SPARC considers Open Educational Resources (OER) to be "teaching, learning, and research resources released under an open license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others... [this can include] full courses, course materials, lesson plans, open textbooks, learning objects, videos, games, tests, software, or any other tool, material, or technique that supports access to knowledge." The University of Northern Iowa is a member of the Open Education Network which sponsors the Open Textbook Library. These books have been reviewed by faculty from a variety of colleges and universities to assess their quality. They can be downloaded for no cost, or printed at low cost. UNI's Open Educational Resources (OER) collection is featured in the Digital Commons Teaching Commons.
- Geographic Alliance of Iowa Lesson Plans Sub-Collection
- Open Access Books Sub-Collection
- Prairie Roots: Lesson Plans Sub-Collection
- Regents' Center for Early Developmental Education Sub-Collection
- STORM Project Activities Sub-Collection
- Veterans Legacy Program Lesson Plans Sub-Collection
Submissions from 2023
Methods of Teaching Early Literacy, Nandita Gurjar, Sohyun Meacham, and Constance Beecher
Submissions from 2022
Cornerstone: 2022-2023, Nikki Harken and Deb Young
Aural Training and Sight Singing Supplement for Comprehensive Musicianship: A Practical Resource, Randall Harlow, Heather Peyton, Jonathan Schwabe, and Daniel Swilley
Comprehensive Musicianship, A Practical Resource, Randall Harlow, Heather Peyton, Jonathan Schwabe, and Daniel Swilley
Workbook for Comprehensive Musicianship: A Practical Resource, Randall Harlow, Heather Peyton, Jonathan Schwabe, and Daniel Swilley
Submissions from 2017
Battleship Roots, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Incredible Carbon Journey, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Muddy Waters, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Prairie and Culture: Roots That Bind, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Prairie Roadshow, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Root Community, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Root Kerplunk, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Roots - Why So Fine?, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Routes for Infiltration, Tallgrass Prairie Center
School of Roots, Tallgrass Prairie Center
Submissions from 2016
Acts of Courage in World War II: Reviewing World War II through Medal of Honor Stories [Lesson Plan], Thomas G. Connors
America's National Cemeteries: A Resource Guide for College Instructors [Instructional Guide], Thomas G. Connors
Battle Cry of Freedom: Honoring African American Military Service in the Civil War [Lesson Plan], Thomas G. Connors
Diversity and U.S. Forces in World War II: Stories of Courage from Riverside National Cemetery [Lesson Plan], Thomas G. Connors
Eliza Potter's Story: Remembering the Civil War Fallen at Beaufort, SC [Lesson Plan], Thomas G. Connors
Memorial Day: Honoring Service and Sacrifice [Lesson Plan], Thomas G. Connors
Submissions from 2015
Activities for Challenging Gifted Learners by Increasing Complexity in the Common Core, Alyssa McKeone, Lenora Caruso, Kailyn Bettle, Ashley Chase, Bridget Bryson, Jean S. Schneider, and Audrey C. Rule
Invention through Form and Function Analogy, Audrey C. Rule
Creating Cartoons to Promote Leadership Skills and Explore Leadership Qualities, Latisha L. Smith, C. K. Clausen, J. K. Teske, M. Ghayoorrad, P. Gray, Mason Albert Kuhn, Sukainah Subia, Dana L. Atwood-Blaine, and Audrey C. Rule
Submissions from 2014
Teacher-made Tactile Science Materials with Critical and Creative Thinking Activities for Learners Including those with Visual Impairments, J. Teske, P. Gray, C. K. Clausen, Latisha L. Smith, S. A. Alsubia, M. Ghayoorad, Audrey C. Rule, and J. S. Schneider
Submissions from 2012
Field Walk to the Lake Mills Country School, Julie Aamodt
Surviving the Monsoon: Natural Hazards in Bangladesh, Melinda Aeschliman
Native Americans, Leah Allen
Geography of Conflict: Syria, Andrea Aykens
Genocide in Rwanda, Tyler Balow
Transcontinental Railroad, Tyler Balow
GPS Navigation Activity, Carmen Besler, Jayne Meyer, Jodi Russell, and Marlene Weber
Culture in Our Community, Carmen Besler, Tammy Van Cleve, Molly Baumhover, and Amy Steffensmeier
Why Should I Care About Geography?, Amy Bisenuis
Population Numbers, Jon Bliesmer
Cultural Aspects of Spanish Speaking Countries, Robin Bliesmer
Lake Mills O.S.A.E. Land Mark and Business Field Walk, Angie Boehmer
Absolute vs. Relative Location, Anthony Boggs
Farmers and Economic Decision-Making, Anthony Boggs
History of Iowa Farming, Anthony Boggs
Cultural Environment: Native American Peoples in North America, Erin Boydston
Lewis and Clark Timeline, Lynn Brigham
Marshalltown, IA Landmarks Past and Present, Jill Brockman
A Snapshot of Icelandic Culture, Jennifer Broders
The Irish Immigrant Experience and the Potato Famine: Ireland, 1845-49, Jennifer Broders
Living in a Lungi, Dawn Brown
Comparative Economic Systems and Per Capita GDP, Darrell Burmeister
Intro to Longitude and Latitude, Connie Burns
Using the Five Themes to Understand the Settlement of the West, Ray Carlson
Cultural Variations through Gestures, Erin Coffey
Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases in the United States, Erin Coffey and Bev Alderson
Rivers and Westward Expansion, Kelly Coleman
How Humans are Creating Desertification in Africa, Casey Conover
Economic Development, Natasha Cooper
How Do Your School Rules Compare?, Natasha Cooper
India's Nobel Laureates Research Lesson, Natasha Cooper
Nigerian Women as Traders, Natasha Cooper
Tin Mining on the Jos Plateau, Natasha Cooper
Traditional Musical Instruments, Natasha Cooper
Comparing Three World Heritages: the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall, and the Statue of Liberty, Natasha Cooper and Kathy Sundstedt
Using Google Earth to Track Carnegie Steel from U.S. History, Tim Curnutte
Google Sketch Monumental Structures Project, Ryan Dalton
Crossing the Border in a Day: Over and Back, Kim Daughetee
Street Treasures: Abandoned Dogs in Chile, Kim Daughetee
Teaching the Five Themes of Geography: One Grain of Rice at a Time, Kim Daughetee
Comparing and Contrasting Water in the United States and Nigeria, Kim Daughetee and Anne Hoeper
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Kelly Davidson
Compare and Contrast: India, Iowa, and the USA, Kelly Davidson
Comparing India and China's Population with Pasta, Kelly Davidson
Monsoons: A Key to Understanding India, Kelly Davidson
People in India, Kelly Davidson
Rice: It Feeds the World, Kelly Davidson
Speaking Through Clothing, Kelly Davidson
Homeless Bird, Kelly Davidson and Natasha Cooper
Conflict Minerals in the Congo, Patrick Davis
Around the World in Five Days, Monte DeArmoun
Siege Mentality: Current and Past Conflicts, Dave DenHartog
Weather-related Phenomenon of Iowa, Elizabeth Dexter
What Causes a Genocide?, Jesse Dowell
What Makes a Healthy (or Unhealthy) Nation?, Jesse Dowell
The Thirteen Colonies, Mike Dugger
United States Landforms, Lara Earnest
Introduction to Egypt, Hank Easterling
Bosnia: Then and Now, Barry Eberhard
European Comparisons, Barry Eberhard
Learn the Five Themes of Geography, Barry Eberhard
Where Does it Come From?, Barry Eberhard
Gandhi's Story, Mary Sue Ellinger
Global Water Crisis Awareness, Krista Elmquist
Economics of Agriculture, Mark Felderman
Geography Agriculture Photo Essay, Mark Felderman
West Creek Development OSAE, Jeff Firsching
Climate Regions, Jeff Firsching Lawton-Bronson
Redistricting Congressional District Based on Census Data, Dan Flaherty and Bill Josund
Let the River Run, Catharine Freeman
Introduction to the Five Themes of Geography, Mike Garnica
An Immigration Debate, Geographic Alliance of Iowa
Bangladesh through the Alphabet, Geographic Alliance of Iowa
Body Art, Geographic Alliance of Iowa
I'll Trade You Dollars for Taka, Geographic Alliance of Iowa
