Curated OER
Communities
Students examine the similarities and differences between rural, suburban, and urban communities. They read about type of community in their social studies textbook, analyze the differences between Tokyo and Chicago, and complete a chart...
Curated OER
Gwynns Falls
Students investigate the question: What is the impact of urban development and expansion on the health of a decidious forest ecosystem and humans? They examine the issue of land development by responding to a specific scenario and...
Curated OER
Looking for the Dirty Scoop
Students read "The Negative Effects of Urban Sprawl." They discuss the main forms of transportation in their city and conduct research about the development of their community in terms of land use. Students sketch a map of their city and...
Curated OER
What Is Smart Growth?
Students practice planning for the development of an area using the goals of Smart Growth as a guide. They analyze how regions can affect government policies. They role-play citizens who recommend how an area should be developed.
Curated OER
World Geography: Smart Cities
Students are able to analyze how a variety of cities both in the USA and abroad have worked to improve human health and environment. They combine their prior knowledge of previous lessons and apply that knowledge to compare how each...
Curated OER
Critical Consumerism
Young scholars identify the role of advertisements in their environment. In this advertisement activity, students find advertisements in their classrooms and discuss them. Young scholars write a definition for advertisements and identify...
Curated OER
Ideas for Resources: Geology Lab Manual
The link to Ideas for Resources: Geology Manual is no longer valid, but the link to How to Teach Using Role-Playing does. Choose a realistic problem related to your focus topic, assign roles, and send your geology learners off to...
Curated OER
Lesson 9-Our Local Community
Second graders brainstorm and create a list of important features/characteristics that they would want to include in a community setting. They include physical features, economic activities, kinds of housing, etc. This lesson is a...
Curated OER
Making Plans
Students choose site for a new school by using real life problem solving skills.
Curated OER
Building Suburbia: Highways and Housing in Postwar America
High schoolers determine how suburbs changed America. In this post World War II lesson, students complete research projects that require them to examine the growth of suburbs in the 1950's and 1960's. High schoolers reveal how government...
Curated OER
Turn of the Century Immigration
Students explore the immigration wave that hit the United States in 19th century. In this immigration lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources to determine what the immigration experience was like for new citizens. Students...
Curated OER
Trial at the Turn of the Century
Students examine and explore various aspects of change at the turn of the century including economic, political, civil and others. Students then locate and analyze various primary sources to write an essay that demonstrates their...
Curated OER
America's Economy: Sorrow And Hope
Students discover how Americans found the hope that broke the Great Depression. In this American economics instructional activity, students watch "America's Economy: Sorrow and Hope." Students then discuss the implications of the...
Curated OER
Asia's Global Influence
Middle schoolers explore Hong Kong. In this geography skills lesson, students watch "Asia's Global Influence," and then research the culture, landmarks, and geographic features of Hong Kong. Middle schoolers use their research findings...
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Jobs and Places
Students explore where jobs can be done. For this geography and careers lesson, the teacher presents the idea that some jobs are location specific while other are not, then students consider a list of jobs and determine where each would...
Curated OER
The Community Forest
Fourth graders plant a tree. In this sustainable forestry instructional activity, 4th graders define community forest and brainstorm a location to plant a new tree on the school grounds. Students learn how to plant a tree and discuss...
Marine Institute
Water Pollution
Sixth graders investigate the various types of pollutants found in water and ways to help prevent water pollution. Through a hands-on experiment, students create samples of polluted water by mixing water with vegetable oil, dirt,...
University of Wisconsin
Why Did the Triangle Fire Occur?
An investigation of the 1911 New York City Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire leads class members to examine primary and secondary source materials related to the event and apply what they learn about the working conditions at the time to...
Curated OER
Nutrients In Chesapeake Bay
High schoolers perform pH and turbidity test to determine water quality. In this environmental science lesson plan, students analyze NASA database on chlorophyll-a in the bay. They explain how a small river area affects Chesapeake Bay.
Curated OER
The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
Students are introduced to the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), one of the "big 5" civil rights organizations (the other four were: the Urban League, NAACP, SCLC, and CORE). The SNCC is credited with having led the...
Curated OER
Green Transportation System
Consider the effects of green transportation. In this environmental stewardship lesson, determine how transportation has changed throughout history and then collaborate to solve New York City transportation issues.
Curated OER
Wind and Wildfire
Emerging scientists research weather-related vocabulary terms, and map out where wildfires are most likely to occur. To bring this lesson to life, you could demonstrate what happens to a fire when you cool or remove the fuel, or cut off...
Curated OER
The Tell-Tale Heart
Readers listen and critically read fictional prose to answer prediction questions at designated stopping points, and then they give a summary of the short story. This lesson is ideal for English language learners developing English...
Curated OER
Location, Location, Location: Civilization's Ultimate Advantage
Students discover how geographical advantages, locational and regional, ultimately led to western Eurasian societies' disproportionate accounting of world power and innovation. They utilize a workbook which can be downloaded within this...