Subject Area: Social Studies
All Are Welcome / Be an Upstander
Year: 2022-2023 | Level: K-5By Laurie Newhouse from Dillard Drive Magnet Elementary OVERVIEW OF LESSON: After learning their rights and responsibilities, students will practice them by becoming upstanders who show respect through their actions and words by creating banners and posters to demonstrate “All are welcome” and by building a caring school community. SUGGESTED…
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American Indian Archaeological Sites of North Carolina
Year: 2021-2022 | Level: 6-8In this lesson, students will gain a better understanding of ancient American Indians in North Carolina, especially the influences that geography and environment had and continue to have on settlements and lifestyles. Students will learn about the past through archaeology by focusing on one of the American Indian archeological sites….
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American Indians of North Carolina and Tribal Seals
Year: 2021-2022 | Level: K-5Students will research the archaeological histories and contemporary cultures of the eight state-recognized American Indian tribes in North Carolina to explore how different tribal identities are reflected in the images and symbols used in the tribes’ seals. To create a personal connection with what they learn, each student will then…
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Ancient Tools of North Carolina
Year: 2021-2022 | Level: Community CollegeThis lesson focuses primarily on archaeological tools used by ancient indigenous North Carolinians in order to give students insights into and an appreciation for past and present-day technologies along with how these technologies have changed over time. Using the Ancient North Carolinians Virtual Museum website, students will research various tools…
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Comparing Electricity Usage in Different Countries
Year: 2022-2023 | Level: 6-8By Sean Wheat from Oberlin Magnet Middle School OVERVIEW OF LESSON: Students will examine how electricity is generated in North Carolina and around the world, with a focus on using map resources to identify the different types of electrical plants. Focusing on energy and percentages from different sources, students will…
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Connecting the Past and the Present: Celebrating North Carolina’s American Indian Heritage
Year: 2021-2022 | Level: Community CollegeTo gain an understanding of American Indian and Ancient North Carolinians prior to the great changes wrought by the arrival of European settlers, students will begin by studying archaeological work done in the state since the 1980s, especially centering on the virtual exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of History entitled North…
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Contemporary American Indian Tribes in North Carolina
Year: 2021-2022 | Level: Community CollegeOverview of Lesson: This lesson focuses on contemporary American Indian tribes in North Carolina to increase awareness of and build an appreciation for the tribes located in North Carolina. Students will select one of the eight state-recognized tribes in North Carolina, research the tribe via a graphic organizer, and then create…
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Does Modern Mean Better? Comparing “Modern” and “Traditional” Economic Models Through the Lens of Long-Term Sustainability
Year: 2023-2024 | Level: 9-12The lesson will be designed to compare the prevailing “Western” free market economic development model, based on competition, consumerism, and resource depletion, to various examples of traditional-Indigenous economic development models which are based on principals of balance, reciprocity, conservation, and resource sustainability. Students will compare examples of Indigenous economies with…
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Environmental Racism and the Tragedy of the Commons
Year: 2021-2022 | Level: 9-12This lesson is designed to engage students with critical thinking regarding the environment, sustainability, and environmental racism and justice. The lesson focuses on an in-depth comparison between the widely accepted Western idea of the Tragedy of the Commons, championed by Garrett Hardin, and the experiences and knowledge of Indigenous peoples….
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Exploring Indigenous Cultures and Creation Stories
Year: 2023-2024 | Level: K-5Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of Indigenous cultures by exploring a variety of creation stories. They will recognize the diversity and significance of these narratives and how they reflect cultural identity. It is important that students understand that all creation stories should be respected as an important aspect…
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