Learners explore shipping through song lyrics. They delve into the world of water transportation as they analyze the lyrics from the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Plenty of web resource links and background information are...

Actual ship diagrams and a table of voyage data gives young historians an authentic glimpse of on-board experiences during the Atlantic Slave Trade. The class examines a projected diagram of the slave ship Brooks, recording thoughts....

Discover the meaning of Columbus Day and/or Thanksgiving by creating art from food. This activity focuses on making edible ships using easy to find food items. The class will investigate the journeys that were taken for either of these...

Taconite is a rock that is used as a source of iron. Earth science explorers examine a piece up-close and discuss whether they think it is more cost effective to ship it by boat or by truck. They write letters to their state...

The Clotilde was the last known ship to bring slaves from Africa to the United States - good riddance! Dive into the details of the ship, its cargo, origin, and route, and learn about the future of the Africans on board...

Fifth graders create multi-media newscasts based on their knowledge of Civil War battles of the ironclad ships.

Learners examine a fresnel lens and compare it to simple concave and convex lenses. They measure its focal length and then discuss why this type of lens is useful in a lighthouse system. That is about all there is to this instructional...

Students examine the development of ship technology and maritime transportation. They define key vocabulary terms, read and discuss handouts, and construct a wooden ship model.

In this ships activity, students review and discuss eighteen key terms associated with ships and circle each one in a word search puzzle.

An online animation demonstrates how the lock system between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan works. Pupils then construct their own models of the lock system out of shoe boxes that they bring from home. This is an educational activity...

Students, after listening to a selection of Gulliver's Travels, complete a worksheet about basic terms associated with boats, ships, and sailing. They create flag after researching semaphore flagging systems.

Students track movements of ships, tugboats, and barges on the Hudson River estuary in order to practice addition and subtraction skills. They solve word problems by reading and interpreting data from a table. They calculate distances...

In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze the chart of voyages for the slave ship Brookes. Students respond to 2 short answer questions based on the information in the chart.

Middle schoolers describe the evolution of the warfare of ships throughout history. They work cooperatively to acquire information on power, maneuverability, weapons and crew responsibilities. Students brainstorm the ways each of the...

In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze the diagram of regulated slave trade cargo. Students respond to 2 short answer questions about the diagram.

When studying the slave trade in early American and world history, use this document to expose your learners to the abhorrent conditions that existed on slave ships. Read through two first-person accounts of the enslavement process,...

Use the power of primary sources to help young historians understand the conditions Africans endured while being shipped during the slave trade. After reading an excerpt from Eyewitness Accounts of Slavery in the Danish West Indies,...

Students research the importance of naval development in history. The unit includes hands-on activities such as the creation of timelines, powerpoints, and use webquests. Students examine famous ships and naval leaders.

Students explore the history of clipper ships and about the historical time frame surrounding the origin of clipper ships. They read historical accounts of voyages and write letters describing the conditions of Mary Patten's voyage.

Students investigate the trip Christopher Columbus took to the new world.  In this U.S. History lesson, students create a fictional ship from cardboard and construction paper simulating the ship Columbus used to get to the New...

Young scholars explore the age of sailing in the colonies through role-playing. In groups, they play the role of a business owner, shipbuilder and geographer to complete specific tasks. They participate in an old World trade show to...

Based on an examination of Florida's railroad system, this multi-step lesson addresses FCAT requirements specific to Florida. After reading a passage, scholars use a map of the state to label railroad systems. They describe the goods...

Young historians discover the experiences of runaway slaves after reading the brief biography and narrative excerpt of Henry "Box" Brown, who escaped slavery by having himself shipped away in a crate and popularized his...

Young scholars access a website that show portraits of the Tall Ships of Atlantic Canada. They talk about what it might feel like to be on one of the sailing ships in stormy seas. They write diary entries while role playing that they are...