Curated OER
Native Pottery Replicas
Students study ancient Native American traditions and practices. They select one type of Native American pottery to duplicate in a hand-made replica. Afterward, they create a map of the United States and label where indigenous peoples...
Curated OER
"Trails, Rails, and Roads" Lesson 2: Road Tripping
Students practice map skills and take a virtual road trip through Maine examining the history of transportation. They create questions from the information they learned and play a game against other groups.
Curated OER
Explore your Community with Maps
Second graders acquire an awareness of their community and a development of map skills. They develop the ability to interpret and display information in graphic form and relate the study of significant people to the elements of geography.
National History Day
Propaganda Posters of World War I: Analyzing the Methods Behind the Images
The power of a picture. During the events surrounding World War I, propaganda posters were widely distributed in American society to sway the emotions of its citizens. By analyzing World War I propaganda posters in the first installment...
Shakespeare in American Life
Tom Hanks and Caliban: Survivor Superstars
Here’s a clever way to combine language arts and social studies. Shakespeare’s The Tempest is believed to have been inspired by the wreck of the Sea Venture on Bermuda in 1609. The class views a brief scene from Castaway in which Tom...
Curated OER
European Elevation Sort
Given a prepared database of European countries, sixth graders sort the countries in ascending order by elevation and identify the five countries with the highest elevations. This cross-curricular lesson combines elements of computer...
Curated OER
Hopi Running
Young scholars identify why the Hopi tribe practiced running as it relates to health, delivering messages, defeating other tribes, and for ceremonial events. In this social studies lesson, students use maps to identify latitude and...
Curated OER
Electronic Survey Activity
Fifth graders conduct a class survey and share the results with a class in another state via an electronic bulletin board. This technology-rich lesson plan is an ideal way to have learners practice communicating with others through the...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan for Cricket's Supper
Interested in a special folktale to read with your class? Then this lesson might be for you. Readers will build an understanding of the food chain while creating a storyboard that includes the characters, setting, and plot of the story....
Teach With Movies
The Great Gatsby
Are you thinking about incorporating a film version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel in a study of The Great Gatsby? Check out a guide loaded with suggestions for how to supplement a reading of the novel with scenes from three film...
Curated OER
Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn
This resource is rich with primary and secondary source material regarding major events in the Atlantic world during the Age of Revolution. While there are suggested classroom activities toward the beginning of the resource, its true...
Curated OER
Finding Your Spot in the World
Learners practice locating places on a Thomas Brothers map. In this map skills lesson, students locate places on the map of where their ancestors are from and then practice finding various community places on a map. Learners graph the...
Curated OER
Where Did My Lunch Come From? A U.S. Regional Tour
Students explore the regions from which their food comes. In this social studies lesson, students identify the different agricultural products that are found in the major regions of the United States. Students create a lunch menu.
Curated OER
Max Knows Mexicao, United States and Canada
Students utilize their map skills to explore the regions of North America. They explore the physical characteristics and climates of the regions. Students label their map and prepare a presentation of their findings.
Curated OER
Population Change in Vermont, 1990-2000
Learners improve their mapping skills and knowledge about population distribution and change in Vermont at the county level. They are divided into groups of two or four. Each group is given two county base maps and the population...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Population Distribution
Students create a population distribution map of Goodland Island indicating where people live by marking the locations with dots. After reading a written description of the island, they write short paragraphs explaining and justifying...
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Polar, The Titanic Bear
Students read Polar, The Titanic Bear by Daisy Corning Stone Spedden. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding this true story of a toy bear that survived the sinking of the Titanic. Included are reading, art,...
Curated OER
MAP GRIDS, CLIMATES AND HEMISPHERES
Learners compare/contrast the grid and latitude/longitude system used on a globe. They describe the areas which are considered to be a tropical, temperate, and polar, based on knowledge of climates.
Curated OER
Guide Me "Home"
Students find how freedom quilts helped free slaves. In this American History lesson, students read the story Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt and discuss the Underground Railroad. They use their map skills to locate...
Curated OER
The Basilica of the Assumption-A Symbol of Freedom
Fourth graders explore the importance of the Basilica of Assumption and the development of the Catholic Church in Maryland. In this social studies lesson, 4th graders discuss the Basilica of the Assumption and the Catholic Church.
Curated OER
A River Through Time
Students explore how construction of a dam on the Gila River affected the lifestyle of Pima Indians. In this social studies lesson, students locate the Gila River and the Coolidge Dam. Students record dates on a timeline and discuss how...
Curated OER
Google Earth Virtual Vacation
Students explore different areas of America by using the internet and the "Google Earth" website in this interactive, social studies lesson plan for late elementary students. This lesson plan includes a resource link to download a free...
Curated OER
Equator, North Pole, and South Pole
Pupils identify the Equator, North Pole, and South Pole on the globe. In this map skills lesson, students use a globe marker to locate specific locations on the globe. Pupils find where they live in relation to the Equator.
Curated OER
Geography: Continents
First graders identify basic geographical facts about the world they live in and distinguish between land and water on a globe. They research the continents and information associated with each one focusing on building their map skills.