Activities

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students watch the National Geographic video, "Kobu the Lion," and explore the negative consequences of keeping big cats in captivity and the challenges sanctuaries face in trying to care for them.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Language Arts, Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
1 hour

Appropriate For
T I 

Students read a National Geographic Education article, “Big Cats’ Big Problem,” and identify the threats to big cat populations and how the Big Cats Initiative is working to address those threats.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students discuss factors that motivate exploration and some consequences of early exploration of the Americas. Then they each research one early explorer of the Americas and present their findings.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
30 minutes

Appropriate For
T I F K

Students explore the regions of a grocery store to see which foods are grouped together and why.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Language Arts, Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
2 hours, 30 minutes

Appropriate For
T 

Students analyze the benefits and drawbacks of hydroelectric and geothermal energy and the environmental impacts on a specific geographic location. They create a multimedia presentation to share what they have learned.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
30 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students explore the ways in which they are globally connected by identifying and mapping where the products they use come from, and then analyzing the import and export patterns.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Educational Technology, Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students use a Crittercam video and simulation game to learn about technologies scientists use to study the health and behavior of big cat populations. Then they explore how scientific research and technology can help to conserve big cat populations.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Language Arts, Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
2 hours, 30 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students prepare a news report that highlights problems facing coastal communities and how climate change might affect coastal populations.

Best For
Grades 6-12 (Ages 11-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students watch excerpts from the film God Grew Tired of Us. They discuss the challenges the Lost Boys faced while adapting to life in the United States and trying to maintain their cultural identities.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students identify major languages spoken in the Americas, map them, and discuss the relationship between the distribution of languages and the colonial history of the countries.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students watch a video and create maps to understand Henry Hudson's goals and routes, and the results of his exploration voyages.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students use a variety of media to discuss and analyze human-related pressures placed upon marine ecosystems and resources.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students simulate the passing on of genetic markers and make connections to ancient human migration routes.

Best For
Grades 6-12+ (Ages 11+)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students map the migration journey of the Lost Boys and Girls. They discuss the concept of a diaspora and the challenges of displacement.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students discuss types of migration and people who migrate. Then they brainstorm reasons for migrating.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
1 hour

Appropriate For
T I 

Students use an interactive map to analyze the patterns of migration across the globe and discuss the push and pull factors that cause people to migrate.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students imagine they are detectives and figure out ways to solve the mystery of how humans migrated around the world.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students research the causes of several modern migrations, and create a map showing these migration routes.

Best For
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Subjects
Language Arts, Geography, Social Studies

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students watch videos about Hudson's ship, the Half Moon, and write a journal entry describing life on the ship from a firsthand perspective.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Language Arts, Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
30 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students engage in a discussion to determine the information they need to learn to solve a real-life problem: how to justify the designation of a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) in order to protect the ocean.

Best For
Grades 9-12+ (Ages 14+)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
30 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students read about, and watch video segments about, the Dutch influence in New Netherland. Then they identify Dutch cultural traits that endured to become part of American culture today.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
1 hour

Appropriate For
T I 

Students use maps and census data to examine specific human migration patterns, both past and present.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students discuss a quote about the ocean and freewrite about the importance of the ocean and their daily connection to the ocean. Students map their location in relation to the ocean. Then they watch and discuss a video.

Best For
Grades 3-8 (Ages 8-14)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
15 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students brainstorm and display on a map a variety of ways they are connected to the ocean.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students read about oil production, refinement, and use and make connections to their personal energy needs in their daily lives. Students use a map to identify the scale of oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Then they discuss ways to reduce the need for oil and the threat of future oil spills.

Best For
Grades 9-12+ (Ages 14+)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies

Duration
45 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students watch video segments to learn about the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland. Then they map the sources of diversity in the colony.

Best For
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Subjects
Religion, Geography, Social Studies

Duration
1 hour, 10 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students learn about and create their own map of Jerusalem’s Old City after watching excerpts from the film Jerusalem.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Social Studies

Duration
1 hour

Appropriate For
T I 

Students investigate Lee Harvey Oswald’s biography and analyze political and cultural forces that may have influenced him.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Geography, Social Studies, Science

Duration
50 minutes

Appropriate For
T I 

Students watch videos to examine ways that human actions can throw a marine ecosystem out of balance and lead to species decline. Then they brainstorm a list of stakeholders and generate questions about them.

Best For
Grades 9-12 (Ages 14-18)

Subjects
Language Arts, Cross-Disciplinary, Science, Social Studies

Duration
2 hours, 40 minutes

Appropriate For
T 

Students discuss affordable energy and create a working definition of the concept. They discuss factors that could affect future energy supplies, conduct research, and then debate the topic: Will there be enough affordable energy in the United States in the near future? They create a multimedia presentation to support their position.