Curated OER
Grow a Musical Instrument
Music, culture, social studies, and plant growth all in one! Kids explore the various type of traditional African instruments that are made out of gourds. They then grow their own gourds and use them to create a wide variety of African...
Curated OER
Lesson: Creativity on Parade
Parades, ceremonies, and rituals are common to most traditional cultures. Kids analyze a carved piece entitled, Death Cart to understand the significance of these events. They then create floats, carts, and costumes for a class parade...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations
Here are a series of lessons on the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations. This incredible, 15-lesson unit would be perfect for any fifth grade study on these important civilizations. Learners focus on the complex nature of the cultures,...
Curated OER
Cultural Spaces
As a way to help your students understand tolerance, personal space, and cultural diversity, this lesson has them give up personal space for three minutes. There is no discussion prior to this activity and seemingly very little after....
Smithsonian Institution
Changing Gender Roles on the Home Front
Many historians discuss how gender roles changed because of World War II, but how did this come to be? An informative resource challenges scholars to do some digging and research the information for themselves. They research how...
Curated OER
Window Into Another Culture
Students examine cultural conflict issues. In this global studies lesson, students read the Robert W. Soderstrom essay " A Single Lucid Moment." Students discuss the essay and confrontation that may occur between cultures.
Curated OER
American Political Culture
Examine American political culture with your scholars using this self-assessment lesson. Individuals rate a list of 14 values from highest to lowest, including ideas such as financial security, right to private property, justice,...
Curated OER
Japanese Music Study
Gagaku is music traditionally played in the Japanese imperial courts of long ago. Learners listen to this and other traditional Japanese music to gain an understanding of culture and music history. They work to identify Japanese...
Curated OER
School Lunches: Cultural Relevancy in the Cafeteria
Students explore ethnic diversity. In this tolerance instructional activity, students discuss the food choices in their school cafeteria and determine how the menu may limit choices for those of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Curated OER
Culture Regions of the U.S.
Students identify the location of different cultural groups within the United States (agricultural, retirement, urban, etc.) They map these areas and analyze the correlation between the landscape of a given region and the type of...
Curated OER
Nahuatl Culture
Students read stories, look at maps, and write journal entries to learn about the language and artwork of Nahuatl culture. In this Nahuatl culture lesson plan, students research the Nahuatl culture and present their findings.
Curated OER
Water: A Source of Life and Culture
Students explore water as a feature of culture. For this visual arts lesson, students consider the necessity of water in every culture. Students select water symbols and use their artistic skills to create water symbol silhouettes.
Curated OER
Constructing a Cultural Map
In this constructing a cultural map worksheet, students use cut and paste technology to make a map of Louisiana that has pictures from the Internet.
Curated OER
Food and Culture, Past and Present in Choctaw Culture
Students explore the Choctow culture. In this Choctow lesson, students use their research skills to create presentations that feature Choctow geography, resources, tradition, foods, and health issues.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Looking at Regions
Quiz your 3rd graders on why we have regions. This regions quiz includes 16 questions on why and how we group areas into regions based on physical features, culture, politics or religion. A class discussion on technology completes this...
Curated OER
Western Civilizations, Chapter 27: The Cold War: Global Politics, Economic Recovery, and Cultural Change
Keep your scholars organized using this study plan and progress report tool, one of many great learning strategies featured in this online western civilizations resource! Although designed for use alongside the Western Civilizations...
Center for Civic Education
Historical Analysis of Constitutional Amendments
Each of the 27 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were adopted within specific economic, political, social or cultural, and international contexts. As part of their Constitution Day/Week studies, seniors investigate these factors for...
Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors
A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture
Packed with a wealth of information about African-Americans of note, this packet, and the links it provides to other resources, could be used as is for a month-long study of Black history or to supplement lessons already in your curriculum.
Teaching Tolerance
Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Legal Action: The Supreme Court
A social justice lesson focuses on the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia which struck down laws that prohibited marriages between African Americans and white Americans. The lesson begins with class members examining a photograph of...
Curated OER
Picture This (Loosing a Culture)
Students use photographs to analyze the culture clash of Native Americans and arriving Colonists. In this loosing culture instructional activity, students will use primary sources to examine the cause and effect of the initial...
Echoes & Reflections
Studying The Holocaust
While many young scholars are familiar with the Holocaust, they may not understand the specific history that led to the unprecedented atrocity. The first lesson in the unit helps teachers gauge their pupils' background knowledge. A...
Curated OER
Social Psychology
Sparknotes provides Psychology Study Guides and this 5-question review of the material addresses individualist and collectivist culture, obedience, and more.
Curated OER
Transparent Shoebox Dig
Take this simulated archaeological dig one layer at a time with your young pupils to encourage observation, critical thinking, and careful attention. Using a transparent box full of layers of sand and artifacts, pupils examine the...
Smithsonian Institution
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring our Ancestors Through Community Celebration
Oral storytelling has been an important part of every culture. The time-honored practice uses stories as a conduit for a culture's values and customs from one generation to the next. Keep the tradition going with a family interview...