Curated OER
Imagining China Through Words
Students create a drawing from a written description to examine images of China in European art. In this art analysis lesson, students create a visual image from a written description of an object. Students compare their image to the one...
Curated OER
A Picture's Worth 500-700 Words: Neoclassical Painting Analysis and Creative Write
Middle schoolers survey Neoclassical art and create a narrative based on their analyses. Focused questions and relevant background information provided by the Getty Museum provides a great foundation for students to understand art...
National First Ladies' Library
Designing the Common School: The First Educational Reform
Middle schoolers perform preliminary research to explore education before public (common) education was in place. They design a public educational system of their own. Students construct a report outlining challenges and solutions for...
Curated OER
Roll the Tape! Roll the Tape!
Young scholars explore the concept of philanthropy. For this service learning lesson, students use iMovie to create a video highlighting their middle school in order to share with incoming young scholars.
Curated OER
Folktales: Oral Traditions as a Basis for Instruction in our Schools
Pupils visit their school library to read a variety of folktales. While they read, they identify the trickster or hero in each and discuss how the character represents the chaos in the real world. In groups, they write their own...
Curated OER
Writing About Art: Comparing Portraits
Students write a composition comparing and contrasting two portraits. In this comparing and contrasting lesson, students will observe two portraits and compare them through their writing. They then will write a letter to the artists...
Curated OER
Colonial Living: A Look at the Arts, Crafts, History, and Literature of Early Americans
Sixth graders examine the different aspects of life in Colonial America. At home, they make traditional colonial recipes to share with the class. In groups, they read a book about the purpose and act of quilting and create their own...
Curated OER
Art Appreciation
Learners analyze and critique famous art prints in this introductory lesson to the appreciation of Visual Art forms. Emphasis is on classroom discussions of cultural values, prejudice, and opinions. The lesson includes possible...
Curated OER
Adjective Word Art
Middle schoolers describe fathers using Word Art. In this adjectives lesson, students discuss the attributes of their fathers and then design adjective collages that feature the adjectives that describe good fathers.
Curated OER
Symbols of Canada Lesson
Middle schoolers examine the most common symbols of Canada and explain their importance. In this Canadian culture lesson, students identify the beaver, maple leaf, and Inuksuk and discuss why Canada feels these are representative symbols...
Curated OER
Going Greek: A Companion Lesson to Accompany the Percy Jackson Series
Students explore Greek mythology by researching a specific God or Goddess. In this children's literature activity, students read the Percy Jackson series of books and discuss their favorite characters. Students research a chosen Greek...
National First Ladies' Library
Women's Lives in the Victorian Era
The lives of middle-class Victorian women were circumscribed by strict standards that governed all aspects of behavior. To gain a better understanding of the Victorian Ideals for women, class members research the life of a middle-class...
Curated OER
What is Plagiarism?
What is plagiarism? Middle schoolers create a class definition of plagiarism and examine the importance of crediting people for their ideas. They review official school policy on plagiarism and study the consequences of presenting the...
Curated OER
Researching African Americans Who Made a Difference
Celebrate Black History Month with this instructional activity, in which middle schoolers create an essay about a famous African-American. Writers conduct research online, take notes to write an essay in proper format, and use ideas,...
Curated OER
Personal Experience Narratives
Help your middle schoolers identify personal experience narratives in their own lives through telling stories themselves and from family members or other adults. They study personal experience narratives in Swapping Stories and compare...
Curated OER
Writing Pattern Books
Have your older students assist young children with writing in this community service and literacy instructional activity. Middle schoolers become partners with a local elementary school. They assist the grade school children in writing...
Curated OER
Fabulous, Fractured Fables
Elementary schoolers develop an awareness of the literary form known as the fable. They explore how authors write fables to pass along moral lessons. After reading and discussing many famous fables embedded in the plan, learners attempt...
Curated OER
Tissue, Please!
Students study the proper manners to reduce the risk of spreading or catching colds and flu. They discover good cold-season manners from reading aloud Tissue, Please! They complete an art project to reinforce good cold-season manner
San Francisco Symphony
Music and Early Man
Creative projects are great ways to increase interest in topical research. Middle schoolers learning about primitive life styles in the Americas explore the importance of music to hunter gatherers. They research and create musical...
Curated OER
The Prince and the Pauper
Mark Twain, the famous American author, is often studied in the school system. Use "The Prince and the Pauper" to analyze the differences between the text and its video version. This lesson includes several culminating project ideas for...
Curated OER
Kumeyaay Indians
Useful for literary analysis, citing textual evidence, or summary skills, this lesson about the Kumeyaay Indians would be a good addition to your language arts class. Middle schoolers read novels and summarize the literature in their own...
Curated OER
Working in your Cubicle: Critical Thinking and Writing
Explore informative and explanatory writing with this lesson. Using a cube labeled with directives to describe, analyze, compare, associate, apply, and argue the topic, middle schoolers work individually or in groups to answer questions....
Curated OER
Israel
The class creates and performs a movement performance of the creation story found in the Jewish tradition. This lesson begins with the research of Israeli culture and culminates in a performance of the narrated creation story....
Curated OER
Stating Your Case: Writing Thesis Statements Effectively
As a writer, if you have a weak introductory paragraph or thesis statement, you might lose your audience! Have your middle and high schoolers practice writing introductory paragraphs that include clear thesis statements in response to...