American Museum of Natural History
Tools of the Trade
Archaeologist David Hurst Thomas details his search for a lost Spanish Mission on St. Catherines Island, Georgia. A great way to introduce youngsters to the life of and the tools used by archaeologists.
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social Studies: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorow
Sixth graders take an Internet trip back in time to explore ancient cultures. Working in teams, they assume the roles of theologian, cartographer, economist, political analyst, and anthropologist. The same groups then create time...
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How Size Shapes Animals
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
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Helping the Adolescent Cope with Family Life
Learners are introduced to the proper ways to deal with conflict at home. In groups, they define family based on what it means to them and identify factors that lead to a breakdown in communications. They participate in role-playing...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students examine letters of Japanese-American children during internment in World War II. They discover what it was like in the camps and how they were treated once they were released. They also view photographs of the camps.
American Museum of Natural History
Make Your Own Horse Stationary
Write a letter on horse-themed stationery. Three pages to choose from showcase a variety of horses and the history of horseback riding.
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Ethical Dilemmas
Students analyze anthropological case studies. In this specific Ethical Dilemmas lesson plan, students make ethical judgments based on the case study analysis. Students work cooperatively in small groups to reach their conclusions.
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By Land or by Sea...or Both?
Students research a video and participate in a discussion. For this watercraft lesson students review material and answer questions about what they learned.
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We Arrived 10,000 Years Ago...
Students explain ways that humans migrated from Asia and settle in the Americas. For this investigative lesson students participate in a brief archaeological demonstration and review what they learned.
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Margaret Mead: Anthropologist
Sixth graders examine the life, travels, and cultural experiences of Margaret Mead. They participate in group work and inquiry activities about the qualities that Margaret Mead possessed and the places she traveled to. They distinguish...
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Cultures for Elementary Students
Students research one or more cultures. They determine what aspects of the culture to research based on their interests. They develop a research proposal and share it with the class.
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Sacred Art
Students view a PowerPoint about Tibetan monks to help them explain the culture's world views, myths and religious beliefs. They investigate Navajo sand paintings and compare how they are similar to the Tibetan monks' artwork.
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Who Owns The Past?
Young scholars research the validity and legality of ownership. Through the use of primary sources, web based and print media research, students become familiar with and evaluate the varying viewpoints regarding the...
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Water and Ice
Students observe what happens to water as it goes from a solid to a liquid. In this exploratory lesson students gain an understanding for the water cycle while working in groups observing what happens to water as it changes...
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History at Home: The Object Box
Students examine "artifacts". In this anthropology instructional activity, students analyze possible uses for objects such as washboards, hot water bottles, and old magazines. Students record and share their speculations with...
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Beauty of the Harvest
Students collect information from Beauty of the Harvest and Native American culture to determine what women accomplished in their daily lives. After organizing and thoughtfully considering this information, students create their own...
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Unearthing Ancient Greece
Students locate and analyze clues about ancient Greek life. For this ancient Greece lesson, students look at art, architecture, and artifacts to determine what was important to the Greeks and discover details about their culture....
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America's Stone Age Explorers
Students research how mitochondrial DNA is used in determining familial relationships. They complete a worksheet in which they attempt to help solve the identity of bones found in Africa.
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History Close to Home: Creating Your Own Special Museum
Students create their own museum exhibit. In this museum creation lesson plan, students research their local history so they can decide on a theme for their exhibit and what objects they will use in order to design a museum exhibit. A...
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Trekking to Timbuktu: The Search for Timbuktu
Students explore the factors that contributed to the decline of Timbuktu and the myths and misconceptions about the city. Students study the obstacles that made a journey to Timbuktu a difficult one as well as discover the first European...
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Buried in Ice: The Mystery of a Lost Arctic Expedition
Students read a novel about a lost arctic expedition by Sir John Franklin. In groups, they discuss the author's quest to determine what happened to Franklin and his crew. Using the internet, they compare and contrast the expeditions by...
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Alaskan Eskimo Collection
Young scholars analyze mystery photographs to determine key characteristics about the Alaskan environment and Eskimo culture. For this Eskimo lesson, students read an Eskimo folktale and write their own in response. Lastly young scholars...
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An Excursion to Cities of Mysterious Pasts
Students use the encyclopedia sources on the computer or in the library to research the historic sites and history of Mexico City. They make notes of what they find to be the most interesting for their visit. They make a large map of...
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Ecosytems: Water Purification
Students explore how ecosystems purify water and what kinds of things humans do that alter these processes. They use a website to access information on local watersheds and develop a "river" newspaper