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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Country, My Country: To Vote or Not to Vote

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a film about elections in Iraq. They examine the story of a doctor and his decisions to vote. They work together to complete a worksheet about voter turnout.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz and Math: Rhythmic Innovations

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students watch a segment of the PBS Ken Burns JAZZ documentary about Buddy Bolden creating the "Big Four." They compare and contrast the rhythms of marches and jazz based on the examples in the film, and explore notation, subdivision of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Assessing and Making Maps

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students evaluate maps using the TODALSIGs basic map analysis system, explained on the worksheet. They create a map of Alaska using TODALSIGs. Students brainstorm the elements of maps.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Neighborhood Expedition

For Teachers K
Students plan and conduct an expedition through their neighborhood based on the techniques used by the Harriman Expedition to Alaska in 1899. They research the Harriman expedition on the internet and then create a route and collection...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I'm British But... 2

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Learners view the documentary "I'm British But..." and examine the variety of ways in which people identify themselves in Britain today. In pairs they identify what is important to the lives of the young Asian people in the film, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nature Superfish

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the behavior or ocean animals called  billfish. In this life science lesson, students create their own documentary about a local animal. They share their videos with the entire school.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Bison Web

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners view a documentary on the treatment of the buffalo. In groups, they create a website using ideas and solutions they developed. They must include graphics or animation and a multi-level webpage. They share their pages with the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jazz and Math: Rhythmic Innovations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners compare and contrast the rhythms of marches and jazz. They watch an excerpt about Buddy Bolden from the PBS Ken Burns Jazz documentary, compare/contrast march and jazz rhythms, complete a worksheet, and notate and perform jazz...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Heroism

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the concept of heroism in this lesson, through personal reflection, group activities and a thoughtful analysis of the documentary, HEROES OF GROUND ZERO. They explore their own understanding of what it means to be a hero.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Racism And Discrimination

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch and analyze the short film "Broken Dreams" and discuss the causes and effects of racism and discrimination. They answer discussion questions related to the film, then create a leaflet entitled "Racism and Discrimination."
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Jazz is About Collaboration": Jim Crow Laws And Segregation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners explore development of jazz music in the 1930s by forming imaginary jazz bands which tour several cities in Depression-era America. Jazz band members create imaginary identities for themselves, develop publicity for their tour,...
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Activity
Curated OER

Immigration Research Project

For Teachers 8th
Students formulate guiding questions to use as an aid for research and then use the guiding questions worksheet to help gather information necessary for meeting all criteria for completing the project. They then work together to collect...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nature Superfish

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students examine the billfish as a predator in the ocean. In this ocean, creatures, and tides lesson, students view video clips and discuss the sea creatures and scientists in the videos. Students create their own videos. students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Good Story

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the contributions of philanthropists. For this philanthropy lesson, students watch "The Gift of All: A Community of Givers." Students then read biographies of philanthropists and create PowerPoint presentations about the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hong Kong Symphony: Heaven, Earth, Mankind

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students complete a unit on the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. They watch and discuss a documentary, write an essay about unification, conduct Internet research on three artists from the film, complete a data sheet, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clay Animation

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders create a visual story without using words. A study of the history and process of clay animation is explored and discussed. Students storyboard a plot of a story and students divide up into groups designing characters and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kids With Cameras Make a Difference

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students use cameras to take pictures of their community and create an exhibit to raise money. In this cameras lesson plan, students learn basic photography techniques and send their money to the "kids with cameras" project.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Origami Paper Fun

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learners explore the art of Origami. They listen to various stories about Japan, create Origami shapes by following step-by-step directions, sing Japanese songs, locate Japan on a map, and take a quiz.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Picturing a Story: Photo Essay About a Community, Event, or Issue

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students research Dorothea Lange's documentary projects and create their own photo essay about a subject. In this photo essay lesson plan, students analyze examples of social-documentary photographs of Lange. Students define a social...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ancestors in the Americas: Lesson One

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are introduced to the characteristics of documentaries and making films. Individually, they write their own proposal for an idea of a documentary making sure to identify the point of view of which it is going to be filmed. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Photographs of Dorothea Lange

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Students research social-documentary photography using Dorothea Lange’s documentary projects. In this photography analysis lesson, students analyze examples of photographs by Dorothea Lange and research one or more of Dorothea Lange’s...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Walk Through Time

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate the types of footwear worn during ten periods of history.  In this secondary, art/math/social studies lesson, students view documentaries and popular films to study the time periods.  Students research the type of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Improvise a Short Story through Jazz

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners evaluate jazz music and a jazz music performance. They collaborate and create an improvised group short story. They improvise a musical piece on found objects.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

City Desk with Malcolm X

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers view a film about civil rights and the role Malcolm X played in the civil rights movement. They create a timeling about the events that occured from segregation to integration. They discuss discrimination as well.