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Nasco Color Sculpt Mask Making
Students study the various masks made in African, Japanese, and Ancient Egyptian cultures and discuss the funtion of these masks in each society. They create a mask from one of these cultures using a molding technique.
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Language Arts: Conversing with an Object
Young scholars sharpen their creative writing skills by writing dialogues with unfamiliar objects while visiting local museums. They select an object in the museum, such as a painting, and create conversations between the people or...
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Paper Sculpture Headdress
Students examine African masks and headdresses, and create their own.
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African Mask Design
Fifth graders design and create an African mask using black paper and oil pastels.
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Clay Magic Pots
Fifth graders create clay artwork that resembles African and Egyptian monolithic sculptures. In this visual arts lesson, 5th graders are shown examples of monolithic and figural sculpture from Egyptian and African cultures, then they...
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African Safari
Sixth graders gain an appreciation for the different cultures that inhabit the Earth by focusing on the people of Africa
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Doll Making
Students discuss folktales and read Tiger and The Big Wind, listening for animal characters for later discussion. In this language arts lesson plan, students complete a T chart on characters and make a doll for one either chosen or...
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Bamana Chi Wara Headdresses
Students create African headdresses out of styrofoam blocks and black paint using information gathered from the Bamana Chi Wara style of headdresses. This Art lesson can be adapted for many different levels.
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Baga Drum
Students draw and design a musical instrument that incorporates a human figure or animal. In this musical lesson plan, students will discover the differences between African drums. This lesson plan is designed for elementary, middle,...
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African Masks
Fourth graders create three-dimensional paper African masks. They analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of Africa. they discover that masks were worn for various ceremonies.
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What Masks Reveal
Students explore the cultural significance of masks by investigating the role they play in ceremonies and on special occasions in societies from widely separated regions of the world.
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Granary Door Dogon, Mali
Learners explore a creation myth. In this visual arts instructional activity, students discuss the Dogon creation myth and the design and make refrigerator magnets in the style of Dogan granary doors. The design of the magnets should...
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Using West African Gold Weights and African Masks as a Way of Communication
Eighth graders discuss how communication, or lack thereof, can have either a favorable or detrimental effect on a community. They study and interpret proverbs as a means of teaching a lesson. Finally they discuss symbolism and design a...
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Celebrating Ancestors
Students participate in a "hands-on" activity, to explain that African masks were and are more than aesthetic artifacts, they are functional implements of the many cultures of the African continent.
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Teacher Lesson Plans: Africa
Students explore Africa. In this cultural studies activity, students go on safari, create African masks, or have an African party after they have researched the people, geography, and culture of the continent.
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Climate and Cultures of Africa
Students gain an understanding of the relationship between climate and culture in the sub- Saharan Africa. Students will complete short exercises pertaining to the various cultures of Africa and the climate in which they live....
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Facial Tattoos or Face Painting
Learners use a grid-like method to create a life-size self-portrait from a 3X5 black and white photo. They explore the different customs and rituals surrounding face painting from ancient through modern civilizations. Students create a...
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Artist Unknown
Students examine how Lennie Gardner's process of discovery about his bronze mask parallels a personal discovery process. They receive an introduction to the art, history, and religion of Benin
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Impact on Your Essence
Learners are introduced to the use of symbolism and how it can change one's view of a piece of art. Using a piece of art, they view it as if they were the artist and create a symbol that accompanies it. They discuss the impact of two-...
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Food and Languages of the World
Students engage in creative bead making while discussing Africa. In this diversity and arts lesson plan, students create African necklaces while being introduced to the African culture.
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Two American Entreprenuers: Madam C.J. Walker and J.C. Penny
High schoolers identify the attributes that helped Walker and Penney to succeed as entrepreneurs. They compare and contrast Walker and Penney for similarities and differences in backgrounds and business methods.
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Cultural Creation Myths
Young scholars analyze various cultural creation myths, write essays on three different societal stories, and create a play based upon one of those stories in this cross-curricular Theatre project for High School students. Cooperative...
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Conversing with an Object
Students analyze museum artifacts and create conversations between these inanimate objects using prior historical knowledge. In this museum artifact lesson plan, students create theoretical dialogue between historical artifacts in order...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Teacher Tools: African Arts and Music Lesson Plans
Explore the world of African Art and Music when you check out this lesson plan. This site features learning objectives, activities and more.