an original piece. A lesson like this ties into American history and African-American musical contributions very...
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World War II Home Front
Eleventh graders examine the political demands put on one of four groups living in America during WWII. Each class member is asked to research and write a paper describing the homefront experience for women, Hispanics, African-Americans,...
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Saving Sturgeon
Marine biology apprentices interpret data of sturgeon interaction with gill nets. They use the data to calculate the percentage of fish entangled in each twine size to discover if there is any correlation. This is a valuable exercise in...
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New York on the Pacific Coast
Learners explore the interaction and consequences of contact among different ethnic groups. Students examine a timeline and the important historical
events in American History. They discuss immigration and migration.
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Immigration to the United States
Students work together as a class to create a videotape examining their different family histories. They interview their families about their experiences immigrating to America. They draw illustrations of their family to be included on...
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Introduction to Junkanoo! A Bahamian Festival
Students examine a Bahamian festival called Junkanoo. They analyze how group cooperation is related to the festival. They finally identify how factions form and how they can help or hurt a community.
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Little America in Liberia
Students study the history of Liberia prior to and after the influx of immigrants of African Americans. They access an excellent narrative which detail Liberia before and after the influx of immigrants.
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Charting African Ethnicities in America
High schoolers explain the variety in ethnic origins of enslaved Africans brought to the United States. They use the data in the narrative to create charts, either by hand or by using Excel or a similar database program.
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Why Do Geese Fly South For the Winter?
Fifth graders examine migration by tracing animal migration routes on a map. For this animal life lesson, 5th graders observe a map of North America and read about the migration patterns of geese. Students trace the path most...
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We Arrived 10,000 Years Ago...
Students explain ways that humans migrated from Asia and settle in the Americas. In this investigative lesson students participate in a brief archaeological demonstration and review what they learned.
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Streamlines and Breadlines
Students explore the Great Depression. For this Great Depression lesson, students research selected websites and analyze primary sources to conduct inquiries regarding the depression, northern migration, and urbanization. Students author...
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Chinese Immigration
Students identify artifacts from Chinese immigrants that are common to other immigrant groups, describe how American society discriminated against the Chinese, describe contribution of Chinese immigrants to American society, discuss two...
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The Great Depression Changes Ameirican Life
Students examine the impact of the Great Depression. In this Great Depression lesson, students research employment opportunities during the era. Students determine how they may have been able to survive the economic depression if they...
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Hispanic and English Literature
Eleventh graders listen to a brief history lesson about the 40's and 50's mid-West America and the Migrant workers that worked the fields. Next, learners will read a short story written by Tomas Rivera (both in Spanish and English)....
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Exploring a New World
Fifth graders create a PowerPoint presentation about Christopher Columbus. The integration of technology helps them to be engaged in the subject matter. The basis for the information in the presentation is for students to answer some...
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American Migrations Timeline
In order to answer the question of whether the United States is a country of migrants or immigrants, students compile a list of migrations in America. From this list they conduct individual research for a particular episode of migration...
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Lesson Plan on Migration
Fourth graders diagram written and oral directions of a Native American, European Viking, Right Whale or Humpback Whale migration route, the student diagram all directions only in the sequence given, with arrows indicating direction of...
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Hopscotch Migration
Pupils examine the use of wetlands by migrating birds. They discuss reasons for the disappearance of wetlands. They discover how humans have affected wetlands as well.
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To Come to Illinois - Or Not?
Students analyze primary documents to determine whether the author is pro- or anti-emigration. They outline reasons for or against immigration to Illinois during the early 19th century.
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America's Civil Rights Movement, Activity Seven
Students model the writing style of the author of a piece of literature and present them to the class.
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America's Civil Rights Movement, Activity Ten
Learners identify a wrong in their own community and act to correct it. They reflect on the intersection fo the Civil Rights Movemnet with a social justice project.
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National expansion of the United States (1815 to 1850), and its connection to local Illinois history.
Students discuss the importance of establishing the I & M Canal water route. They watch a video about the canal's history. They collect and write a personal migration story by interviewing a family member. They analyze trends and...