Invite children and teens to create a travel brochure to share information about a special place with others.
Design a Travel Brochure
Creating Family Timelines
Children can interview family members and make an illustrated timeline of the most important family events and memories.
Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was integrated in 1957.
After viewing some footage from the actual event, students jot down thoughts and feelings of the Little Rock Nine. Students then write a bio-poem that might have been written by one of these students on this historic day.
Today is the International Day of Peace.
Students brainstorm a list of current conflicts and why people fight. Groups discuss and present possible solutions and create posters that promote their particular solution.
Hispanic Heritage Month begins today.
Students brainstorm all the various aspects of Latinx culture and compile topics to research. Groups then research topics and present their information to the class.
Patriot Day is celebrated today on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 2001.
Students write about the name "Patriot Day" and how it marks the anniversary of a huge disaster. An alternative assignment could be to ask students to record their reflections about 9/11.
The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846.
After exploring an exhibit online, students use the information they learned to write "A Day in the Life" narratives that tell about a person, animal, or object they saw in the exhibit.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.
Students explore the "I Have a Dream" Foundation's website and brainstorm ways they can help themselves or others at their school achieve their educational dreams.
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote in 1920.
A representative from the local chapter of the League of Women Voters is invited to talk to students about voting rights and what they can do to be active in politics.
Monarch butterflies begin their migration in the fall.
After exploring the ways that monarch butterflies react to seasons, students complete an inquiry study to examine how other things change because of the seasons and create a class anthology.
Montgomery Ward published the first mail-order catalog in 1872.
Students explore how and why catalogs have changed over the years and compare their findings about printed catalogs with online catalogs.
In 1870, the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad was completed.
Students access the National Park Service website and look at the webpage "The Last Spikes." Students explore different accounts of what happened as the railroad neared completion and discuss the nature of ceremonies.
The first English printer, William Caxton, was born on this day in 1422.
Students consider how the printing press affects their world by completing a printing inventory, comparing lists, and developing a "super" list of all printed materials that they interact with.
The first picture of Earth was taken by the U.S. satellite Explorer VI in 1959.
After students view the first picture from the Explorer VI Satellite, they discuss the differences between this first image and the images of the earth that we typically see today.
The first woman swam the English Channel in 1926.
Students brainstorm a list of famous athletic competitors and establish criteria for what makes an athlete "famous." Students then forecast which of today's athletes will still be remembered in 75 to 100 years.
The prototype for the World Wide Web was created in 1990.
Students look at pictures from the past using the WayBack Machine and brainstorm a few websites to explore to think about how they have changed over the years.
Today is Cinco de Mayo.
Students choose to research a piece of art, music, dance, literature, or food that suitably represents Mexico and create a presentation for the class.
Paul Revere began his famous midnight ride in 1775.
Through the study of Paul Revere, students learn about primary source documents while researching their family histories, with which they create and compare their family trees.
Let's Go On A Poetry Walk!
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and you're surrounded by brilliant shades of green! Observe and collect sensory images from nature and use the sights, sounds, smells, and textures to create original nature poetry.
Go Wild with Webcams!
Can't make it to a zoo? After reading a book about apes, observe animal habits and habitats using one of the many Webcams broadcasting from zoos and aquariums around the United States and the world.