Curated OER
The Role of Fire in Healthy Prairie, Brush and Forest Lands
Sixth graders read and discuss background information and brainstorm reasons for wildfires. They use a Venn Diagram to list the similarities and differences between wildfires and prescribed fires and then track the weather forecast for...
Curated OER
The Web of Life
Students construct a food web to learn how living things in an ecosystem are interconnected. In this food web simulation lesson, students will be assigned an animal and the teacher will represent the sun. Students and teacher discuss...
Curated OER
The Web of Life
Students explore the interconnectedness of living things in an ecosystem. They use pictures and arrows to develop a food web, and participate in constructing a class food web with students representing various parts of the web.
Curated OER
Prairie Settlement
Students 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.
Curated OER
Where the Buffalo Roam
Second graders explore what life in the Chicago area was like hundreds of years ago. They discuss how settlers impacted the environment, and why there are no longer herds of buffalo in the Chicago area today. They read an article and...
Curated OER
Habitats - Explore the World Around You.
Explore the habitats found around the world. The Desert, Rain Forest, Tundra, Prairie, Grassland, Forest, Marine and Zoo habitats are all covered in this easy to follow presentation. Each slide has a themed background picture, several...
DePaul University
Settlement
Early settlers in the American Midwest experienced constant struggle. This reading passage describes for young learners the hardships of homesteaders as they journeyed west and sought to start a new life. When finished, students identify...
Curated OER
Please Help!
Sixth graders examine the prairie food chain while designing a rescue strategy for an endangered species. They compare their strategy to that of a professional conservation expert.
Curated OER
Building on the Land
Ninth graders study how cities affect the environment and design an ecologically-sound city. They focus their study on the benefits and constraints of life on the Northern Great Plains.
Curated OER
Where's the Grass
Students participate in a grassland game. In this grassland lesson, students simulate the impact of grazing animals and invasive weeds on grasslands.
Curated OER
Pioneers On and Off the Prairie- Willa Cather and Mary Cassatt
Students examine the written work of Willa Cather and the impressionist art of Mary Cassatt. They describe parallels in the lives and work of both women and creat a Powerpoint presentation.
Curated OER
Prairie Voices: Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin
Students study the events of the Spirit Lake Massacre. In this Iowa history lesson, students consider the role of Abbie Gardner in the Spirit Lake Massacre as their instructor presents a lecture.
Curated OER
Prairie Voices
Fifth graders compare and contrast a one room school house in Iowa in the past with how they go to school today. In this school lesson plan, 5th graders read about rural families and the controversies that they endured in the time of one...
Curated OER
Web of Life
Young scholars collect information about various organisms in a forest ecosystem and create a mural that depicts organism interdependence. They then simulate a food web using a ball of string.
Curated OER
Sociology: What is life like for Gulf Coast rice farmers
Students read 1 page about Gulf Coast rice farmers and then describe what rice farming in the U.S. is like in the United States. In this rice farming lesson plan, students tell why they would or would not want to be a rice farmer.
Curated OER
Prairie Voices: Iowa and the Civil War
Students study how the Civil War affected Iowa natives. In this Iowa history lesson, students read the provided article on Iowa and its Civil War experiences. Students analyze the article to determine how the war affected civilians and...
Curated OER
Prairie Voices: Plum Grove
Learners explore Plum Grove located in Iowa City. In this Iowa history lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on the history of Plum Grove and the leadership of Robert Lucas. Learners select assessment...
Curated OER
Prairie Voices: German Immigrants Move to Iowa
Young scholars create historically accurate travel journals. In this Iowa history lesson, students research the German immigration experience as they write travel journals that feature a German family's move into an Iowa county.
Curated OER
Prairie Voices: Community Development, Investigating Local History
Students investigate local history. In this research skills instructional activity, students examine historic landmarks, tax records, fire maps, town plans, historic photographs, newspapers, and other primary sources to learn about local...
Curated OER
Mystery Photo!
Students examine a photo of the compass plant, and research how the pioneers used the plant as a way of orienting themselves while travelling through the prairies. They analyze the photograph, and complete a Photo Analysis Guide Worksheet.
Curated OER
Moving West
Students research the Westward Movement and struggles encountered by the pioneers as they moved from Nebraska, Westward along the Oregon Trail. In this Westward Expansion lesson plan, students read an Oregon Trail poem and visit 5...
Curated OER
Speedy Succession
Fifth graders investigate how a pond ecosystem can change into a prairie or grassland ecosystem. They observe a small pond ecosystem in a two liter soda bottle, and examine and record changes over a two-week period of time on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Pioneering Children on the Move
Learners inquire about life for pioneer children. In this pioneer period lesson, students analyze photographs of children, make information foldables, and create a covered wagon that was typical of the ones of the past. Learners will...
Curated OER
Naming New Species
Students explore science of taxonomy and the Five Kingdoms of life,
categorize organisms into Kingdoms, and create multi-media presentations illustrating knowledge of a Kingdom. They collect data and related pictures on the Internet,...