Curated OER
Modern Minstrelsy: Exploring Racist Stereotypes in Literature and Life
Satires may be designed to expose a bias to ridicule but if misunderstood can they reinforce that bias? Langston Hughes poem, “Minstrel Man” opens a discussion of racist stereotypes, the minstrel tradition, and the musical, “The...
PBS
Using Primary Sources: The Rogue's Gallery
What would be in your life's scrapbook? Scholars use short video clips, primary and secondary documents, and photos to investigate a 1909 scrapbook. They analyze and uncover what the Rogue Book tells them about the past in Western...
Sargent Art
Picasso and Beyond!
After reviewing the life and art of Pablo Picasso, learners set out to create abstract, cubist, relief portraits. They'll draw, color, paint, and cut out portraits just like the ones Picasso created. The lesson is extremely well written...
PBS
Myth of the West: The Battle of the Washita
Go West, young man! Scholars use PBS video clips, slide shows, and interactive materials to create a picture of Manifest Destiny in the American West. Using a variety of primary and secondary sources, young historians learn about the...
Curated OER
Punctuation Game
Students identify and use hyphens, dashes, and semicolons. Using teacher created cards, they correct sentences written on the board by the instructor.
NASA
Photons in the Radiative Zone: Which Way Is Out? An A-Maz-ing Model
Can you move like a photon? Young scholars use a maze to reproduce the straight line motion of a photon. The second in a six-part series of lessons on the sun has learners measure angle of incidence and refraction to determine the path...
Curated OER
Sunset Pictures
Sunsets and shadows are lovely subjects for creative projects. Kids take a good look at images of sunsets, then use paint and construction paper to create a silhouetted sunset image. Tip: This project is a great way to illustrate a poem...
Sargent Art
Metal Embossing Weathervanes
Metal work has been used for hundreds of years. Ninth graders get a chance to experience the artistry of metal embossing in this highly structured lesson. Each step is accented with a helpful image and related instruction. The end...
Curated OER
Greek Story Vases
There are so many ways to tell a story! Develop visual storytelling skills while facilitating an understanding of Greek art and culture. Learners design Greek style images to tell a story through art. They add their designs to Styrofoam...
Curated OER
This Land is Your Land - Travel Posters
Eleventh graders compile a list of places in the United States where they have either traveled or where their relatives or friends live. They collect travel posters, brochures, postcards, and maps from their region of the United States.
Curated OER
With Malice toward None: Lincoln's Assassination
Students analyze primary documents regarding Lincoln's assassination. In this instructional activity on Lincoln's assassination, students analyze three primary sources of information regarding President Lincoln's assassination.
Sargent Art
Destination Art: Paper Mola Collage
The Kuna Indians hail from the San Blas Island near Panama. Learners will investigate their culture by creating paper mola collages, just like the ones created by the indigenous Panamanians. They'll focus on understanding the symbolism...
Curated OER
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining
To understand the impact coal mining has on the environment, pupils will extract chocolate chips from a cookie. Imagine the cookie is the environment and the chips are the coal. Instruct them to mine as many chips as they can, then have...
Curated OER
ANTICIPATORY SET
Learners are be able to analyze primary sources (photographs and speeches) and write a definition of American Democracy. They are shown a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. by Ben Fernandez, students are asked what is happening in the...
Curated OER
Call It a Hunch
Give young scholars a chance to practice making inferences after reading the book Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges. They confirm whether or not their conclusions are true, have a class discussion, and then independently complete an...
Science Friday
Pinhole Viewer
Take a peep into optics. Pupils watch a video about a large Polaroid camera before building pinhole viewers. The scholars then create different types of viewers and compare them to determine which provides the best image.
Library of Virginia
Life as a Liberated People
Imagine having no control over your life and then suddenly having to provide for yourself. Such was the challenge faced by many American slaves after emancipation. Class members are asked to consider these challenges are they examine...
Curated OER
Looking at Photographs
Sixth graders evaluate photographs as historical documents. In this social studies lesson, 6th graders analyze photographs as propaganda.
Curated OER
Cells=Life!
Ninth graders share what they know about cells. In this biology instructional activity, 9th graders study different microscopic images of the cell. They draw one and explain to their partner why they chose that image.
Curated OER
Promoting Diversity in Elementary School Curricula
Learners discover the roles played by various racial, ethnic and religious groups in the development of American society. They explore the concept of racial and cultural diversity and global community, as these are joined by economic,...
Curated OER
Family Life Among the Ashanti of West Africa
Students examine the way of life of the Ashanti who live in West Africa. After locating the countries on a map, they are shown slides of artifacts to determine their uses. In groups, they compare and contrast the Ashanti's view of...
Curated OER
Rosa Parks
Students identify the heroic actions of Rosa Parks. In this African-American lesson, students read the book, Rosa Parks: My Storyand create a timeline of the events from the biography.
Curated OER
The Journey to Civil Rights
Young scholars investigate the concepts that surround the Civil Rights Movement. They conduct research with the help of the teacher and use chart paper to create posters about major people involved. Students also complete a timeline...
Curated OER
Mr. Lincoln's Way
Young scholars read the book, Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco, They discuss racism and discrimination. They draw a bird and write a paragraph discussing what makes their bird special and unique.