To foster students' meaningful learning of science, we designed and implemented a unit for five third-grade students that allowed them to understand Carbon Footprint (CF) in a public school in North Texas. The unit lasted seven weeks, where students identified the effects of distance traveled and packaging on the CF of certain consumable products.…

People often think that ideas about mapping and culture are too difficult and abstract for kindergarten students, let alone English Language Learners (ELLs). This article however describes how a preservice teacher taught a three day unit in geography to her students based upon places they or their family members had visited. Many of the students…

One way to stimulate student interest in world geography is to use a future time as a springboard to the past. This approach looks backwards and focuses upon available evidence for the existence of recently discovered lands. A unit is described. (RM)

Ideas are offered for helping eighth-grade students incorporate an at-home field trip to Canada into a social studies unit. The teachers who developed the unit state that students can complete the 21-day imaginary trip in five hours of classroom time when appropriate materials are available and the classroom environment is conducive to working on…

A topic of student interest, earthquakes, is used as a vehicle for teaching reading and research skills in a California junior high school. Students develop geography skills by labeling fault lines on maps of the Pacific Basin, California, and San Francisco; develop their vocabulary by preparing a list of words about earthquakes; and practice word…

Discusses a study unit that integrated geography skills, language arts, and local history. Identifies the objectives of the lesson. Explains that students gathered information through interviews, letter writing, newspaper articles, and other research. Reports that students ultimately constructed a three-dimensional model of their community. (CH)