Curated OER
Thanksgiving Holiday
First graders explore American culture by participating in arts and crafts activities. For this Thanksgiving lesson, 1st graders listen to music based upon the Thanksgiving tradition and examine images of the first Thanksgiving. Students...
Curated OER
Stain My Days Blue
Students read several poems related to the life and culture of the Appalachia region. They are introduced to the poetic forms of simile, alliteration and onomatopoeia and respond to the poems through journal entries and poetry of their own.
Curated OER
Form and Theme in the Traditional Mexican Corrido
Students examine the traditional Mexican musical form of corridos. In this cross curricular history and music lesson, students analyze the lyrics of popular corridos and the corridos' importance in Mexican culture. Students will compose...
Curated OER
African Popular Music
Young scholars explore popular music of West Africa. In this musicians lesson, students complete listening tasks that challenge them to analyze the music of Oumou Sangare, Angelique Kidjo, and Baaba Maal.
Museum of Tolerance
Quilt Activity
After completing the first five lessons from the series, scholars assemble their quilt pieces to create a family history quilt. They then rate their experience of learning about their families by conducting interviews, creating family...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Celebrating and Remembering
Help scholars understand the history, geography, traditions, and art of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Find background information for your reference as well as a detailed cross-curricular lesson plan. Learners compare...
Curated OER
Diego Rivera: Art as the Universal Language
Learners analyze the work of Diego Rivera. They participate in a class discussion, critique various paintings, write a short story based on a Rivera mural, and create a class mural.
Curated OER
Molas from South America
Third graders research world geography by creating a class presentation. In this South American instructional activity, 3rd graders read assigned text regarding the customs and traditions of different Indian communities in South America....
Curated OER
Prehistoric Native American Lesson Plan: Make a Mississippian-style Gorget
Students create a Mississippian-style gorget using clay and a stylus to etch a design of a stylized spider.
Curated OER
Storytellers: Pearl Jam, Lesson 1
Students examine the meaning of genre, and specifically investigate the musical genre of grunge. They view and discuss photos, watch the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," answer discussion questions, and paraphrase the lyrics to a...
Curated OER
Storytellers: Pearl Jam (Lesson 2)
Students analyze the meaning of songs, how its music complements the lyrics, and how the meaning can evolve over time. They make a compelling presentation of a favorite song lyric and find inspiring sources for new songs in the...
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop, Episode 2, Lesson 3
High schoolers discuss how Run-D.M.C. brought Hip Hop into mainstream popularity. They discuss why melding two styles of music is popular and what the results have been through history. They take two songs and combine elements to make a...
Curated OER
VH1 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll Lesson 3
Students examine female artists who perform in the genres of rhythm & blues, jazz, soul, and hip-hop/rap. They compose lyrics and melody in one of these genres.
Curated OER
Sharing Your Music - Lesson 5
Students observe that music can communicate positive social messages. They create a theme concert with a positive social message after watching a video of famous artists playing on Sesame Street.
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop - Lesson 3
Young scholars discuss the importance of dance within the Hip Hop genre and the dance moves which grew out of the Hip Hop style. They perform an original dance routine or demonstrate their instrument for the class.
Curated OER
My Favorite Things
Students create a body portraits to depict their favorite things. In this self-expression lesson plan, students use drawings, paintings, and magazine clippings to fill in their life-size body portraits with pictures representing their...
Curated OER
History of Tiles: Early Tile Designs - The Middle East
Students create a presentation on Middle Eastern art. In this art history lesson, students will research Middle Eastern art, specifically focusing on the Alhambra Palace and Moorish-inspired tile design. They will use information...
Curated OER
Making Felt Bags
Pupils study the history of bags, pouches and purses. Use of these items spans the entire globe and encompasses practically every civilization. The lesson culminates with learners creating their own bag from a variety of choices. The...
Curated OER
Mariachi Mania
Ninth graders examine mariachi music and its different musical forms. In this music history instructional activity, 9th graders compare and contrast mariachi music from its beginnings to the present. Students research different aspects...
Curated OER
Latin American Film
Students identify characteristics in a Latin American film. In this filmography lesson, students describe their favorite movies and the reasons why they like them. Students are shown a short clip of a Latin American movie and discuss the...
Curated OER
Let's Go Shopping
Students explore how to become better observers, demonstrate point of view as a literary and human function, and learn an important instructional activity about how to explain differing perspectives in the same situation.
Curated OER
“Pardon This Interruption-Columbus Has Landed!!!”
Students research, design, rehearse, record, and present a 60 second Public Service Announcement, based on Columbus' arrival in the America. The students, working in groups, utilize the design process in creating their PSA. This lesson...
Curated OER
Mariachi Mania
Students play the beats of mariachi music. In this mariachi lesson plan, students listen to mariachi music and discuss why music is important.
Curated OER
Schools of the Past and Present
First graders take a look at schools of the past and present, and try to conjure an idea of what schools of the future will look like. After taking a walk around their own school and taking note of the buildings and the things that are...