The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance
NatGeo Giant Traveling Maps
Want a fun way to learn about geography?
National Geographic’s giant maps come with activities and games to make learning geography fun. Let your students take a walk across Africa and see the world in a whole new way!
If you are interesting in using one of these amazing maps – book early. Availability is extremely limited!
Learn more at: Giant Traveling Maps
Ideas from Past Grants
Bringing Geography Alive: Using Culture Kits, 6th and 7th graders in World Geography studied China by sampling Mandarin Chinese, hearing traditional songs and folk tales, listening to interviews of a young boy about Chinese life, trying Chinese recipes and crafts and even learning to create Chinese calligraphy.
Plimoth Plantation
Plimoth Plantation: While studying Colonial America, these 5th graders augmented the curriculum coursework with a trip to see Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower. While there, they recorded observations on dress, language, style of homes, types of food, occupations and animals throughout the museum grounds. They also had a chance to ask questions of the actors who of course, answered in character. Back at school, students created their own picture books, read related texts and novels and finally wrote short skits (as well as created costumes, scenery and props) which were performed for their parents, fellow students and teachers.
Learning About Architecture: Two of Salem’s elementary school teachers worked together to create a unique opportunity for some of Salem’s 3rd graders. Students began the project by learning about mapping. They then conducted a study of Salem’s unique prosperity during the colonial period and its rich tradition of homebuilding. Finally, letterboxing was used to create a “scavenger hunt” in which students looked for and identified different architectural elements and homes of significance in the neighborhoods around their schools.
History Alive! The Salem Community Primary Source Project was undertaken by US History II students at Salem Academy. From watching the History Channel’s American History series to reading portions of Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the United States, students used a number of resources to gain a primary-source perspective of significant events in our nation’s history. Narrowing their focus to Salem, students then went on to interview members of the Salem community about their own first-hand experiences of the last 50 years of Salem’s history. The result is a document that will preserve the oral histories of Salem residents about a period of our lives that will soon become…history!
Peabody Essex Museum
Propaganda Project: When 5th graders in Salem study the American Revolution, they form opinions about Tax Laws, the King of England and the Loyalists and Patriots at the heart of the drama. At one school, students were encouraged to go beyond fact-finding and actually choose a side in this historical confrontation. Class presentations of these Propaganda Projects included both a visual element (model, diorama, skit, etc) and a written explanation of each student’s point of view. The Peabody Essex Museum was a critical player in this project, providing 3 periodic visits designed to enhance students’ knowledge of the events of the Revolution as well as introduce them to the concept of propaganda and the use of alliteration and figurative language. The PEM also served as an avenue to showcase the projects at a spring exhibition that was open to the public.
Ideas from Other Foundations
Piecing Together History: To help 6th grade students understand the process that archaeologists follow during an excavation, this town actually created its own archaeological dig site on school grounds!
Our Town ~ 1900: In another local town with deep historical roots, children’s author Jacqueline Davies brought Needham, circa 1900 to life for 5th grade students. Working with primary and secondary historical documents, students worked in small groups to recreate drawings of actual historical houses and then write historical fiction stories, each set in a particular Needham house at the turn of the century.
A Day at the Schoolhouse: One town actually used a local one-room schoolhouse to allow 3rd graders the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a mid-1800’s 3rd grader.
Ancient History Scrapbooking: Even kids have begun to be interested in this new-fangled art form which involves using words, pictures and objects to document life’s events! Blending social studies, writing, and art, students of any historical period can create an antiqued version of a modern day classic. Imagine if the members of the Boston Tea Party had thought of it!
Resources
For more projects in this category, go to kidsinneed.net.
