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Lesson Plans

Below is a collection of lesson plans about cultural heritage and archaeology.

Organization: AskERIC

Description: In this lesson plan, students (grades 11-12) examine photographs of the Nubian environment and the Nubian people. Students critically examine artifacts of ancient Nubia and write a two page essay outlining the Nubian environment, describing the Nubia people, and explaining how they adapted physically, materially, politically, and intellectually to their environment.

Age group or class level: Grades 11-12

Lesson Plan: Ancient Nubia Inquiry Lesson

Organizaton: AskERIC

Description: The Quinmester world studies course for grades 7 through 9 investigates concepts of prehistory, culture, and civilization, offering an in depth understanding of the reasons why and how civilizations rise and fall. Emphasis is on comparing past and present civilizations. One major purpose of the course is for students to comprehend that civilizations evolve from one stage to another. By tracing early civilizations and comparing them to modern civilizations students will better see the pattern of development, giving them a better perspective of society and helping them to foresee a better future society. An interdisciplinary approach offers a broader scope to the course.

Age group or class level: Grades 7-9

Social Studies. Dawn: The Birth of Selected Civilizations (PDF)

Organization: Bureau of Land Management

Description: Includes texts by and about American Indians, supports Common Core State Standards, and integrates Indian Education For All Understandings. The guide is a perfect first unit for United States History (Grades 8-12) with two lessons and a final performance of understanding. Students will read current news reports, write an Archaeology Discovery Report, debate ethics of studying ancient human remains, write a persuasive essay, and join students from across the nation in creating memorials to the Clovis Child. Included in the resource section is a collection of relevant news articles on this amazing discovery in an easy to print and distribute newspaper, Clovis Chronicle.

Age group or class level: Grades 8-12

Project Archaeology: Investigating the First Peoples, the Clovis Child Burial (PDF)

Organization: Bureau of Land Management

Description: A booklet of activities relating to the John Jarvie Historic Ranch site located in Utah.

Age group or class level: All grades and class levels.

Activity Book (PDF)

Organization: Core Knowledge

Description: This lesson is an extension of the study of Ancient Egypt from the first grade Core Knowledge sequence and is designed to help students understand that archaeology is a science, not just digging. While participating in an actual “dig”, the importance of careful measuring, observing, and note taking is stressed. Measuring in metric units, graphing, classifying, and journal writing help the students become aware of the importance of science and scientists and their role in helping us understand the past.

Age group or class level: Second Grade

Digging Into Our Past (PDF)

Organization: Core Knowledge

Description: This is a unit for 5th grade on North American Indians and how they lived. This unit also covers many aspects of their culture, from the art of weaving to what their ceremonies meant. The unit is comprised of 8 lessons, several of which will take more than one day. These lessons are designed to help 5th graders understand Native Americans and the culture from which they come.

Age group or class level: Fifth Grade

A Guide to North American Indian Culture (PDF)

Organization: Core Knowledge

Description: This unit is an introduction to the modern civilization and culture of Mexico. The students will be exposed to geographical locations and areas nearby; Mexican culture; Indian and Spanish heritage; traditions; holidays; music; and art. Each lesson is written so students can understand the world outside their locality. As the students study this culture they will develop an appreciation and tolerance for other cultures.

Age group or class level: First grade

Modern Civilization and Culture: Mexico (PDF)

Organization: Core Knowledge

Description: The unit will focus on the geography and culture of contemporary Japan as experienced by the presenters through the Keizai Koho Center Fellowship and the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. The unit will include daily lessons, learning activities appropriate books and reference materials, and Internet resources for use by teachers and students.

Age group or class level: Second Grade

The Geography and Contemporary Culture of Japan (PDF)

Organization: CTAP Online

Description: Upon completion of this unit students will be able to identify the American Indians of the local region and explain how their way of life was influenced by their environment. Students will also summarize information learned about the their system of government and their economic structure. *Note: The content in this section is tribal-specific and needs to be adapted to the American Indian nation in your local region. An * in the text indicates areas where resources from your region need to be inserted.

Age group or class level: Grade 3

American Indians of the Local Region (PDF)

Organization: CTAP Online

Description: Students describe the human characteristics of familiar places and the varied backgrounds of American citizens, in terms of: the ways in which they are all part of the same community, sharing principles, goals, and traditions despite their varied ancestry; the forms of diversity in their school and community and the benefits and challenges of a diverse population, the difficulties, successes and ways in which American Indian and immigrant populations have helped define Californian and American culture and comparisons of the beliefs, customs, ceremonies, traditions and social practices of the varied cultures drawing from folklore.

Age group or class level: Grade 1

Developing Cultural Awareness (PDF)