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Social Studies: Families Today and Yesterday
Students examine past and contemporary family life. Using Venn diagrams, they compare and contrast the two and write short statements about them. Among the areas for consideration are clothing, food, transportation, and traditions.
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Parks Canada - True to Our Nature
Students discuss visits to national parks, the differences between national parks and other parks, and plan an ecologically friendly trip to several parks that emphasizes conservation and national heritage.
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Mapping the Local Community
Students review the symbols and legends of a map. In groups, they follow a set of directions to create a map showing the route to a specific place. They present their map to the class and review the basic components of a community.
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People and the Physical Environment of Illinois
Students read about the settlement of Illinois from statehood to the present. They categorize different areas of need such as survival, economic and social. Students make a list of ways people used the physical environment in Illinois...
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Bill of Rights: Shapers of Meaning
Students review the Bill of Rights as a class. In groups, they use the internet to research the contributions made by historical figures in forming these rights. They create a poster showing the information they collected and present...
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Family Life
Students investigate the lives of families in two different centuries. They compare the 1600's to the 1800's. Students write an essay about the differences and how they developed in history. Special attention is paid to the external...
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Economics: World Trade Patterns
Students examine world trade patterns and discover the role of commodities in trade. While explaining the benefits of trade, they create maps and flowcharts depicting the patterns of goods and people movement. Also, students write...
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Social Studies: Elections and Public Policy
Learners explore the methods employed by political parties to influence voters. By creating presentations, they illustrate how voters can critically interpret that information. Students compare and contrast the influence of various...
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Motor Voter Registration Trends
Students read an article about new voter registration trends throughout the country. In groups, they identify new patterns when it comes to registering to vote and develop their own solutions to get more people registered. They present...
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Nationalism and Immigration
High schoolers use the internet to research how immigration patterns changed after 1880. Using this information, they create a pie chart to organize it effectively and discuss how immigration changed Europe and the United States. They...
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Interpreting Photographs
Students examine photographs and complete research on river transportation. They describe the beginnings and innovations of the steamboats. Students research the development of trade from the 1700s through the 1800s. They write a...
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Public Policy Analysis
Students read an article about a pressing public policy issue. Using the text, they identify the themes, facts and ideas presented and develop an argument supporting or disagreeing with the position of the author. In groups, they...
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Political Party Development
Students complete a Venn Diagram comparing the Democratic Republicans and the Democratic Party today. In groups, they research the key concepts of the Democratic Party today and write a short summary. They share their ideas and...
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Social Studies: Neighborhoods of the Future
Students explore the present physical and human characteristics of their communities and predict their future appearance. In a two-paneled drawing, they depict their community as it is today and then imagine how it might change in the...
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Jobs Past and Present
Students discover how jobs have changed from the past to today. In groups, they identify the varoius tools and resources used both in the past and today and discuss how they are different. As a class, they discuss the impact of the...
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A TRIP TO THE CAFETERIA
Students take a "behind-the-scenes" look at the school cafeteria as food is being prepared. They take notes on the jobs (i.e., division of labor) that they observe in the cafeteria. They write about the division of labor in the school...
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Types of Groups
Students are introduced to the various types of groups in a society. In groups, they create a chart showing the similarities and differences between primary, secondary, and reference groups. Using magazines, they cut out pictures...
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Changing Roles of Children
Students examine how the lives of children have changed over time. Using the internet, they examine photographs to compare and contrast the roles of children in the past and present. They write a paper showing the similarities and...
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Political Traditions
Middle schoolers compare and contrast the political institutions in Greece, Rome, and the United States. In groups, they take this information to determine the influences on James Madison when organizing the republic. They develop a...
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George Mason and the Constitution
Young scholars read various articles about the political beliefs of George Mason. In groups, they describe the major events of his life that formed his beliefs and values. They also analyze his contributions to the Constitution and the...
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Speaking Out For Women's Rights
Students write a children's story in which the characters are encouraged to speak out for the equality of women. They create a character and plot outline that includes details and supporting statements for women's rights. A brief 2-3...
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Agricultural and Industrial Policies of the U.S.
Pupils examine the impact of laws and government policies on the agricultural and industrial economic systems. From a list of topics, they select one area and create timelines of at least ten related government activities. In essays,...
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Trade Barriers
Students write an editorial piece which takes a position supporting or opposing the free trade policy during the 1790s. After identifying barriers to trade in the 1790s they analyze how their position on the free trade would fit into...
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Draw A Coastline
Pupils identify, locate and draw at least ten different geographical features on a map. Using the map, they must make it to scale and include their own legend and compass rose. They share their map with the class and answer questions.