Curated OER
The Art of El Anasui: Creating a Mural with Discarded/Recycled Objects
Middle schoolers create murals that feature recycled objects. In this West African art lesson, students examine artwork by El Anatsui and his commentary on social issues. Middle schoolers then create murals in the style of El Anatsui...
Curated OER
Linking Kwanzaa to Technology and History
Seventh graders use the Internet to research the holiday of Kwanzaa. Using the information, they create a brochure to promote the holiday to others. They email the information to a friend to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Ellis Wilson: A High School Art Lesson
Students study the principles of design and element of the art of Ellis Wilson. They examine how art can create social commentary.
Curated OER
Lesson 2: Chronological Order
Examining life events is a great way to learn about chronological order. Sequencing and time order are analyzed after reading a book about Rosa Parks. With a chart, the class works together to put the events from Mrs. Parks' life in the...
Curated OER
Integrating Social studies and the Visual Arts: "Learning to Look" Strategies
Students observe and interpret artwork through conducting a variety of activities. In this lesson students will learn how to analyze art work in order to gain a better understanding of it.
Curated OER
Ellis Wilson: An Elementary School Art Lesson
Students study the life of Ellis Wilson. They examine the use of simple shapes when drawing human figures. They examine how to incorporate pattern into a background setting.
Curated OER
I Am Freedom Bound!
Upper elementary and middle school learners engage in this awesome lesson plan on the Civil War. In it, they watch streamed video, perform Internet research, engage in hands-on activities, and use their geography skills to locate...
Curated OER
Ka'ianaa'ahu'ulu: A Leader of Hawai'i
Learners evaluate leadership traits in 18th century Hawai'i and modern times. In this leadership skills lesson, students identify leadership traits and read the story of Ka’iana. Learners monitor the leadership activities of a partner...
Curated OER
Orville and Wilbur Wong and the Fantastic Flying Machines
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the role of Chinese immigrants in America. They investigate literature, history and cultures of Chinese-Americans. This ambitious plan takes two weeks to complete, and it brings in elements...
Curated OER
Exploring Arizona's Biotic Communities Lesson 4: Which Team Are You On?
Who is not drawn to trading cards? In this lesson, junior ecologists create a trading card of an animal or plant from one of Arizona's biotic communities. Gorgeous sample cards are provided in the lesson plan as well as a plethora of...
Curated OER
Egyptian Cartouche
Sixth graders demonstrate their knowledge of Earth clay construction by creating, inscribing, and glazing an earth clay Egyptian cartouche. The instructional activity culminates with learners sharing their knowledge of key terms in the...
Curated OER
Cyberspace Safari
Middle schoolers go on an information gathering hunt on the Internet to study West African empires. They work in teams; meteorologists, bankers, writers, and archaeologists. They collect data on all sorts of topics related to West...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Issues of Asylum in the U.S.
Who gets to come to the United States? Examine cases of individuals seeking asylum with an informative reading passage that includes examples, statistics, and representations of public opinion regarding asylum. Groups then go on to...
Curated OER
Westward Ho!
For any teacher of American History, The Lewis and Clark Expedition is a watershed event that should be shared with your students. This is a very good lesson on the Expedition, and the events that led up to it; including The Lousisiana...
Curated OER
Good Sportsmanship Leads to Home Run
Pupils share examples of good sportsmanship, then read a news article about a team helping an injured player score a home run. The teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students read the news...
Curated OER
The Life of Harriet Tubman
A well-designed lesson teaches about the history of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and the issues of civil liberties. Young historians watch a video, access Internet resources, and engage in cooperative activities which should...
Curated OER
Scouting Civil War Sites
Learners evaluate websites after gathering information from various search engines. In this Civil War lesson, students browse the web and find strategies for rating websites. Learners choose the best sites in their opinion...
Military Kids Connect
Military Life 101
Here's a very powerful video that deserves a place in a Veterans Day lesson plan. Four young girls talk about what it's like to have a parent deployed and how they support one another during the deployment.
Curated OER
Rockefeller's Revenge: Exxon and Mobil Unite
Study the impact and possible outcomes of the Exxon-Mobil merger in your language arts, social studies, or economics class. Secondary learners evaluate a series of graphs, write a paragraph interpreting the data, and engage in class...
Curated OER
Blogging to Create a Community of Writers #6: Writing a Review
Looking for a good social media lesson plan for your class? Then, this lesson plan is for you! They study various written reviews, then must choose an item to review of their choice. They can choose from: a book, restaurant, CD/musical...
Curated OER
I Can Be Whomever I Wish
Famous people who have overcome obstacles are the focus of this language arts and social studies lesson plan. Pupils are introduced to the concept that they have the ability to overcome obstacles in life. They read selections embedded in...
Curated OER
The Importance of Initiation
The four-faced Hamat'sa mask is the inspiration for a lesson on ceremonial art and the process of initiation. The class examines images of the piece, then discusses how the mask represents ceremonial initiation. They get imaginative...
Smithsonian Institution
The Birth of an Icon: Learning and Performing the Origins of the Drum Set and Early Jazz Drumming in New Orleans, Louisiana
Bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic lesson introduces young musicians to...
Curated OER
Action/Reaction: Art and Politics
Pupils examine three images that were responses to social and political turmoil World War I and II. In this political art lesson, students analyze and discuss the example art. Pupils create a word poem, a collage, and their own political...