General Lessons about the Indiana's natural world
Story Sampler Our Natural World - For younger kids (K-3rd), this Story Sampler includes hands-on, cross-curricular activities for five books that are linked by the common theme of the natural world.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Reading is Fundamental through University of Wisconsin-Extension ide@s resource
Forces of Nature - For the 6th through 12th grade. This is one time it's OK to play with Mother Nature. Through this interactive website, find out what makes volcanoes, quakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes tick; and then feed your appetite for destruction.
Indiana State Standards covered »
National Geographic through PRISM
Defining Ecology - Through five 30-45 minute lessons, 3rd-6th grade students will work in cooperative groups to define, study, and incorporate vocabulary terms into writings about ecology.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Richard Oakes Peters, Ed.D. through the
University of Wisconsin Extension ide@s
A Walk in the Woods - A Walk in the Woods is even more than a lesson plan. This interactive site lets 5th graders explore and appreciate nature even if they can't go outside.
University of Illinois Extension
Dinosaurs and Caves
The Name Game (see also Indiana Expeditions)- 3rd through 7th grade students will gain an understanding of how dinosaurs are named. Using designated card sets for the different parts of dinosaur names, students will construct dinosaur names and then describe and draw or construct a model of their “new” dinosaur.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Indiana Expeditions through W-FYI
Student Paleontologists: Delving into Microfossils (see also Indiana Expeditions) - 3rd-7th graders, Given a small clay sample, students will use a simple cleaning procedure to search for microfossils. They will choose a specific physical characteristic to sort the samples, classify the samples by phylum, and then display the samples for others to examine.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Indiana Expeditions through W-FYI
Mammoth Cave - adaptable for grades 5-12, this lesson explores Mammoth Cave National Park in several ways. Students will learn how the cave was formed, how it remains dependent on water, how early travelers reacted to visiting the cave, and how the cave's resources have been used.
Indiana State Standards covered »
National Park Service
Exploration of the Land by Humans
Tinker, Tailor, Farmer, Sailor - This multi-lesson mini-unit can be adapted for the 4th-8th grade. Students will analyze primary sources to determine why colonists were drawn to particular types of land and regions of the country.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Library of Congress, American Memory Project
Journeys West -A unit plan suited for 4th- 8th graders about the westward advancement of settlers in the 1800s. Students use primary sources from the American Memory collections to develop an understanding of American westward expansion.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Library of Congress, American Memory Project
Trail of Tears, Indian Removal Act - Students use maps, excerpt of a Presidential speech, oral testimony, and a painting to examine the political reasoning behind the Indian Removal Act as well as the public portrayal and personal impact of the Trail of Tears on the Cherokee nation. Indiana State Standards covered »
History Matters, George Mason University
Not "Indians" Many Tribes: Native American Diversity - For students in grades 3-5, this unit will study the relationship between natural environment and culture, focusing on the diversity in Native American tribes. The unit seeks to answer the guiding question: How did geographic location, climate, and natural resources influence the diversity of Native American tribes and nations?
Indiana State Standards covered »
Wisdom Keepers, Inc., through EDSITEment, the National Endowment for the Humanities
Native Americans and Early Explorers -5th graders will study the effects of Native Americans on the development on the United States and the effects of early explorers on Native Americans in this 6-9 week unit.
Indiana State Standards covered »
Sharon Boots, Suzie Jenney through the Indiana Humanities Council SmartDesktop
