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A Contouring We Go
Students examine the built environment and infrastructures of their community by constructing contour equipment, using the equipment, and comparing their results to current topographical maps of the same area
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Immigration in the Late 1800's
Seventh graders explore the progression of immigration patterns in the United States. They examine how immigrants perceived and adapted to the United States culture. Students discuss how immigrants were able to perserve their culture in...
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Problem in Inarqi
Students practice identifying and solving problems. They assume a role to solve an authentic problem. During the simulation, students explain the structure of the government and reasons for adopting that particular structure. They...
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Reading Maps Critically
Learners discover that maps represent different values of the cultures who make them. Using the internet, they research the role of a cartographer and how their culture affects them. In groups, they are given examples of maps in which...
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Ceramics: A Vessel into History
Students create a personal clay vessel that has a specific use or meaning in their contemporary culture, which could be discerned through study by future archeologists and art historians.
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Bronze Bells
Students explore an amazing technological advancement in ancient China, zhong
bells, as an example of the use of natural resources and human ingenuity to meet a need and to add value to the quality of life in an ancient time.
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"The Circuit" and the Civil Rights Movement
Students compare and contrast concepts of the civil rights movement to the concepts presented in the short story, "The Circuit." In groups, they sort a series of ideas written on index cards into two categories - rights and freedoms. ...
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Returning to the South
Students reinforce their knowledge of the Great Migration by reading a narrative to investigate reasons why African-Americans chose to migrate from the South. Students then write editorials for a local newspaper that outlines the reasons...
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Caught Between Worlds: Frontier Life as Reflected in Captivity Narratives
Students analyze captivity narratives written between the 1600's and 1800's. In this narrative lesson, students think critically about the interaction between Native peoples and the settlers to understand the cultural beliefs held by...
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Shadow Ball
Learners examine what was occurring historically, not only in baseball, but also in the world from 1930-1940. Students discuss, compare and contrast, and graphically represent Negro Leagues and Major League baseball conditions and...
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A Divided Community
Students work in teams to research the history of African migration and immigration in the U.S. They present their research in a town hall discussion format and then write a paragraph about their experiences.
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Boomtime
Students view a short film about the rise of prosperity after World War II. They examine the role of status symbols and owning vehicles. They compare and contrast advertisements from the 1950's with those from the 1990's.
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Reporting on the 1920s
Use this roaring 1920s history instructional activity to have young writers research primary and secondary sources. They use their research to examine the events or famous public figures of the time period. Next, they imagine they're in...
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Artifacts
Students learn that articles used by a culture reveal much about life and people's values. They learn the Japanese word to identify some artifacts and some simple games using Japanese toys.
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Great Escape
Students view a television program that explores the influence and importance of film's contribution to the rise of global culture. They discuss and write about the movies' influence in their own lives and compare and contrast different...
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Legal Definitions of Childhood
Students examine how various cultures define childhood. Using the internet, they research how countries around the world determine who is a child. They identify the sources they most relate with as a child.
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Celebrating Diversity in Iowa Schools
Students examine the effect of cultural diversity on themselves and their community. They create a presentation to be given at a multi-school diversity conference. After listening to various cultures speak, they compare and contrast...
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Chinese Lanterns - Technology
Fifth graders investigate the type and use of lanterns in Chinese history, their cultural significance and their role in today's society. They watch a lantern maker and describe the process. Students compare and discuss a range of...
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The Treaty Trail: U.S. Indian Treaty Councils in the Northwest
Middle schoolers create a timeline with the major events of the 19th and 20th century dealing with Native Americans. They examine artifacts and discuss how they reflect culture. They also identify trade routes the Native Americans used.
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You are Invited to a Virtual Dinner
Middle schoolers create place settings for a dinner to celebrate the school's diversity. They invite older members of the community to join. They discuss culture during the dinner.
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Fast Forward
Students view a television program exploring social and economic changes at the close of the twentieth century. They discuss changes from differing perspectives including poor and rich citizens from various countries. Students write an...
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The Kanaka Village at Fort Vancouver: Crossroads of the Columbia River
Young scholars study the interaction between Native American and European cultures in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s. They focus their study on the Hudson's Bay Company and Fort Vancouver.
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Haitian Immigration: Twentieth Century
Students read a narrative about the culture, heritage and history of Haiti including the contributions of Haitian immigrants in the U.S. They conduct further research on Haitian culture and prepare a presentation for the class.
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Indian Life
Students play a game to discover early California Indian life and explain their values.