Updated October 2014
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National Geographic Education: Activities -- 9-12

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Videos, lessons, and resources to help show students the world

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • Social Studies
Skills
N/A
Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.
6–12
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Price:  Free
Platforms:  Website

Take a look inside

4 images
Each activity overview outlines the basics.
Toggle to Educators view for more than 100 activities.
An overview page has detailed information about the available resources.
Detailed directions give teachers clear steps for classroom use.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

National Geographic Education has plenty of grade 9-12 activities, but it's important to know that the range of themes covered is somewhat limited: Most content is related to the environment, sustainability, and early explorers. Nevertheless, there's enough overlap to offer a deep dive into each theme. For best search results, use the Educators view, rather than those for Families or Students.

These activities vary in depth and detail, but the best ones feature images, videos, worksheets, and detailed lesson plans and class discussion notes. If an interesting lesson is less detailed than you'd like, use the site's tag cloud and menu tools to explore related content on the site, as well as from a variety of the site's partners. As you search, keep in mind that many activities are listed for grades 6 through 12 -- be sure to look closely to pick the most age-appropriate activities for your students.

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Standards:

Key Standards Supported

Reading History/Social Studies

  • RH.9-10.7

    Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital text.

  • RH.9-10.2

    Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.

  • RH.11-12.7

    Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

  • RH.11-12.2

    Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

Reading Science/Technical

  • RST.9-10.7

    Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.

  • RST.9-10.9

    Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.

  • RST.9-10.1

    Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.

  • RST.9-10.2

    Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.

  • RST.11-12.7

    Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

  • RST.11-12.9

    Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

  • RST.11-12.1

    Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

  • RST.11-12.2

    Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.

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Key Standards Supported

Earth and Human Activity

  • HS-ESS3-2

    Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.

  • HS-ESS3-4

    Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

  • HS-ESS3-5

    Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

  • HS-ESS3-6

    Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

Earth’s Systems

  • HS-ESS2-2

    Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.

  • HS-ESS2-4

    Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth's systems result in changes in climate.

  • HS-ESS2-6

    Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

  • HS-LS2-7

    Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Energy

  • HS-PS3-3

    Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

  • HS-PS3-5

    Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

Engineering Design

  • HS-ETS1-1

    Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.

  • HS-ETS1-3

    Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions

  • HS-PS2-5

    Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.

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Teacher Reviews

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Featured review by
Cameron M. , Technology coordinator
Technology coordinator
From Detailed Science and Social Studies Lessons to Interactive Mapping - You could spend some time on this site
The information on the site seems to be organized well and provided good quality links and materials. There are activities for all grade levels and clear instructions for using them. A teacher would need to spend some time becoming familiar with any lesson before attempting with the class. The ones I previewed had downloads, links, interactive activities and videos and long detailed instructions. It would be best to make sure everything worked with the technology in the classroom before assigning ...
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