Browse lesson plans

Archaeobotany

In Intrigue of the Past, page 2.6

Students will use pictures of seeds, an activity sheet, and a graph to identify seven seeds and the conditions in which they grow. They will also infer ancient plant use by interpreting archaeobotanical samples and determine changing plant use by Native North Carolinians by interpreting a graph of seed frequency over time.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 and 8 Science and Social Studies)

The case of the disappearing pitcher plants

This lesson addresses the cause and effect relationship between human interaction and a North Carolina endangered plant species. A role-playing scenario allows students to view the situation from a variety of positions and to collectively arrive at a solution to the problem.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Science)

By Eddie Hamblin.

Development and flooding: Is there a connection?

In this lesson, students will take their knowledge about the hydrosphere and apply it to the issue of population growth and development. In particular, students will learn how increasing development in eastern North Carolina may have worsened the effects of flooding from Hurricane Floyd due to lack of soil and tree absorption of run-off. Students will create their own development plans for North Carolina in small groups, explaining how their plan will benefit North Carolina’s water resources and environment.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Science)

Good medicine

Students will examine changes in technology, medicine, and health that took place in North Carolina between 1870 and 1930 and construct products and ideas which demonstrate understanding of how these changes impacted people living in North Carolina at that time. To achieve these goals, students will employ the eight intelligences of Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies)

By Leslie Ramsey.

Inquiry-based exploration of human impacts on stream ecosystems: The Mud Creek case study

This unit plan for high school earth and environmental science explores the impact of human activity on the health of streams in urban and non-urban settings. Students mimic current scientific research by measuring physical, chemical, and biological indicators of stream health.

Format: (multiple pages)

Introducing students to environmental justice: A North Carolina case study

This lesson plan for science and social studies uses the 5E model to have students consider an environmental justice case study.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–12 Science and Social Studies)

By Dana Haine.

The needs of animals

In this lesson plan first grade students will examine photographs of 4-H club members with animals from North Carolina. They will make observations from the visual material to build an understanding of the needs of animals. They will begin to learn that these needs have remained the same in different times.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Science)

By Pauline S. Johnson.

Pollution plume

The students will simulate a plume to illustrate point source and non-point source pollution.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

By Jennifer Smith.

Pottery traditions

In Intrigue of the Past, page 4.5

Students will learn how Indian people of North Carolina made and used coiled pottery, summarize why archaeologists study pottery, and make and decorate a replica of a North Carolina coiled pot.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 and 8 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Researching the North Carolina coastal plain

This lesson plan will provide students with a more in-depth knowledge of the animals, industry, and land geography of the coastal plain. Students will conduct research on the internet and in other resources to find information on the vital parts of the coastal plain. The lesson culminates with group presentations of their research and a Venn diagram developed individually comparing the outer and inner parts of the coastal plain.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Development, Science, and Social Studies)

By Ana Sanders and Heather Ennis.

Rising tides: Climate change and the sea

This lesson plan uses videos, NASA visualizations, and digital map projections to help students understand the connection between climate change and sea level rise. The lesson draws on the "Climate Refugees" story on the Powering a Nation website, and includes independent research and inquiry activities that allow students to explore sea level changes in North Carolina and around the world.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Science)

By Linda Schmalbeck.

Shells and more

This activity involves identifying objects from the beach using a guide book and then placing the information into a prepared table.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)

By Shelli Luna.

Shifting coastlines

In Intrigue of the Past, page 4.3

In their study of North Carolina's changing coastline during the Paleoindian and Archaic periods, students will determine the positions of the coastline at different times and decide what types of archaeological information has been lost due to rising sea levels.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 and 8 Science and Social Studies)

Stratigraphy and cross-dating

In Intrigue of the Past, page 2.3

Students will use an activity sheet to interpret archaeological strata using the law of superposition and apply cross-dating to determine the age of other artifacts.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

Tree-ring dating

In Intrigue of the Past, page 2.5

In their study of dendrochronology, students use activity sheets and a discussion to apply principles of dendrochronology to determine a tree's age and to recognize climatic variation. They will also analyze and experience how archaeologists can sometimes use tree rings to date archaeological evidence and study past climates.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Science)

Trees of North Carolina

Students complete activities including tree and leaf identification, species comparison, online research, measurement, and creative writing in conjunction with monthly visits to the "Iredell County Outdoor Education Site"

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science)

By Amy Luna and Kathy Beck.

Turtles are terrific

This lesson will engage the students in the study of turtle attributes and their habitats. The lesson will integrate science, math, language arts and computer/technology curriculums.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Science)

Resources on the web

Erosion in the Outer Banks

In this environmental science lesson, students examine different perspectives on erosion in the Outer Banks over the past century by implementing research and map comparisons between Google Earth and early 20th-century coastal maps. This lesson assumes a basic... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Science)

Provided by: UNC Libraries

How are we changing North Carolina?

In this lesson for eighth grade science, students examine soil maps from different periods in North Carolina history, analyze the differences between them, and draw inferences about how North Carolinians have affected their environment. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

Provided by: UNC Libraries