Curated OER
Discover Woodland Culture: Wisconsin Basic Pottery Techniques
Students take a field trip to a local woodland to find pieces of clay. Once they are back in the classroom, they dry the clay throughly and turn it in to clay slip. They watch a PowerPoint presentation on basic art terms and create...
Curated OER
Inventions over Time
Sixth graders examine inventions, such as spear points and bows and arrows, and discuss their importance in human cultural development. They compare these early inventions with modern ones and determine the impact of science and...
Curated OER
Meet You at the Midden: Map Game
Fourth graders use a sketch map to interpret map symbols in order to participate in a game. Using the game cards, they identify reasons why people modify their environment to meet their needs. They compare and contrast how people lived...
Curated OER
Dinosaurs Here Yesterday Gone Today
Students take a pre-test to show their prior knowledge of dinosaurs. Using the internet, they reasearch the time period in which they roamed the Earth. Focusing on the area of Connecticut, they compare and contrast the large and small...
Curated OER
Rockin? Chalk (Integrating science - make own chalk)
Students use plaster of Paris, talc, and cornstarch to create their own chalk. They hypothesize what mixture of ingredients produce the "best" chalk. Students discuss what they think are the characteristics of the "best" chalk.
Curated OER
Texas Treasures
Students explore the meanings of the word "treasure," and examine the use of clay in the construction of buildings in San Antonio, Texas. They examine clay artifacts, and watch a video about pottery artist, Harding Black. Students then...
Curated OER
Inference By Analogy
Students infer the use or meaning of items recovered from a North Carolina Native American site based on 17th-century European settlers' accounts and illustration.
Curated OER
Saving the Past for the Future
Students discuss an archaeological dilemma. They write a paragraph about possible solutions to the problem.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Would you fit in with the Cherokees?
Students use this activity as an introduction to the unit on Cherokee Native Americans. They discuss and research Cherokee dress and homes and identify difference between the Cherokee and the individuals in the class.
Curated OER
Accordion Book for Comparing Cultures
Fourth graders are introduced to the different cultural groups that have settled in Ohio. In groups, they research and describe the products and cultural practices of each group. Using the information, they create an accordion book for...
Curated OER
Early Native Americans
Students create a scrapbook illustrating the culture of Native Americans that settled in the Kickapoo Valley. Working in groups, students choose a topic related to the Kickapoo Valley Indians. Using traditional and technological...
Curated OER
Conversing with an Object
Students analyze museum artifacts and create conversations between these inanimate objects using prior historical knowledge. In this museum artifact lesson, students create theoretical dialogue between historical artifacts in order to...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Art History: Paleolithic Origins
Article and video discussing various forms of art from the Paleolithic period, particularly cave art. [5:48] With links to additional information.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Art History: Catal Hoyuk
Article discussing the importance of Catal Hoyuk in Turkey for understanding the beginning of art during the Neolithic period.
Smart History
Smarthistory: Paleolithic Art, an Introduction
Art history and culture website introduces us to the Paleolithic art found in the caves of France. With links to additional resources.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Cave Art Discovering Prehistoric Humans
By studying cave paintings, students learn about prehistoric cultures and the stories and ideas they wished to communicate to others through art. The lesson plan presented on this website aims to show young students the significance of...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Arts and Humanities: Art History: Prehistoric Art
Paleolithic and Neolithic art. Should be cross-checked against videos and smarthistory.org.
Incredible Art Department
The Incredible Art Department: Art Periods and Styles
A large collection of resource links here for a wide range of art periods and styles from ancient times to the modern day.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: A Brief History of Western Culture
History is divided into time periods in order to better understand the culture and characteristics of that time. Read a brief description of the art and culture of historical time periods in this introductory article.
Then Again
Then Again: Web Chron: World History Chronology: Altamira Cave Paintings
An article on the prehistoric cave paintings in Altamira, Spain. Notes the differences between these paintings and other paleolithic cave art.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Origins of Rock Art in Africa
Personal ornamentation and engraved designs are the earliest evidence of art in Africa and are inextricably tied up with the development of human cognition. View pictures and read about prehistoric art in Africa.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Art History: Jericho
Article discussing the long history of the city of Jericho and some of the extraordinary archaeological discoveries made there since the nineteenth century. Includes links to additional information and images.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Greek Art Prehistoric to Classical: Ed Resource
Lengthy illustrated publication (256 pages) serves to ground readers in ancient Greek art and culture, beginning with the earliest point in Greek history through the classical period. Using examples found in its vast collections, the...
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Search for Ancient Sharks: Prehistoric Shark Gallery
Users will take a step back in time when they visit this virtual prehistoric art gallery of sharks. Select a shark to view and obtain a brief informational description of each prehistoric predator.