Academy of American Poets
Thanksgiving with Richard Blanco's "América"
Traditions, like the times, are a-changin'. Middle schoolers conduct a close reading of Richard Blanco's poem "América" and consider how Blanco's family approached his suggestions for adopting a new approach to their Thanksgiving meal.
Curated OER
Friar Margil and the Spanish Missions
Seventh graders review the differences between primary and secondary sources. They are told that the Father Margil illustration can be used as a primary source. Students define the terms "assimilation" and "diversity." They use...
Anti-Defamation League
Understanding and Analyzing “The U.S. of Us” by Richard Blanco
Current immigration issues and the rhetoric surrounding the controversies come into focus with a lesson that uses Richard Blanco's anthem, "The U.S. of Us," written after the August 2019 attack in El Paso, Texas, to open a discussion of...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "The Snowfall Is So Silent" by Miguel de Unamuno
Cold, beautiful, unique! Class members closely examine John Singer Sargent's watercolor "Snow," taking note of the artist's techniques, and pair up to discuss how the image makes them feel about snow. They then repeat the process with...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "When There Were Ghosts" by Alberto Ríos
Before cell phones, tablets, and computers with access to YouTube, before gleaming multiplexes and even before television, there were small theaters with Saturday night black and white movies. Alberto Ríos's poem "When There Were Ghosts"...
K20 LEARN
Many Trails of Tears: The Era of Indian Removal
Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. All were forced off their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States as part of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Young historians research the tribes' reactions to this removal and...
K20 LEARN
Tribal Sovereignty and the Indian Reorganization Act: Tribal Governments
Sovereign nations or wards? High schoolers investigate the history of the Indian Reorganization Act and other legislation that impacted Native Americans. They also research different tribes' constitutions, compare them to the U.S....
K20 LEARN
Whose Manifest Destiny? Westward Expansion
Your land is my land! Young historians investigate the concept of Manifest Destiny used by the United States government to justify western expansion. Jigsaw groups read primary source documents to gain an understanding of the movement...
Global Oneness Project
The Value of Sports: Unifying a Community
The Global Oneness Project presents a lesson about the power of sport to bring a community together. After watching the documentary film, I am Yup'ik, class members use the provided discussion questions to reflect on the importance of...
Global Oneness Project
Today’s Native America
The 2016-2017 protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) motivated Camille Seaman to create "We Are Still Here," a photo essay featuring portraits of contemporary Native Americans who protested the pipeline. This eight-page packet,...
Curated OER
Using Songs in the Foreign Language Classroom
Students focus on their required lessons in Spanish by integrating music and songs as they complete their assignments. They assess the vocabulary, grammar patterns and culture associated with music and various different songs. Each...
Curated OER
La Influencia Latina en Nuestra Comunidad (The Latino Influence in our Community)
Students visit a grocery store to create a list of Latino products. They take photographs of areas in their community that demonstrate the latino population. Students research community services available to the Latino population. They...
Curated OER
Politics and Religion in 17th Century Dutch Art
Seventh graders examine different pieces of Dutch Art. They identify its social and political meanings by using cultural and historical information. They examine maps of the time period as well.
Curated OER
El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico
Students conduct Internet research on the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. They complete a worksheet answering questions about the Ballet Folklorico, and create an award and write a speech to present to the class.
Curated OER
The Eagle Has Landed: Aztecs Find a Home
Pupils examine the Aztec civilization in what is now Mexico. Using a map, they locate the empire and explain the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan. They explore the symbols on various Mexican flags and what they meant to the Aztec...
Curated OER
Oral Interviews on Traditions and Celebrations
Young scholars practice speaking in a target language through the use of oral interview techniques. They engage in conversations with peers using a certain theme of celebration and tradition. Students plan questions that they use in...
Curated OER
Esperanza Rising: Lesson 3
Sixth graders read parts of the book Esperanza Rising and define vocabulary words connected to it. In this Esperanza Rising lesson plan, 6th graders illustrate words and discuss the sections of the books they read.
Curated OER
Traditional Desert Homes
Learners go to a traditional style desert home and then build their own model of a home to scale. In this desert home lesson plan, students conduct their research in New Mexico.
Curated OER
Oh Picasso!
Learners identify the painter Picasso as a famous Spanish cultural figure, name at least one of Picasso's painting styles and describe aspects of Picasso's Blue Period. They create their own Blue Period inspired work of art.
Curated OER
A "State of the Arts" Coin
Students study the historical figures depicted on the quarter and explore how symbols of U.S. patriotism were used in its various designs. They research symbols of Texas and choose one to draw in a design for a Texas
quarter. in...
Curated OER
Running of the Bulls/Bullfighting Traditions
Ninth graders explore the concept of bullfighting and the Running of the Bulls as tradition in Spanish culture. For this Current Events lesson, 9th graders analyze various pictures of bullfighting. Students create a drama on bull...
Curated OER
Presentaciones De Danzas En La Ciudad De M¿¿xico
Students practice writing in Spanish. They visit web site that provides information about theatrical presentations, and answer questions in Spanish about schedule of performances for that week.
Curated OER
Diversiones Culturales - Artistas
Pupils use resources provided in the library to research an artist who has impacted their area of art. They then take their information and create a PowerPoint presentation and translate the Spanish for the class so they are all...
Curated OER
Spanish Colonization: The Anza Expedition
Learners research the Spanish explorations and North American geography. They create web pages based on their study.