National Endowment for the Humanities
African-American Communities in the North Before the Civil War
Middle schoolers may be surprised to learn that before the American Civil War there were more slaves living in New York than there were in Kentucky! Young historians examine maps and census data to gather statistics about...
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Song Mapping
Students explore locations on the United States map. In this map skills lesson, students recite the song This Land Is Your Land and locate various places listed in the song on the map.
NYC Department of Records
Citizenship and Elections: The Importance of a Ballot
Approximately 58 prcent of those eligible voted in the 2016 US Presidential election. In an attempt to impress upon learners the importance of voting and voting rights, class members examine primary source documents related to the...
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Working With Electronic Topography Maps
Junior geologists examine topographic maps online and learn how to read them. they answer seven associated follow-up questions. This lesson plan is only a general outline and does not provide the details or the websites that you would...
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How Do Cartographers Find Points on a Map?
Ninth graders describe latitude and longitude and how they may be useful to find things on a map. In this cartography lesson students divide into groups and devise a coordinate system that can be used to communicate a position.
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Map Studies - Estimate And Measure Distance
First graders explore estimating and measuring distances. They analyze and discuss a map of New York State, make estimations, measure distances using yarn, and calculate total distances between cities on the map.
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The Rigors of Learning a New Language
Students examine the experiences of a Peace Corps volunteer learning to speak Chinese. They read and discuss an essay written by the Peace Corps volunteer, analyze a map of China, and discuss the author's difficulties in learning the...
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Come One, Come All
Students analyze information from core map and other sources and construct routes from New York and Boston to Cincinnati as they might have existed in 1835.
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3-D Topographic Maps
Students create a 3-D topographic map. In this map building lesson, students use cardboard to create a topographic map of the Catskills mountain region.
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Rock Around the Map
Students research the geographical histories of various musical genres and make maps that note important places in music history. They Write geographical biographies about one of their favorite musical artists.
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Empire State-Building
Learners explore how empires around the globe have impacted the world in which they have existed. They analyze whether or not the United States is an imperialist nation and create their own empires based on their understanding of empires...
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Isla Story Map and Time-line
Fourth graders arrange five major events from the story Isla in correct order on a quiz. They represent the sequence of at least five story events through a story map based on the book, Isla.
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Cinderella Map Key
Students design a map key in order to show where the different Cinderella stories have taken place. In this map key lesson plan, students place symbols on a map to show the diversity of the stories.
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Making Topographic Maps and Mountain Profiles
Students study how to mark inclines and construct a mountain profile. In this topographic map instructional activity students mark contour intervals and draw mountain profiles.
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Puerto Rico: The 51st State?
Students examine the political status of Puerto Rico. In this global studies lesson, students explore Puerto Rico and consider the feelings of Puerto Ricans regarding their unique political status.
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A Shuttle's Eye View
Students explore the goals of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission as a springboard to exploring the topographical features of their own state or region. They synthesize their understanding of landforms and topography by mapping their...
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Is the Hudson River Too Salty to Drink?
Students explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. In this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why the...
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From Hypothesis to Conclusion...Reading Maps to Understand Proofs
Tenth graders explore the concept of proof. In this proof lesson, 10th graders work in groups to collectively write proofs for directions to places on a map. Students give directions to specific places in big cities such as from the New...
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Westward Expansion
Students locate California and New York on a map and explore available means of travel in the 19th century. Students explore the role of trade in pioneer America and simulate various barter transactions.
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Lesson on Superlatives
Students practice basic Internet navigation skills, find and summarize information on a Web site, and explore tenement life in the 19th and early 20th Century.
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Searching the Net
Students create a Native American Nation flip book. In this Native American lesson, students choose one of four Native American Nations: The Iroquois, Hopi, Seminoles, Sioux. They research them on the Internet using teacher given...
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How Much Water is in That River?
Students practice measurement using the Hudson River. They calculate the discharge measurement at a location on the Hudson River using ingenuity and a topographic map.
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Scrambled States
Students read or are read the story "Scrambled States". Using a map, they identify their states and time zones. They predict their states representation in the book and discuss it after the book is finished. They discvor the differences...
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Our State Road Trip
Students take a virtual tour of the country of China instead of a state. Using the Internet, they examine the differences between a political and physical map and use latitude and longitude to locate specific places. They also research...