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A Birthday in Amsterdam
Students view Rembrandt's etching, View of Amsterdam. They compare commerce and trade of 17th-century Amsterdam to modern day. They create self-portraits of themselves as children with birthday gifts during the 17th century.
Global Oneness Project
Exploring the Creative Process
Launch a discussion of the creative process with a short video that features the daily ritual of Slobodan Dan Paich, a San Francisco artist. Slobodan models his approach to tea painting and shares his reflections on the creativity.
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All About Me - A Spanish Collaboration
Sixth grade students mentor third graders to create an "All About Me" presentation in Spanish. They design three slides in PowerPoint and compare their information to their classmates. At the end of the project, each pair presents their...
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Types of Journal Writing
Examine with your class the practical uses of journals and discover how journal writing can help academically and personally. Pupils discover the different types of journal writing and decide which style works best for them.
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Growing Poems
Learners write garden inspired poetry. In this poetry lesson plan, students go out into the garden and write poems about how they feel, what they see, and what is going on in the garden.
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The Stories Behind the Masterpieces
Students examine Rembrandt's self-portraits and discuss important events in his life. They also examine "Aristotle with the Bust of Homer" and try to identify with the person in the paining, predicting what his life might have been like....
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That Was Then, This is Now: When I Was Puerto Rican
Students explain how geographic/cultural setting influences identity by comparing/contrasting Esmeralda's Puerto Rican self with her American self. They closely read text to pinpoint when Esmeralda was no longer Puerto Rican. Students...
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Performance Evaluation
Students evaluate in class performance of music previously prepared by the ensemble. The rubric and assessment criteria are adaptable to any orchestra setting which allows the teacher to choose music to be assessed. Critical thinking...
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A Teeth Changing Experience
Students research human health by reading an educational story in class. In this oral health lesson, students identify the importance of brushing their teeth and consuming calcium. Students read the book A Teeth Changing Experience and...
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Checkmate
Young scholars start identifying the cause and effect relationships in games of Chess. Using the internet, they research the history of the game and how the roles for each of the pieces. They develop a skit based on the roles and...
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Mohandas Gandhi: Changing the World One Step at a Time
Students illustrate pages of a book. In this famous historical icon lesson, students are read a story about Mohandas Gandhi, illustrate the pages in small groups, assemble a class book to read to younger students, and act out a scene...
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Storytellers: Pearl Jam (Lesson 2)
Learners 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...
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Publication Project
Ninth graders publish a magazine during a ten week marking period. They make individual contributions to the group project that is based on career choices. They write and publish articles, poems, entertainment pieces, and a play that...
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Heaven or Ground Hog Day?
Students discover the ideas of enlightenment by reading historical poetry. For this philosophical lesson, students read poems by Sir Walter Scott and Sergeant Joyce Kilmer while discussing the themes of the writing with classmates....
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- Making Metaphors with Munchies
Students brainstorm independently first, then ask their best friend on the team, or seat partners, depending on the year & student mix, to add to their list of personal characteristics and/or to name three words they think of...
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All About Me
Students examine their own personality traits and preferences. They use this information to write an autobiography.
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Polygon Perimeters
Young scholars define the terms polygon and perimeter to begin the lesson. Using a calculator, they practice determining the perimeter of various symbols in a painting. They discuss how geometry and art are related to one another.
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Setting Goals with Benjamin Franklin
Students discuss historical accounts and accomplishments of "Benjamin Franklin" which exemplify good character traits. They create a display of paper keys which describe these traits. They relate these traits to their future goals and...
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Writing Myths II
Learners complete a final draft of a myth. In this writing myths lesson, students complete their rough drafts, have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher to enhance ideas, and peer edit. Learners use the comments and critiques to...
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The Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Courage
Students examine how Stephen Crane treats the process by which a youth matures in his novel the Red Badge of Courage. They study how he exemplifies manly virtues associated with soldiers in war and examine the three endings that were...
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The Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Courage
Students provide examples of Crane's treatment of the "manly virtues" associated with war using support from the text of The Red Badge of Courage. They describe the three published endings of The Red Badge of Courage and the difference...
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History/Mystery: Regionalism and Ethnicity in the American Detective Novel
Learners use mystery novels to focus on the history and ethnicity of different regions of the United States. As a class, they are introduced to the elements of a mystery and compare them to the other types of novels they have read. In...
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Passport to the World
Eighth graders investigate the process for obtaining a United States passport. They plan a trip to a foreign country looking at important information including the climate, geography, culture, money, and language. They complete the...
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Using Analogies to Improve Vocabulary
Ninth graders create and analyze analogies and infer word meanings from these relationships. Words can be taken from selection(s) or topics currently being read in class. These exercises strengthen student reading comprehension.