Curated OER
Volcano Contour Models Activity and Tracing the Highs and Lows in San Francisco
Students investigate how to draw topographic contours and read topographic maps.They examine the topography of San Francisco and contrast the elevation of different points within San Francisco.
Curated OER
Environment: Water & Air
The introduction to the lesson mentions a sailor's limited capacity to store drinking water on his ship. Pupils then set up an overnight experiment to remove freshwater from salt water by distillation. There is a math and map activity to...
Curated OER
ExplorA-Pond: 1st Grade Shapes
Young explorers review the basic shapes (circle, triangle, square, rectangle) and practice putting them together to make new shapes. Given an outline of a pond, they recreate it by combining other shapes.
Curated OER
Turtle Legends
Students listen to the legend, Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back. They create a new moon for the calendar based on this natural part of everyday life in the seasons. They illustrate it under the story using water color paints.
Curated OER
The Tennessee River: The Tie That Binds
Seventh graders examine the Tennessee River to see why it is still a major transportation artery in lieu of the age of modern transportation such as interstate highways, air cargo, and elaborate railway systems.
Curated OER
3D Textured Globe
The earth, our home planet, and the star of Earth Day celebrations everywhere! Celebrate Earth Day or examine Earth's place in the solar system, with a fun and easy craft, perfect for children nine and up. Paper mache ornaments, paint,...
Curated OER
Analyzing the Relationship between Snowpack and River Flow
Students use the Internet to research current and past snowpack levels and river gauging station readings. They determine the relationship between snowpack and river flow. They predict future river flow.
Curated OER
'Cross the Wide Missouri
Pupils perform a song, identify melodies, and discuss the history of folk songs.
Curated OER
How Does Your Soil Stack Up?
Students examine the soil in their local area and create a soil profile. They record observations in the field and the classroom. They create their own display of the soil profile as well.
Curated OER
Mapping an Artifact
Pupils copy a present day artifact onto graph paper. In groups, they decide the scale of the drawing and create the picture using specific graphing points. They are also given photographs in which there are no graphing points and they...
Curated OER
What Does a Quarter Weigh?
Students study the historical figures and symbols of U.S.
patriotism depicted on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter coins. They
create a balance scale from common materials to measure the approximate weight
of a quarter.
Curated OER
Creating a National Park
High schoolers explore how national parks are created, operate and benefit society by creating a new national park for their state.
Curated OER
Mapping Fairfax County Service Providers
Students brainstorm a list of services governments should have available to its citizens. Using the internet, they locate as many of these services as possible and compile a class list. They also analyze specific programs to consider...
Curated OER
THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale : Integrating Visual Art and Social Studies
Students comprehend how the use of color impacts a work of art. They research how a theme can be rendered in a variety of ways (words, music, visuals). Students analyze how an artist's choices affect the aesthetic quality of artwork.
Curated OER
A Capital Idea
Students write a description of the spatial organization of the former and present location of New Hampshire's state capital. They analyze maps, participate in a class discussion, and calculate the distance of Concord from the borders...
Curated OER
Civil War Naval Strategy
Learners apply critical thinking skills to war strategy. In this Civil War map lesson, students use their knowledge of latitude and longitude as well as scale to respond to questions regarding Civil War battle strategies.
Curated OER
Globe Skills Lesson 2: Paving the Way for Columbus
Students explore the expedition of Christopher Columbus. In this geography skills lesson, students consider the technological advances that made Columbus's expedition possible as they complete a latitude and longitude activity.
Curated OER
Eye From the Sky
Learners are introduced to the concept of aerial perspective and scale. Students will use satellite technology to view their neighborhoods and sketch the area surrounding their schools. They will take part in a neighborhood walk to view...
CSI Crime Lab: Classroom Edition
Participants use their observation skills, communication skills, and reasoning skills to perform forensic tests and solve a crime. This series of activities provides a first-hand (but scaled-down) introduction to careers in Forensic...
Curated OER
Quad Squad
Students pretend they have visited a forest research station on an overnight field trip. They study forest fires, use compass directions, read maps, interpret imagery, and think about the impact of fire on ecosystems.
Curated OER
Scatter Plots
Seventh graders investigate how to make and set up a scatter plot. In this statistics lesson, 7th graders collect data and plot it. They analyze their data and discuss their results.
Curated OER
Weather: Piecing It All Together
Fourth graders collect, record, and analyze data using simple weather instruments and a variety of weather resources to investigate weather. They observe the teacher demonstrate how a rain gauge functions, record the weather for five...
Curated OER
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Sixth graders examine the causes of the stock market crash of 1929. In this integrated math/history unit on the stock market, 6th graders study, research, and read stocks, visit a local bank, and create a PowerPoint to show the...
Curated OER
Motivating Activities for Geography Week
Here is a great way to pique your students' interest in geography, and help them learn about their world.