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Rock Art
Fourth graders examine and interpret rock art to illustrate its importance in the cultural heritage of a people and as a tool for learning about the past. They create their own rock art that is a symbol of their culture.
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Talking Rocks
Artists imitate the symbols used by tribes of the Southwest or use their own word pictures that communicate something about themselves. This lesson is a perfect blend of visual art and social studies. Students create a beautiful piece of...
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Pieces of the Past
Seventh graders compare and contrast the way of life of Native Americans in Texas and around the country. As a class, they brainstorm about the uses of pottery today and use broken pieces of pottery to create an artifact. In groups,...
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In the Future we will all be Mixed Bloods and Mestizoes
Students examine the concept of origin and ethnicity. In this ethnic studies instructional activity, students engage in a variety of interdisciplinary activities including posters, and discussions to better understand our past and future.
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Exploring & Creating Mythology
Students read and compare mythological stories from ancient cultures from around the world. In small groups they read a myth and present the storyline and themes to the class, and write an original mythological story of their own...
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The Art of the Quilt
Students examine why fabric was first sewn in layers and how it was used. They identify, compare and make 3 different fabric design types which will become a basis for looking at the quilts created by African Americans. They begin the...
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The John Travolta Syndrome
Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. In this popular culture lesson, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history as well....
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The Buffalo Jump
Eighth graders investigate the disappearance of buffalo. They conduct research into the uses of buffalo by the Native Americans. There are resource links included in this activity. They answer specific questions to help guide the...
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Burial Practices and Memorials
Young scholars compare and contrast burial practices in ancient Egypt, the former Soviet Union, and the United States.
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China's Ethnic Minorities
Third graders are introduced to various Chinese ethnic groups. They consider how geography affects ethnic groups and examine artifacts produced by Chinese peoples. They prepare a presentation of their research and artifact interpretation.
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The Old North Trail
Students engage in a lesson plan to find information about the old trails of North America that were used by Native Americans. Specifically, they conduct research to find the history of The Old North Trail. The teacher shares several...
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Mudras and Sign Language
Students compare the languages of the ancient Japanese people and the American deaf community, two cultures that utilize hand signs in this lesson for the early elementary classroom.
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Anasazi Basket Weaving: 0-500 A.D.
Sixth graders study Period 1- Basket Maker 0-500 A.D. of Anasazi Culture. They identify the sequence of history in Anasazi Culture and Indians of the Mesa Verde. They discover American Indian contributions to the world and develop...
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Anasazi Pueblo Period: 700-1050 A.D.
Sixth graders study Period 3-Developmental Pueblo 700-1050 A.D., of Anasazi culture. They identify the sequence of history in Colorado and recognize American Indian Contributions to the world. They study Indians of the Mesa Verde and...
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Inventions over Time
Sixth graders examine inventions, such as spear points and bows and arrows, and discuss their importance in human cultural development. They compare these early inventions with modern ones and determine the impact of science and...
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The Role of Monuments And Memorials
Students investigate the use of monuments and memorials in various cultures in this three day Language Arts or Social Studies lesson. Emphasis is placed on in-class discussions, research, and individual creative projects.
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Anne Frank: Make-up Of America
Students study early civilizations and their contributions to the foundations of human culture. They examine the important role of different cultures in America and describe two classic metaphors frequently employed American society:...
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Location of Cities 201
Students work in pairs to locate the ancient cities on a world atlas using the longitude and latitude measurements. They examine the physical and human futures that explain their locations.
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Trekking to Timbuktu
Students view a television show to provide a context for conducting research into the location and culture of Timbuktu. The students complete a report on the subject in the form of a research paper.
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Inference By Analogy
Students infer the use or meaning of items recovered from a North Carolina Native American site based on 17th-century European settlers' accounts and illustration.
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Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Natural Dyes
Second graders explore the work of Americans when it came to coloring materials. In this interdisciplinary lesson, 2nd graders follow the provided steps to make natural goldenrod dye from scratch.
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Honoring Leaders
Students design and compare monuments that honor an imaginary Roman emperor and a future American president. They explain how the monuments reflect the attributes of the person being honored.
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Linking the Past with the Present
Fifth graders explore how Africans built South Carolina into an economic giant. They write an expository paper explaining how Africans and their descendants built the rice empire along the Carolina coastline. They write a persuasive...
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God Fights Back
Students view a television program tracing religious fundamentalism in Iran and the United States. They participate in a discussion exploring the similarities of fundamentalism in different religions and cultures and outline the goals...