Curated OER
If You Were a Pioneer on the Oregon Trail
Students examine what it was like to travel west on the Oregon Trail. They develop a list of questions about the trip, explore various websites, and create a story about the experiences of a 19th century family travelling on the Oregon...
Education Fund
Fear the Scarce Resources
In a life or death situation, what resources would you choose to survive—and why? A zombie attack simulation teaches learners the concepts of scarcity and resources in regards to economics. The hands-on activity requires individuals to...
Curated OER
Fantasy / Art Maps
Ninth graders analyze a fantasy art map by Jeremy Anderson, paying careful attention to the way the topographic features of the land are represented. They create a similar map of Sacramento that includes topographical features as well as...
World Globes & Maps
United States Map- Intermediate Directions
Students identify the four intermediate directions. For this map skills lesson, students use post-it notes to label the four intermediate directions on a map. Students locate various states using intermediate directions.
Curated OER
T-shirt Passport Lesson Plan
Students locate their t-shirt place/name on maps, then share facts/artifacts (souvenirs) from their place/name location orally with whole class. They create a database using information gathered from the whole class.
Curated OER
Mapping Your State's Role in the Vietnam War
Learners recognize reasons to celebrate Memorial Day. Students create a map of victims of the VIetnam War. Using the internet, learners research information about soldiers from their state who were killd in action in Vietnam. Students...
Friends of Fort McHenry
British Attacks in the Chesapeake during the War of 1812
This is a fun mapping activity that will have your class knowing the ins and outs of the battles in the War of 1812. Your young cartographers will not only plot decisive attacks, but will analyze their purpose, goals, and impact on...
The Alamo
The Alamo
Remember the Alamo! Scholars investigate the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. Using models, maps, quotes, biographies, and the Oath of Allegiance, the Alamo comes to life as the stories of those who fought and died in...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 1 - Grades 9-12
Archaeologists have discovered a cache of Native American relics. They want to preserve these relics by removing them from the rapidly eroding site to a lab where they can be studied. Native American traditions demand that the items...
Advocates for Human Rights
Human Rights Defined
Class members continue their investigation of the factors that influence migration with a instructional activity on human rights. As they examine the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and selected US Constitutional Amendments,...
Curated OER
Nepalese Drum on a Stick
Students create a two sided percussion instrument designed to look like a damaru drum from Nepal. They locate Nepal on a map and conduct research on Nepal and the damaru. Students then create a damaru drum using a small plastic container...
Curated OER
Trey and Dave go to Africa: Music
Trey from Phish and Dave from the Dave Mathews Band took a trip to Africa to explore music, culture, and history. Your class watches this episode from VH1's Music Studio to understand how African culture and music have influenced modern...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...
Curated OER
Follow the Leader
Here is a phenomenal lesson on the three branches of government for your second and third-graders. It presents this often-confusing information in an easy-to-understand format. Many excellent activities and worksheets are embedded in the...
Curated OER
Using Old Maps as Tools to Explore Our World
Students explore historical maps. In this primary source analysis lesson, students uncover the meanings in selected historical maps as they use them to enhance lessons on historical events. Samples for classroom use are provided in this...
Curated OER
Separate But Equal? A Lesson on the Briggs v. Elliott Case in Claredon County, SC
Third graders discussschool integration. In this racial inequality lesson, 3rd graders read Remember: The Journey to School Integrationand discuss the school facilities and how people must have felt. Students watch a...
Curated OER
Traveling Southern Style: A Lesson on the Jim Crow Laws
Third graders create a poster of a travel route. In this discrimination lesson, 3rd graders read The Gold Cadillac and use it to discuss the problems African Americans faced while traveling south in the 1950's. Students compare three...
Curated OER
Maps and Globes
First graders complete a unit on map skills and the globe. They label maps, create a styrofoam ball globe, create a map of their community, sing a continent song, and complete a map and globe assessment worksheet.
Curated OER
Map of Town
Third graders draw a map of the town given different sites to locate on the map by the teacher. They explain that latitude and longitude are used to locate places on maps and globes, identify the distinctive physical and cultural...
Curated OER
Mapping America
While learning about the Louisiana Purchase, pupils practice map skills. This motivating lesson has them answer questions about the Louisiana Territory and the United States. It provides a quick and easy way review of skills and the...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Where I Come From
Students research the countries of their origins and examine life there today. They write family travel logs by interviewing family members about their heritages, and they visit the Xpeditions Website for online resources about their...
Curated OER
What Do Maps Show?: Lesson 4 How to Read a Topographic Map
Learners examine the use of topographic maps as two dimensional representations that show elevations and slopes with contour lines. They read maps of the Salt Lake City, Utah area and complete the associated worksheets that show map...
Delegation of the European Union to the United States
The Geography of Europe
What is the European Union? Where is it? Why is it? To begin a study of the EU, class members examine the physical geography of Europe and the size and population density of 28-member countries in comparison to non-member countries...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The War in the North, 1775–1778
Using primary source documents, including maps, learners examine Revolutionary War events from 1775 to 1778. The focus here is on the challenges George Washington and the Continental army faced and how they persevered in spite of those...