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Hunger at Home
Students discuss the plight of the homeless in the U.S. and in their own community. They participate in a food drive for a local shelter. They role play being homeless and discover what it would be like to not have food or shelter.
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The American Mosaic
Eighth graders role play as a poor immigrant family moving from the Old World to the New World in search of the American Dream. They create a portfolio and journal of their travels.
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The Battle of Bunker Hill: Now We Are at War
Students what events in Massachusetts in 1775 demonstrated colonial opposition to Imperial rule. They examine the events related to the Battle of Bunker Hill and determine the differences in the land masses of Charlestown and Boston from...
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Photographs of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
Fourth graders study the details of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake including the fires that lasted for three days. They participate in discussion describing what they feel the city looked like after the earthquake and fires. They...
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Comparison of hometown life with that of life in a Canadian city
Students research cultural characteristics of a Canadian city with that of their home town. They complete a map handout, providing the relative location on a large map and the absolute location on a provincial map. Students work together...
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Explorers Unit
Fifth graders complete a unit on early explorers. They develop a timeline, sing a Viking song, watch a video, compile a checklist of supplies needed for an expedition, participate in a scavenger hunt, write a letter from Christopher...
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Money: The Life of a Note
Students examine the life span of various currency denominations from Australia. They analyze a diagram of the life cycle of Australian currency, and complete a worksheet that involves describing how an Australian $5 note is passed from...
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Charter Schools: Can They Survive in Utah?
Students discuss the challenges charter schools face in receiving similar funding as districts. They explore possible policy solutions to the problems faced by Utah's charter schools. They Investigate how government services affect the...
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Crime and Justice
Students investigate what happens when someone is arrested. They engage in a mock trial role play about a burglary. They engage in the process of the Criminal Justice System from arrest to sentencing.
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Case in Point
Young scholars read about and discuss the re-opening of the Emmett Till murder case. They research and write about a famous civil rights trial and create a poster highlighting the importance of the trial.
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History and Human Rights: A Process for Analyzing Events
Students analyze various American History topics which concern human rights. They research the topics and analyze the sources for bias or stereotype. They decide and discuss whether or not any human right were violated in each...
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Australia and Argentina: A Study in Contrast
Students study world events and their effect on economic growth. They research and interpret graphs to determine explanations for economic growth. Students compare the World Wars and the Great Depression to the growth of Argentina and...
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Scopes Trial Activity
Learners are able to prepare arguments for a moot court case. They know how the Scopes Trial impacts academic freedom today. Students know what constitutional amendments are applicable to this issue (including the Butler Act). They...
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World War II
Students are asked what they recall about World War II. They are explained that they are going to find out about the role of women during World War II. Students have the option of researching daily life of women in either Germany,...
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Day-to-Day Life in a Small African Village
Students experience just a bit of what it's like living in a village in Tanzania-from language to geography to health and hygiene issues. They compare aspects of school and home life in the United States with those in Tanzania and...
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Encountering Very Different Ways of Life
Students explore the concept of crossing cultures. They examine how Americans may be viewed by people in another culture and discover that that Peace Corps Volunteers are trained to cross cultures respectfully so that they are accepted...
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Good News/Bad News/Who Cares?
Students practice evaluating facts, bringing to bear their own experience, preferences, and international contexts. They recognize that there are many ways of interpreting a single piece of information and form the habit of reflecting...
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Resolving a Cross-Cultural Misunderstanding
Students resolve a cross-cultural misunderstanding in a constructive manner. They read about the way in which individuals in the Dominican Republic misunderstood an American Peace Corps Volunteer who was doing something that in the...
National First Ladies' Library
The Power of Images in Shaping Ideas
Learners examine the role of photography in recording and sharing history. They view online photos that Life magazine has identified as changing the world, then conduct research on one of the photos. Students create and present an oral...
National First Ladies' Library
Brrrr! Expeditions to the North and South Poles
Students 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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Top 10 Games of 2007
In this top ten games of 2007 instructional activity, students review each game and its genre and then answer four discussion questions, complete a writing task and then write an outline for a computer game story with a script.
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Ghost House Maze for Halloween
In this Halloween maze worksheet, 1st graders will try to help a little boy get away from a haunted house. The maze contains color illustrations.
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Census and Redistricting
Students learn why the census makes a difference. In this U.S. Census lesson plan, students learn about the methods and politics of redistricting as they explore their local congressional districts and debate the merits of different...