Curated OER
A Tale of Two Stories
Students develop their classification and math skills using the stories "The Three Little Pigs" (Galdone 1970) and "Cinderella" (Grimm and Grimm 1981). They compare the two stories using venn diagrams, simple maps, and problem solving.
Curated OER
VA Statute for Religious Freedom, III
Students analyze the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedoms and consider its implications. In this governing principles lesson, students explore primary and secondary sources regarding the document penned by Thomas Jefferson.
Curated OER
The 13 Originals: Exploring the Who, When, Where, and Why Behind the 13 Original Colonies of Early America
Discover the stories behind each of the thirteen stripes on the American flag with this straightforward presentation. Complete with learning objectives, discussion questions, and solid information about each of the original thirteen...
Curated OER
Vocabulary Development
By utilizing a graphic organizer called a bubble map, young readers work toward developing their vocabulary. After reading a story, a word that has something to do with the story is put in the middle circle. Then, other words that have...
Curated OER
The Writing Process- Prewriting Using Collaboration
After a class discussion on strategies pupils can use to pre-write, learners are given a topic which they use to guide them in selecting a book to read. Everyone uses a worksheet, embedded in the plan, to write down information from the...
Curated OER
Four Immigrant Groups: Their Lives and Music
Fourth graders examine the experiences of four immigrant groups. Class members brainstorm a list of misconceptions of those groups and discuss if these perceptions are still present today. Using maps, groups locate the countries of...
Curated OER
A Place Called Fairfax
Students use maps to locate Virginia, its surrounding states and Fairfax County. Individually, they describe the absolute and relative location of the county and why it is important to know both. As a class, they brainstorm the...
Center for History and New Media
Slavery and Free Negroes, 1800 to 1860
What was life like for enslaved and free black people before the American Civil War? Explore the building tension between states and the freedom of individuals with a thorough social studies lesson. Learners of all ages explore primary...
Curated OER
The Settlement of New England
A thorough exploration of the Puritan Migration and settlement of Plymouth, this presentation is sure to engage your young historians with its clear maps and historical documents. The presentation differentiates the philosophies of...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The War in the South, 1778–1781
The second in a three-part look at the Revolutionary War focuses the years from 1778 through 1781 and zooms in on military operations in the southern colonies, the French alliance, and the role African-Americans played in events. Class...
Curated OER
Is Portland, Oregon Experiencing Global Warming?
Students use data to determine if the climate in Portland has changed over the years. In this weather lesson students complete line graphs and study long wave radiation.
Curated OER
A Place Called Fairfax
Young scholars are introduced to the various types of maps of Fairfax County, Virginia. Using the maps, they explain the relative and absolute locations of the county and discuss the importance of both. They also discover how the county...
Curated OER
"You Shall Do Your Best Endeavor" - Working With Primary Documents
Students read and interpret primary source documents regarding historic Jamestown. In small groups, they read the primary documents, answer questions, and view online maps of Jamestown Island and Virginia.
Curated OER
The Five Themes of Geography
In this geography skills worksheet, students respond to 18 fill in the blank and short answer questions about the 5 geography themes.
Curated OER
Using Vegetation, Precipitation, and Surface Temperature to Study Climate Zones
Middle schoolers begin their examination of the climate zones found around the world. Using a software program, they identify the relationship between the vegetation, climate and temperatures of the different zones. They also plot...
Curated OER
The Colony of Virginia as Far as the Mississippi
Students study George Washington's map and journal of his 1754 expedition to the French. They draw conclusions about the importance of western lands and the problems involved in tapping the resources of the West during that era.
Curated OER
West Virginia Quarter Reverse: Over, Under, In, and Out
Students examine the images on the West Virginia quarter reverse. Using the quarter design as a model, the discover the meaning of directional terms. They play a game where they have to listen to and follow directions and complete a...
Curated OER
Finding James Fort
Welcome to Jamestown! Third and fourth graders read and analyze primary source documents about Jamestown or Fort James. They read and analyze descriptions of Fort James from primary sources. They access a website to explore more...
Virginia Department of Education
Educator’s Guide to Planning a Field Day Event
Plan an environmentally friendly field day for your young conservationists with this collection of activities and resources. Whether it's bowling with plastic bags full of crumpled up newspaper and empty plastic bottles, or having relay...
Curated OER
An Introduction to the National Archives
Fifth graders study the national archives through both images AND visiting the site. This is meant to provide them with an understanding of what documents are important to the U.S. and why (i.e. Declaration of Independence, etc...).
Curated OER
Colonial Maps
Students discover the history of America by identifying the traditional colonies. In this U.S. history lesson, students examine a world map and identify where the voyagers left from Europe to arrive at the United States. Students...
Curated OER
Snow Cover By Latitude
Young scholars create graphs comparing the amount of snow cover along selected latitudes using data sets from a NASA website. They create a spreadsheet and a bar graph on the computer, and analyze the data.
Curated OER
Using Charts and Graphs to Study East Asia's Modern Economy
Students examine East Asia's modern economy. In groups, classmates use the internet to compare the resources, products, and economy of specified countries. After collecting the data, pupils create charts, tables and graphs. They...
ReadWriteThink
Dear Librarian: Writing a Persuasive Letter
Everyone deserves to read a great book! Here, pupils write a persuasive letter to the school's librarian detailing their favorite story and why it should be found on the shelves. Class members' persuasive reading passages are shared with...