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Costume Exploration
What a great lesson, upper graders are sure to love. They explore costume design and the relationships between theatre, culture, and history. They research three time periods, write a response about two of them, then create a composit...
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Masks Across Cultures
Students examine various masks from different cultures. In groups, they review vocabulary related to expressing emotions in art. They work together to create a mask using the techniques described to them and representing a season. ...
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China's Customs
Students discuss important customs and traditions in their cultures, examine Chinese customs and traditions, and work in groups to create skits about Chinese customs and culture.
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Immigration Unit
Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...
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Festive Season
Students research various cultural and religious festivals celebrated and observed by Australians, describing common elements and identifying adaptations that have been made for life in Australia.
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African Clothing
Students explore African clothing. In this African culture social studies lesson, students brainstorm types of clothing they wear for different occasions. Students view photographs of Africans wearing Western clothing and "special...
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Creating Stage Designs that Reflect
Students identify and research cultural, historical, and symbolic clues in dramatic texts. They demonstrate knowledge of research sources.
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Our Community Helpers
Students identify important aspects of community and culture that strengthen relationships. They discuss pictures of national symbols.
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African Ecology and Art
Explore Samburu culture as students examine art work by many artists and compare and contrast their styles. They view Kenyan images and find Kenya on the map. Students identify conflict in the animal world and draw animals and record in...
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Ragtime: 1880-1920
Build an understanding of the social, economic, and cultural changes that were incited by the American Industrial Revolution. Learners will research the historical context of the Ragtime Era, and compose an oral presentation in the voice...
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Vietnam-Tet Nguyen Dan; Dancing Dragon Puppets
Students are shown visual examples of Dragon Dance costumes and identify cultural characteristics and ceremonial design qualities. Students listen to the teacher tell about the significance dragon dances have played throughout Vietnamese...
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The Multicultural Person
Students begin the lesson by putting themselves into different groups based on different criteria. As a class, they brainstorm a list of characteristics in which they all share. To end the lesson, they discuss how it felt to be put in...
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The History of Mardi Gras
Students gain knowledge about the history, traditions, and culture of Mardi Gras. They then apply the content to make related projects and complete assignments.
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African Clothing
Students correctly identify examples of everyday clothing and special occasion clothing worn in Africa. Students will classify clothing as that used for everyday or special occasion.
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"Kokoro (True Heart)" by Velina Hasu Houston
High schoolers read and analyze a play that examines a cultural defense case. They analyze case studies, formulate an argument, write about the Japanese Festival of the Dead, and answer discussion questions about the play.
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Old Style in High Style
Pupils explore how fashion has mirrored the attitudes and lifestyles of people in different cultures throughout history and create fashion magazines reflecting their findings.
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Learning By Looking: Pueblo Indian Ceremonial Dances
Students investigate the uses of ceremonial dance in the Pueblo Indian culture by viewing videos of native dances. They listen to folk tales that explain the dances and compare the traditions of the Pueblo culture to their own culture....
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Favorite Sports and Athletes: an Introduction to Sports Media
Even young children watch sports and like team logos and products. It's never too early to think critically about what's onscreen. This exercise develops awareness that media communicate values (i.e. who participates in sports and who...
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Christopher Columbus: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
Learn more about maps by examining Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Kindergartners will learn about basic map skills and how to identify the compass rose, oceans, and land masses. They will also discover the purpose of...
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Art for the Common Good: Junkanoo!
Learners explore characteristics of effective group work. In this multi-cultural social studies activity, students work in teams to design and construct a headdress similar to what would be worn during the Bahamian festival of Junkanoo....
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Conservation 'Ad'vice for National Parks
Learners discuss ways that the public can damage as well as preserve our natural and cultural resources. Small groups are each assigned one of the national parks and must design a poster or TV commercial that celebrates the importance of...
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Komm mit! Our Vacation
Students study the German language. They research in small groups and create a Power Point presentation, write an essay with 15 sentences in German, prepare a food or wear a costume, and give an oral presentation.
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Telling Stories About Ourselves
Students discover how visual images communicate meaning. They create costumes that tell personal stories and perform dances wearing the costumes.
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Fairy Tales
Class groups examine fairy tales from a feminist and a Marxist perspective, identifying how these tales present gender roles and class/power systems. The groups then script and perform their own tale that uses one of these lenses.