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Lesson Plans for Grades 6-8

This lesson was created by Rob Van't Land (Boyden-Hull Community School District) for seventh grade students. Throughout this lesson plan, students will better understand the community they live in.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. This lesson plan allows students to gain understanding about India visually.

This lesson plan was created by Jennifer Broders (Pleasant Valley CSD) for students in 6-8 grade. In this lesson plan, students will apply what they have learned about culture in other parts of the world, specifically their own culture, and compare it to that of Iceland. 

This lesson was created by Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. Students will learn to compare their home climate to Indian climates.

This lesson plan was created by Whitney Ott-Zuzich (Jesup Middle School) for students in 6th grade. This lesson plan is a review for students about the ancient civilizations they learned about in class throughout the year. Students will use Google Earth to create a tour route of all the civilizations, and then create a postcard from one of the locations. 

This lesson was created by Monte DeArmoun (Northwood-Kensett Community School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. As they complete this lesson plan, students will learn the ways of the world.

This lesson plan was created by Carrie Pope (Council Bluffs CSD) for students in the 6th grade. In this lesson plan, students will use Google Maps, latitude, and longitude to gain an understanding of artists around the world. 

This lesson plan was created by Debralee Lithimane (Wilson Middle School, Council Bluffs CSD) for students in 6th-8th grade. In this lesson plan, students will complete an Around the World Scavenger Hunt, and discuss artworks that project a larger idea about the universal nature of art and its connections around the world. 

This lesson was created by Erin Nennig (Des Moines School District) for seventh grade students. This lesson plan allows students to know how to use different kinds of maps for different purposes.

This lesson was created for students from seventh grade and up. It was designed for students to learn about difficulties in Bangladesh by using the alphabet.

This lesson was created by Barry Eberhard (Wapsie Valley Community School District) for seventh grade students. During this lesson plan, students will gain a better understanding of the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia as it took place in the 1990s.

This lesson plan was created by Susan Reed (Glenwood Middle School, Glenwood CSD) for students in the 8th grade. In this lesson plan, students will use technology, reading, writing, and geography to locate a cache and make a map to help others find that cache. 

This lesson was created by Jeff Firsching (Lawton-Bronson School District) for seventh grade students. During this lesson plan, students will use and interpret climate graphs.

This lesson plan created by Dawn Shattuck (Northeast Iowa Community College) is for students from seventh to tenth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn how currency affects life in Chile and how it compares to the United States.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. Throughout the lesson plan, students will use facts to compare India, Iowa, and the U.S.

This lesson was created by Kim Daughetee (Dubuque School District) and Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from fifth to seventh grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will learn about the natural resources available in different parts of the world.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will visualize the differences in the two populations and how the countries each handle their population problems.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. During this lesson plan, students will understand how certain aspects of a country affects the growth of a population.

This lesson was created by Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will use the proverbs to understand how words and meanings differ due to their place of origin and time period.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will understand how conflict and cooperation among people influence the division and control of Nigeria.

This lesson plan was created by Sarah Lerdal (Mid-Prairie Community School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, the students will gain an in-depth understanding of culture.

This lesson was created by Roy Liljegren (Davenport School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will learn to recognize particular aspects of agriculture.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. This lesson plan will teach students about the characteristics and spatial distribution of desertification in Africa and specifically Nigeria.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from fourth grade and up. This lesson plan will teach students to understand how diversity and one's own experiences can affect decision making.

This lesson plan was created Sarah Lerdal (Mid-Prairie Community School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will gain an understanding of what diffusion and reformulation is and how they apply to culture.

This lesson was created by Mark Felderman (Chariton School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson, students will be able to identify and explain the factors that cause shifts in agriculture's supply and demand.

This lesson was created by Andy Harter (Riceville School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will understand the causes and effects of erosion on the soil.

European Comparisons, a lesson created by Barry Eberhard of Wapsie Valley for seventh graders, uses the website Gapminder as a tool to compare different countries in Europe to the United States. Students will first learn key differences together, then will research other differences on their own to argue and support with data to the rest of the class during a discussion. 

This lesson was created by Sara Mangrich (Davenport School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. This lesson plan allows students to learn about the different countries of Europe and Eurasia.

This lesson was created by George Kuhter (South Tama Community School District) for students from sixth to twelfth grade but can be easily adapted to all ages. Throughout the lesson plan, students will reinforce their knowledge of the five themes of geography by using examples found in India.

Created for seventh grade students by Danny Kirst, Five Themes with TravelByDrone.com asks students to travel the world in context of the five themes of goegraphy. Using unique and current forms of technology, students will receive a birds eye view any place across the world through which they will glean information to share with their classmates. 

This lesson plan was created by Jessi Vickers (Bunger Middle School, Waterloo CSD) for students in 6th-8th grade. In this lesson plan, students will demonstrate how to use GPS and compasses correctly to find various hidden "treasures" and then work together as a class to create a multimedia mural with their found treasures. 

This lesson was created by Mary Sue Ellinger for students from fourth to seventh grade. This lesson allows students to understand some basis of India's culture, specifically how Gandhi's story impacted India.

This lesson was created by Mark Felderman (Chariton School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will use the creativity of photography to show understanding of the five themes of geography.

This lesson was created by Bob Gilbertson (Marshalltown School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will be able to describe the Great Wall in their own words through an informational essay. this lesson plan was supported  by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC) and a Library of Congress 'Teaching With Primary Sources' grant.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. In this lesson plan, students will compare and contrast past and present life on Iowa farms.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District), Natasha Cooper (Southeast Warren School District), and Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. During this lesson plan, students will become aware of similarities and differences in the lives of teens living in the United States and Nigeria.

This lesson plan was created by Scott Severson (Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School) for students in the 8th grade. In this lesson plan, students will learn about the properties of mixtures (physical changes), and then apply that knowledge to think critically about the economics and environmental responsibility of a factory in a community. 

This lesson was created by Krista Elmquist (Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto School District) for seventh grade students. As a result of this lesson plan, students will develop awareness of global water crisis and explore major water, health, and sanitation issues.

This lesson was created by Meagan McCoy (Central Lee School District) for eighth grade students. This lesson plan allows students to understand that the Columbian Exchange is an example of globalization and it greatly changed the entire world.

This lesson was created by Kathy Sunstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from fifth to twelfth grade. This lesson plan allows students to utilize and understand its connection with culture.

This lesson was created by Natasha Cooper (Southeast Warren School District) and Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will use literature to learn about geography.

This lesson was created by Natasha Cooper (Southeast Warren School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. This lesson plan allows students to understand the differences in educational rules and structure when comparing Nigeria with the United States.

This lesson was created for students from seventh to tenth grade and was designed for students to become familiar with currencies of different countries.

This lesson was created by George Kuhter (South Tama County Community School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. This lesson plan allows students to understand India and gain knowledge to compare it to the United States.

This lesson was created by Mike Garnica for sixth grade students. In this lesson plan, students will understand and be able to give examples of the five themes of geography and will be able to apply the themes to the ancient civilizations they will be learning about throughout the school year.

This lesson was created Dennis Smeltzer, Pat Brown, and Carmen Nimmo (Waterloo School District) for seventh grade students. During this lesson plan, students will understand the impact of World War II on Iowa and farming.

This lesson was created by Barry Eberhard (Wapsie Valley School District) for seventh grade students. During this lesson plan, students will identify and learn the five themes of geography.

This lesson was created by Dawn Brown (Geographic Alliance of Iowa) for students from fifth to twelfth grade. This lesson plan allows students to identify firsthand traditional Bangladeshi male attire.

This lesson was created by Tami Huegel (Forest City School District) for students from sixth to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn the different types of maps, how to create them, and how to use them to think critically about the population problem in India.

This lesson was created by Janet Wills (Southeast Webster-Grand Community Schools) for seventh grade students. This lesson plan allows students to learn to use Google Earth and understand the distance the Crusaders traveled.

This lesson was created by Beth Miller (Davenport Community School District) for students from fourth to eighth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will understand how locating countries in the news provides a context for studying current events and for seeing the earth as an integrated system of regions.

This lesson was created for students from seventh to twelfth grade and was designed for students to learn about migration and the reasons why it occurs.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will see the overriding significance of the monsoon and the impact of the rains upon all facets of life in South Asia, particularly India.

This lesson was created by Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will learn about the natural disaster of a monsoon in an interactive way.

This lesson was created by Amy Morgan (Harmony High School) for students from fifth to twelfth grade but can be easily adapted to grades 1-4. As they complete this lesson plan, students will make a personal connection to the five themes of geography.

This lesson was created by Jan Hill, Anne Hoeper, and Lori Stephens (Davenport Community School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. This lesson plan allows students to understand the Earth's daily and seasonal cycles and how latitude, longitude, and photoperiod can help locate places on Earth.

This lesson was created by Jane Watson (Starmont Schools) for students from fourth to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn about Bangladesh lifestyles.

This lesson was created by George Kuhter (South Tama Community School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn how to identify a region and its characteristics.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from seventh to tenth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will learn to generate mental maps and analyze them.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from fifth to eighth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will understand Nigerian culture through literature, particularly folktales.

This lesson was created by Aaron Shields for students from seventh to tenth grade. During this lesson plan, students will compare the ability to purchase a car in Nigeria compared to in the United States.

This lesson was created by Natasha Cooper (Southeast Warren School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will gain perspective about women's lifestyle in Nigeria by participating in a simulation.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will learn about culture through photographs.

This lesson was created by Erin Nennig and Ileana Gonzalez (Des Moines Schools) for students from sixth to eighth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will learn about the religious side of Chilean culture.

This lesson was created by Andrea Liljegren for students from fourth to seventh grade. During this lesson plan, students will demonstrate their knowledge of geographic themes and local agriculture.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. This lesson plan allows students to understand the lives of those in India and to compare them to ones in the United States.

This lesson was created by Noel Hansen and Allison Hendrickson (Davenport School District) for seventh grade students. Throughout this lesson plan, students will learn about Africa and why people move from place to place. It focuses on three movement terms: internal displaced person, refugee, and migrant.

This lesson was created by Jane Watson (Starmont Schools) for students from kindergarten to sixth grade. This lesson plan allows students to identify environmental issues and how they compare in different countries.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will identify components of population and how geography and resources affects where populations exist.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. Through this lesson plan, students will become aware of population growth in India compared to the United States.

This lesson was created by Dr. Kay Weller (University of Northern Iowa) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn how population is effected by natural resources and how it affects those natural resources.

This lesson was created by Dawn Shattuck (Northeast Iowa Community College) and Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will use map-reading skills to learn about geographic aspects of Chile.

This lesson was created by Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) and Dawn Brown (Geographic Alliance of Iowa) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will use their map-reading skills to learn about the geographic characteristics of Bangladesh.

This lesson was created for students from seventh to twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will use the five themes of geography to understand the characteristics of the four regions of Chile.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will learn about how nature influences the opportunities a country has.

This lesson was created by Tami McInroy (Forest City School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will learn how to ride the metro and get from place to place.

This lesson was created by Aileen Meyer for seventh grade students. Throughout this lesson plan, students will be able to identify the rivers of Europe and their effects on the world.

This lesson was created by Erin Coffey and Bev Alderson (Mount Pleasant Community School District) for students from seventh and twelfth grade. During this lesson plan, students will be able to visually compare Iowa's rate of STI's and STD's with the rest of the United States.

This lesson was created by Kelly Davidson for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will understand how clothing is a form of expression and communication.

This lesson was created by Kim Daughetee (Dubuque Community School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will understand the various implications and impacts of stray animals in their communities as well as other communities, and the need for responsible pet ownership.

This lesson plan was created by Amy Jones (Sigourney CSD) for students in sixth grade and was supported by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC). By completing this lesson plan, students will understand the concept of colonialism by comparing and contrasting America with Africa's colonial rule, and also discover how this often contributes to contemporary conflict by igniting cultural differences. 

This lesson was created by Melinda Aeschliman (Saydel Schools) for eighth grade students. Through this lesson plan, students will be able to compare features of Bangladesh with Iowa features.

This lesson was created by Kim Daughetee (Dubuque Community School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. Throughout the lesson plan, students will apply the concepts of the five themes of geography to an activity designed to donate rice to an area in the world to help feed the hungry.

This lesson was created by Rebecca Menard for eighth grade students. This lesson plan allows students to understand the five themes of geography and to apply them to researching the original 13 colonies.

This lesson was created by Joan Lehman for sixth grade students. Throughout this lesson plan, students will become aware of the positive and negative impact of Hispanic migration to Hispanics and to Iowa.

The Immigration Tango, created by Gary Larsson from Newton, asks eighth grade students to take a look into their past. After learning about movement and the impacts of immigration, students will look into the migration of their own families.

This lesson was created by Jennifer Broders for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will understand how the potato blight had an impact on the population of Ireland and affected immigration.

This lesson was created by Gloria Schmitz (Mount Pleasant Community School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. As a result of the lesson plan, students will understand the location theme of geography.

This lesson plan was created by Angela Groene (North Scott CSD) for students in 6th to 8th grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will understand how Africa, after years of genocide, oppression, and poverty, is emerging as a global competitor in the world market. 

This lesson plan was created by Lisa Senne (West Delaware CSD) for students in the 6th grade. By completing this lesson plan, students will gain a better understanding of the value of the Silk Road and its contributions to early international trade. 

This lesson was created by Erin Nennig (Des Moines Schools) for students from seventh to eighth grade. Throughout this lesson plan, students will learn about the religious aspects of Chile.

This lesson was created by Natasha Cooper (Southeast Warren School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will understand the history and importance of tin mining on the Jos Plateau.

This lesson was created for students from seventh to twelfth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will understand how people adapt to where they live and what resources are available to them.

This lesson was created by Natasha Cooper (Southeast Warren School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will gain knowledge of Nigerian culture through its music.

This lesson was created by Dan Walsh (Cedar Rapids School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. During this lesson plan, students will understand some of the frustrations and problems of traffic in Nigeria.

This lesson was created by Kathy Sundstedt (Dike-New Hartford School District) for students from seventh to tenth grade. As a result of this lesson plan, students will compare Yoruba and United States values through proverbs.

This lesson was created by Sarah Lerdal (Mid-Prairie School District) for students from seventh to twelfth grade. This lesson plan will allow students to understand how to use statistical information.

This lesson was created by Ray Carlson (Tripoli School District) for seventh grade students. This lesson plan allows students to gain knowledge about the settlement of the West and how aspects of geography played in a role in the journey.

In this lesson created by K. Schmidt and A. Garman of Clear Lake Middle School, seventh grade students travel back in time as if they were going on vacation to Mesopotamia. Students will learn about the geography and the everyday life of a citizen in Mesopotamia, before sending a postacard from their "vacation" about what they have learned. 

Created by Rachel Hansen of Muscatine, Well Bust My Buttons gives students from grade seven to grade twelve the opportunity to learn about the unique button factory industry of Muscatine, Iowa. Through this lesson students will learn about site and situation of facotires in Muscatanie before applying these ideas to other facotires around the world. 

This lesson plan was created by Jeff Firsching (Lawton-Bronson Jr./Sr. High School) for students in the 7th grade. In this lesson plan, studens will observe, speculate, analyze, and evaluate information regarding the transformation of the West Creek development area from farm fields in 2007, to a housing development of almost 2 dozen homes in 2013.

This lesson was created by Bob Gilbertson (Marshalltown School District) for students from seventh to eighth grade. Students during this lesson plan will analyze images and compare and contrast the countries of Nepal and Egypt. this lesson plan was supported  by the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC) and a Library of Congress 'Teaching With Primary Sources' grant.

This lesson was created by Jennifer Krieger-Coen for English Language Learning students from eighth to ninth grade. In this lesson plan, students will be able to identify the exports of their native country and why the U.S. needs/wants these imports.

This lesson was created by Anne Hoeper (Davenport School District) for students from sixth to eighth grade. During this lesson plan, students will learn that in the Yoruba community the name given to a child is chosen for its meaning and can influence the child's behavior.

This lesson was created by Carri Sawyer (Davenport Community School District) for sixth grade students. In this lesson plan, students will be able to locate a destination given the latitude and longitude.

This lesson, created by Sam Hallberg of Wapello Junior High, encourages seventh students to take a deeper look into clothing manufacturing across time. Students will begin by exploring garment manufacturing in the United States, but will then move to researching garment manufacturing practices in another country of their choosing for a final paper and presentation. 

This lesson was created by Erin Nennig (Des Moines Schools) for students from eighth to twelfth grade. This lesson plan allows students to understand immigration.

This lesson was created by Amy Bisenius (Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto School District) for seventh grade students. This lesson plan allows students to become aware of how geography affects them daily.

This lesson was created by Julia Swallow for students from fifth to seventh grade. During this lesson plan, studnets will analyze data on countries to compare the hunger needs and their causes in order to discuss causes involved with other students and debate possible solutions.