Using Old Newspapers to Teach History
Few people think of today’s newspapers as tomorrow’s history books. But two history teachers have compiled reproductions of newspapers’ front pages to help students get a snapshot of events as they were reported.
Podcasting and the News
Students listen to a news podcast and use a graphic organizer to record what they learn.
Election 2006: "Capital”ize on This Teachable Moment
The 2004 elections are right around the corner. To help you "capital”ize on this teachable moment, Education World has gathered lesson ideas from our archive. Use these lessons to teach about the elections, our government, and many other topics.
From the Land, Of the Land: An Interdisciplinary Lesson on Indigenous Peoples
Energize a geography or language arts lesson with this online activity for grades 7-12. Students research the concept of indigenous people then write a diamante poem about what they've learned. Both the research and the poem creation are done online.
Online Mapping
Knowing your home address is important in early childhood. Learning how to read and write directions is key as well. So in this online activity, students use Google Maps to pinpoint their home address and get directions to and from school.
Jet-Setting Pets
In this lesson, K-5 students select a pet and a travel destination, then find four things the pet could do at that locale. Designed for use with Inspiration/Kidspiration, the lesson can be adapted for use with other programs.
A Picture's Worth 1000 Words
In this interdisciplinary lesson, K-8 students try to interpret what pictographs -- pictures that symbolize a word or concept -- really mean. Then they write sentences using their own pictograph system.
Search for Ice and Snow
Using an Earth Image database (Space Shuttle images) and world map, students identify places on Earth where there is ice and snow, and then create a table showing where they found the information, and the geographic location of the snow and ice.
Portrait of a Hero
Students select and research someone they consider a hero and then use facts about that person and quotes by that
person to create micrographic portraits.
Constitution Day
America and its educators recognize each September 17 -- the day our Founding Fathers signed the U.S. Constitution
-- as Constitution Day. Education World has scoured our site and the Internet to gather dozens of teaching ideas to
help you recognize this landmark day.
Will the Leaning Tower Fall?
Students in grades 9-12 research the Tower of Pisa and write a report about its history. They examine the physics
of why the Tower leans and whether it might fall. Finally, they plan a trip to Italy to see the Tower, developing
an itinerary and budget for the trip.
Four Days in Paris
In this foreign language or social studies lesson for grades 4-6, students research a travel destination, set up a
four-day itinerary, and then use iWork's Pages program to create an illustrated travel journal detailing their "experiences."
Design a Community Flag
In this interdisciplinary lesson, students in grades 3-8 research basic principles for flag design, find out how their
city's flag (or the flag of a nearby city) ranked in a national survey, and then use the computer to create their
own community flags.
Poetry From Photos: A Lesson on the Great Depression.
Getting information from the Internet often is just a copy and paste operation. The challenge for teachers is to teach
students to apply and extend what they learn online. In this lesson, students view photographs of migrant families
during the Great Depression, try to interpret the photos to answer questions about the subject's life, and then write
a cinquain poem based on their interpretations.
I Do Solemnly Swear: Presidential Inaugurations
Stuffy and formal or disorganized and strange? Presidential inaugurations have run the gamut over the years. Check
out this lesson plan for grades 3-5 in which the facts and frenzy surrounding 55 presidential inaugurations are investigated.
Inform Your Vote
Do your students voice support for one candidate or another in this year's presidential election? Do you wonder what
their support is based on? Offer students a chance to weigh in on the issues, and compare their positions with that
of the two party candidates.
Lessons for Hispanic Heritage Month!
Hola! Each year from September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. This week, Education World offers
a dozen lessons to help students learn about the cultures and contributions of people of Hispanic heritage.
Celebrating Asian and Pacific-Island Heritage
Each May -- during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month -- we recognize the special contributions of people of Asian
and Pacific Islander heritage. The lessons here introduce students to famous Asian Americans and explore their origins
and their literature.
Some R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Lessons) Just for You!
Aretha and Rodney are always talking about respect; now it's Ed World's turn! If your students lack it or could
stand to learn more about it, we offer five lessons this week to get them talking and thinking about R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
A World of Learning: Geography Activities for Geography Week
Geography lessons can make a "world" of difference in students' knowledge of the world and in their test scores.
That's because geography is multidisciplinary by nature. This week's lessons teach geography -- and math, language,
and cultural literacy.
Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives: Lessons for Memorial Day
What does Memorial Day mean to your students? Do they grasp the significance of the sacrifice that American men and
women have made to preserve our freedom? Included: Five lessons help students understand the meaning of Memorial Day.
Reviving Reviews: Refreshing Ideas Students Can't Resist
Is review time a deadly bore for you and your students? Add a little fun to review time and you might be surprised.
Games will spice up reviews, revive interest, and ensure retention! Included: Five activities for use in all subjects,
all grades!
It’s Up for Debate!
Debates are a staple of middle and high school social studies classes. But have you ever thought about using debates
at the lower grades -- or in math class? Education World offers five debate strategies and extra lessons for students
of all ages.
We’re In the Money: Lessons for Teaching About Money
Every time we spend a dime -- or a penny or a dollar -- we see the face of one of our presidents! What better time
than Presidents Day can there be to teach kids about money? Included: Five hands-on lessons. Hold a "money bee,” make
predictions, learn about inflation/the cost of goods over time, more.
Five Lessons in Black History
Primary source materials teach about Rosa Parks, school integration, and the growth of the African-American population
throughout history. Plus: Students create a database/timeline and write a rap about a famous figure in Black History.
More!
Map Lessons: The Route to Improved Geography Skills
Celebrate National Geography Awareness Week with five lessons that employ maps to teach geography and a wide variety
of other subjects and skills. Included: Lessons to teach K-12 students about landforms, the global economy, maps from
space, more!
Make Classroom Connections to This Year’s Elections
Use these five activities to drive home the importance of voting, teach about the process of creating laws, track
election results and voter turnout, and teach students what its like to make the tough decisions that elected officials
make every day. Plus links to a dozen more election lesson plans!
Mystery State Game Tests Students' Knowledge of 50 States
Which state is the "Badger State"? Which states were independent nations before becoming states? Where would you find
the most crayfish? The Mystery State quiz will help your students learn about the 50 states as it improves their research
skills. Give them one set of clues a week, or one clue a day, and see who is first to figure out the Mystery State!
Celebrating African American History Month: Is Racism Dead?
February is African American History Month, a time set aside to promote public awareness of the history and achievements
of African Americans. In recognition of that event, Education World offers activities and resources to help you encourage
students to explore the history of African Americans, to learn about their struggles, to celebrate their successes,
and to participate in their ongoing efforts.
Celebrating African American History Month: Is Racism Dead?
February is African American History Month, a time set aside to promote public awareness of the history and achievements
of African Americans. In recognition of that event, Education World offers activities and resources to help you encourage
students to explore the history of African Americans, to learn about their struggles, to celebrate their successes,
and to participate in their ongoing efforts.
Martin Luther King Jr. Teaches Many Lessons
The life of American hero Martin Luther King Jr. offers many teaching opportunities. This week, Education World offers
cross-curricular and cross-grade lessons teachers can use to share King's life and legacy with students.
December: A Month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations
Do your students celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Three Kings Day? Maybe they celebrate St. Lucia's Day
or Ramadan. Chances are your class includes students who observe more than one of those events. Whether that is the
case or not, December offers great opportunities for teaching about our multicultural world.
Celebrate Geography Awareness Week!
To help you celebrate Geography Awareness Week, Education World editors have gathered lessons and articles from the
Education World archive. The result is a world of resources that will allow you to celebrate Geography Awareness Week
all year long!
Ten Great Activities: Teaching With the Newspaper
Ten terrific classroom activities that use the newspaper to teach all sorts of valuable skills -- including reading
and writing for meaning, map reading, media literacy, sequencing, word meaning, and math.
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! This week, Education World offers five lessons to introduce students
to Asian American history and culture.
Mexico: Meet the Neighbors!
Mexico and the United States share a border and a history. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo by introducing your students to
their neighbors to the south!
Financial Literacy Begins at School!
According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, as few as ten hours
of classroom instruction can be enough to persuade students to improve their spending and saving habits. This week,
Education World offers five lessons to help get them started on the road to financial responsibility!
Iditarod Activities Across the Grades!
On your mark, get set, mush! If it's March in Alaska, one of the most grueling races on Earth is about to begin --
the Iditarod Sled Dog Race! This week, Education World offers activities that will have your students "teeming" to
learn about this exciting competition!
Lessons to Celebrate Black History Month!
February is the annual observance of Black History Month, a time to recognize the achievements, contributions, and
culture of African Americans. This week, Education World offers ten innovative activities to start your celebration
of Black History Month -- and to help you incorporate the African American experience into your curriculum all year
long! Included: Challenge students to create ABC books, murals, and more about famous African Americans!
Hail to the Chief: Inauguration Lessons!
Every four years on January 20, an important event occurs in the United States: A new president takes the oath of
Office during an inauguration ceremony. This week, Education World offers ten super activities to help your students
learn about and commemorate the inauguration. Included: Activities in which students write letters to the new president,
create presidential portraits, complete an inauguration trivia hunt, and much more!
Heroic Activities to Celebrate Heroes!
Everyone has a hero -- someone to look up to or admire. This week, Education Word offers ten lessons that will get
students thinking about their heroes. Included: Activities -- students create a picture book about their heroes, develop
holidays honoring their favorite heroes, create memorials for animal heroes, and more! Plus additional online resources!
Go Global With Geography Activities!
November 12 to 18, 2000 is National Geography Awareness Week. This week, Education World offers ten lessons that will
inspire students to explore the world! Included: Activities that have students participate in a class geography bee,
plot the locations of classic children's stories, learn about cities with unusual names, plot road trips for sports
teams, and much more!
Activities to Celebrate Native American Heritage!
November is National American Indian Heritage History Month. This week, Education World offers 12 lessons to help
students learn about Native American history and cultures. Included: Activities that involve students in dramatizing
folktales, learning new words, preparing traditional foods, and much more!
Coming to America: Immigration Builds a Nation
The story of immigration is inseparable from this country's history. Discover the United States all over again as
you introduce your students to the two major waves of immigration that brought 34 million people to our nation's shores
and spurred the greatest period of national change and growth.
Lessons for Hispanic Heritage Month!
Hola! Each year from September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. This week, Education World offers
a dozen lessons to help students learn about the cultures and contributions of people of Hispanic heritage. Included:
Activities that involve students in creating glossaries, reading and writing folktales, growing foods popular in Hispanic
cultures, and much more!
Election 2000 WebQuest:
A Classroom WebQuest from Education World
In this new Education World WebQuest, students research candidates and issues to answer the question, Which candidate
would you vote for? During a weekly classroom "press conference," students share what they learn and debate the issues
as the election season rolls on. Students can educate their parents by researching important issues and creating a
fact sheet to send home. Included: Students vote at the start and end of this WebQuest. Did the knowledge they gained
change their votes?
Australia: Lessons About the 'Land Down Under'!
G'day mate! In a few weeks, all eyes will be on Australia as people around the world gather at the 2000 Summer Olympic
Games in Sydney. This week, learn about the "land down under" as Education World offers nine lessons about the continent
of Australia. Included: Activities to involve students in using maps, creating an ABC picture book of Australian animals,
preparing Australian foods, and much more!
The Mighty Mississippi
In 1986, Congress designated the Upper Mississippi River System as both a nationally significant ecosystem and a nationally
significant navigation system. Help your students discover the history, geography, and significance of this incredible
natural resource. Included: Ten activities that demonstrate the physical, social, political, and economic power of
the Mississippi River.
Election 2000: Ten More Classroom Activities
"The right to vote is arguably one of the most important rights of citizenship in a democratic country, yet a substantial
number of U.S. citizens choose not to exercise that right," states the introduction to the latest report on voter
turnout from the U.S. Census Bureau. In the classroom, teachers this fall have a unique opportunity to teach about
elections and the election process, current issues, the importance of making informed decisions, and the
importance of voting. To that end, Education World offers ten teaching activities to help teachers achieve those goals.
Included: Math, drama, art, role-playing activities, and more to take advantage of this ultimate in "teachable moments"!
Crisscrossing the U.S.A.:
Scavenger Hunts for Kids of All Ages
Each week, Education World's Great Sites for Teaching About ... page highlights Web sites to help educators work timely
themes into their lessons. Internet educator Walter McKenzie selected this week's sites, which are among the best
on the Web for teaching about our national parks.
Election 2000: Classroom Activities
Republicans are meeting in Philadelphia this week to nominate their candidate for the presidency. Education World
recognizes that event with the first in a series of lesson plan stories full of ideas for teaching about the upcoming
elections and the election process! Included: Lessons for teaching about the Electoral College and the importance
of voting, plus a unique approach to staging a classroom debate about election issues!
America's Freedom Documents!
This week, Education World presents ten lesson plans for teaching about three important freedom documents -- the Declaration
of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Included: Activities that involve students in creating
time lines and posters, writing new amendments, and much more!
Heroes Online: Looking to the Web for Those We Can Look Up To
Introduce your students to heroes online with Web sites devoted to people we can admire. Some heroes have received
national acclaim; others work tirelessly and thanklessly for issues close to home and our hearts. You can use the
resources of the Web to encourage this type of dedication in your students and get them thinking about the people
they look up to! Included: Ten Web sites to work into your lessons!
Earth Inc. --- A Service-Learning Lesson Plan
A well-planned service-learning project should include stated academic and service goals, strategies for assessment,
and opportunities for reflection. As an example, the Social Studies Education Consortium (SSEC) offers a template
for a model service project --- and teachers from Desert Sky Middle School offer their project. Included: Cross-curriculum
goals, activities, and more!
It's News to Me: Teaching Kids *About* the Newspaper
Celebrate American Newspaper Week by teaching students to be knowledgeable and discerning newsreaders. Explore six
great sites that will help you teach *about* the newspaper --- before you start teaching with it! Included: Seven
original ideas!
Happy Anniversary, Hawaii! --- 40 Ways to Teach the 50th State
Hawaii celebrates its 40th anniversary of statehood on August 21! Take a tour of this exotic state, examine its wildlife,
creep to the volcano's edge, and discover the wealth of culture and diversity that isolation can bring. Aloha!
China: An Ancient Country in a Modern World
As the Chinese New Year approaches, take this opportunity to introduce your students to the history and culture of
China and its people. Included: Activities for younger and older students, and links to valuable teaching resources!
Explore Alaska: Three Scavenger Hunts
Education World celebrates Alaska's 40th anniversary with scavenger hunts for students across the grades. Students
explore an "Alaska" Web site in search of answers to ten grade-appropriate questions.
Great Geography: Ten Lessons on the Internet
November 15-21 is Geography Awareness Week. In celebration of GAW '98, Education World highlights ten great geography
lessons we found on the Internet. These lessons span the grades and the world with activities that involve maps, art,
and culture. If you like what you see, explore additional activities among the collections from which these lessons
come. Go "global" with the geography resources of the Web!
Beat the Clock! -- Lessons in Time Management for Middle Graders
Is time management an issue for your students? Do their busy schedules and social lives prevent them from completing
homework assignments? Now a free resource can help students learn to "beat the clock"! Included: Sample activities
for teaching time management!
Take A Virtual Trip to Antarctica
Take a cool Internet tour of Antarctica in the warmth of the classroom. Included: Fifteen Antarctica teaching activities
for across the grades and across the curriculum.
Recycling: Enter the "Use Less Stuff Contest"!
Use Less Stuff Day (November 20) coincides with the holiday season -- that time of year when Americans produce more
trash than at any other time! Included -- news of a recycling-idea contest for students ages 6 to 12.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Education World offers a piñata full of activities
that will help teachers focus attention on the contributions of people of Hispanic heritage to the history of the
United States.
Explore the World’s Newest Country!
Stop the presses! Volume "Z” of the encyclopedia just lost a few pages! A bunch of web sites can help to keep you
and your students current on news about the world’s newest country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire).
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