Curated OER
Cardinal and Ordinal Directions
Students use a compass to locate cardinal and ordinal directions. In small groups, they describe and create a journey for their classmates using their compass. Groups create a scale map for their classmates to follow and relate this...
Curated OER
The Coldest Place at the Bottom of the World
Students examine Ernest Shackleton's journey through the Antarctic and trace Shackleton's Actual Route on a map using longitude and latitude coordinates. Students compare his intended route with his actual and determine how far off...
Carnegie Mellon University
International Perspectives to Climate Change 1
After a lecture about how the first industrial revolution triggered the path to climate change, your environmental studies class discusses what the impacts are. In a culminating activity, they get into groups and identify countries on a...
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Reading Literature - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” Ambrose Bierce’s short story, is used to model how structural moves, the decisions an author makes about setting, point of view, time order, etc., can be examined to reveal an author’s purpose. Groups...
Curated OER
Discover the Rain Forest
Students research tropical rain forests through the use of trade books, encyclopedias, rain forest videos, and computer searches to determine the effects that human use has on the rain forest.
Curated OER
Amelia the Pigeon: As a Pigeon Flies
Students follow Amelia's adventure on a satellite image. They use measuring and math skills to determine the distance she traveled.
Curated OER
India and Pakistan: Rivals from Birth
Seventh graders, after being divided into two groups, are assigned either Pakistan or India. They conduct research using the Internet, reference books, and magazines. The class compares and contrasts the two countries to find sources of...
Curated OER
Trends of Snow Cover and Temperature in Alaska
Students gather historical snow cover and temperature data from the MY NASA DATA Web site. They compare this data to data gathered using ground measurements from the ALISON Web site for Shageluk Lake. They graph both sets of data and...
Curated OER
Inches Away
Students are introduced to maps, scale representations, ratios and cartography. They plot the itinerary for their family's dream vacation or a trip across the United States. Using maps, they determine the short route and second longer...
Curated OER
New Perspectives
Students examine maps that are designed to give different perspectives. They create mental maps that illustrate their own perspectives and those of people from other parts of the world.
Curated OER
Magnitude vs Intensity
Students use a zipcode map to locate earthquake experiences based on the Modified Mercalli Scale. They discuss the difference of the magnitude of an earthquake compared to the intensity of the shaking it causes.
Curated OER
U.S. Geography: The Northeast
Students investigate U.S. Geography by creating a map in class. In this natural resource instructional activity, students create a map of the United States and research the Northeast based on their resources and recyclable...
Curated OER
TE Activity: The Trouble with Topos
Students study the uses of topographical maps including the many forms that they take. They discover that the map features show its intended use such as city maps, wilderness maps, and state maps. They complete a worksheet in which they...
Curated OER
Pearl Harbor
Young scholars identify the location of Pearl Harbor and Hawaiian Islands on a map. In this map skills lesson plan, students use latitude and longitude coordinates to locate various places of importance of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Curated OER
To There And Back
Learners calculate distance on a map by using a mileage scale to calculate the distance from their hometown to Niagara Falls. They, in groups, determine the best route, then compose stories about their journey to Niagra Falls.
Curated OER
Draw A Coastline
Students identify, locate and draw at least ten different geographical features on a map. Using the map, they must make it to scale and include their own legend and compass rose. They share their map with the class and answer questions.
Curated OER
Planet Earth
Students explore and analyze data from different maps in order to explain geographic diversity among the continents. Student groups research continents' physical features and examine how they contribute to quality of life for inhabitants.
Curated OER
Mapping The Way With Lewis & Clark
Fourth graders analyze and compare maps used on the expedition of Lewis and Clark. Students write reports about the geography of the land. They answer questions about Lewis & Clark.
Curated OER
Old World and New World - Why Contact Took So Long
Young scholars use a globe to determine why contact between the old world and the new world took a long time. In this map skills instructional activity, students analyze routes between regions to determine why it took so long for the old...
Curated OER
Cartography Project
A lesson involving mapping, the use of a compass, writing and following directions, and exploring the first two themes of geography is here for you. Learners create original maps that show the routes they take through their own...
Curated OER
The Mekong River
Junior geographers explore the region through which the Mekong flows, its pathway, the landscape, how people depend on the Mekong, and future uncertainties. They apply the five themes of geography to examine the region. They create a...
Curated OER
Living in the Desert
Conduct an investigation on the plants used by the Hohokam tribe. To survive in the harsh desert environment the Hohokam used many natural resources. Learners read, research, map, and graph multiple aspects of Hohokam plant use as a...
Curated OER
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
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...