Anti-Defamation League
Viewing History from Multiple Perspectives
Celebration or protest song? The full text of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" opens a study of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Louisiana Purchase, and Western Expansion from various perspectives. Middle schoolers examine...
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Understanding Dialect as Used by Mark Twain
A reading of Mark Twain’s The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County not only offers pupils an opportunity to practice their listening skills but also provides them with examples of dialectic speech. This is the gol’derndest lesson...
Shakespeare in American Life
Tom Hanks and Caliban: Survivor Superstars
Here’s a clever way to combine language arts and social studies. Shakespeare’s The Tempest is believed to have been inspired by the wreck of the Sea Venture on Bermuda in 1609. The class views a brief scene from Castaway in which Tom...
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Who Invented English Anyway?
In these English lesson plans, young scholars use video, the Internet and non-fiction essays to research the history of the English language. They write a short research paper and design a PowerPoint presentation showcasing their findings.
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What Does It All Mean?
Students investigate the symbolism and meaning of samplers in American history. In this American history and sampler lesson plan, students examine pictures of original samplers and look at lists of the symbolism included in them. They...
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Exploring Islamic Lands
Students explore the culture of the Middle East. In this Islamic culture lesson, students conduct research to create personal narratives that reveal what life is like in the Middle East for Islamic teens today.
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Summer of the Monkeys
While reading the book Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls, the class ties together the core reading objectives, which are making predictions, comprehending new information, reading for author's purpose, independence in reading, and...
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Publisher Brochures
Students create brochures on subjects they are studying in Publisher. For this nonfiction writing lesson, students use Publisher to create a brochure telling all the main ideas of a topic they are studying. Students use text boxes, fonts...
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Landscape Painting
Third graders paint a landscape that demonstrates the illusion of space. In this visual arts lesson, 3rd graders paint a creek with reflections as the focus and include images showing foreground, middle ground, and background within the...
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You Are What You Eat: Lessons from Alice Waters
Students view the AMERICAN MASTERS episode titled ALICE WATERS AND HER DELICIOUS REVOLUTION. They examine their own eating habits and determine how they can eat food that is both healthier and tastier. Through Guided Reading strategies,...
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Studying An Artist
Students examine the artwork of a specific artist and attempt to create a painting in the style of the studied artist in this middle and high school level Art lesson. Rubric is included for self- and teacher assessment after the project...
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The Autobiography of a Middle School
Learners use digital cameras to document school experiences. Afterwards, they use computer software to manipulate their photos and write poetry, essays or biographies to compliment the pictures. Finally, students create an...
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Things That Make Us Want To Scream
Learners create a drawing of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" and draw items that make them want to scream in this creative Art lesson for the Middle or High School classroom. The lesson includes resource links for artwork and background...
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Beginning, Middle or End
Second graders work with a partner. In this library skills lesson, 2nd graders watch a demonstration on how to find a word in a dictionary. Students practice finding words in the dictionary with a partner.
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Art Criticism for Elementary
Students view various pieces of art and identify their basic elements. Using the art, they present the elements to the class in a presentation. They answer questions and organize them into written form. They also write and reflect on...
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Exploring the Elements of a Japanese Garden Through the Book Arts
Students create book arts based on a visit to the Botanical Garden. They choose their own images to put into their book and answer discussion questions.
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Finding Math In The World Of Art
Learners explore the use of Math in the world of Art. In this mathematics and visual art lesson, they design a picture using math digits that are camouflaged into a pictures. Additional cross curriculum activities are embedded in the plan.
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Adjective, Adjective, Noun
Students create artistic renditions of two random adjectives and one noun in this game-like Art lesson for the elementary and middle school classroom. The cross-curricular lesson includes a vocabulary list and a short resource list.
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Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Words: Art, Art History, Language Arts, Creative Writing
Students write a story inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and then try their hand at their own rendition of this famous piece of art. In a twist, students incorporate the stories into their paintings.
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Abstract Flowers Inspired By Georgia O'keeffe
Learners create "abstract flowers" using the artwork of Georgia O'Keefe and knowledge of warm and cool colors in this Art lesson for grades K-12. The lesson includes a short recommended book list and a biography of Georgia O'Keefe.
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Reading Meet Writing
Thinking about introducing your middle schoolers to reading log journals? Try the approach suggested by this resource. After reading to the class an article or portion of a novel, demonstrate a Think Aloud and then model how to transform...
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A Model Lesson Plan for Teaching Phonics
First graders decode words containing the letter o when it is followed by a consonant and silent e.
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Mesopotamia
Students map Mesopotamia. In this Geography lesson, students are introduced to Ancient Mesopotamia. Students use an atlas to label the defining features and areas of Mesopotamia on a map.