TED-Ed
Leonardo da Vinci: The Man Behind the Renaissance
Why is Leonardo da Vinci considered the quintessential Renaissance man? This brief, amusing video is a fun way to begin a lesson on the man who embodied the ideals of the Renaissance in so many ways. Since the video moves quickly, ask...
Curated OER
Renaissance Man Comparison Poster
Learners watch a PBS video entitled Suleiman to help them identify characteristics associated with Renaissance notables. After watching the video, individually or in small groups, the students will research a notable Renaissance figure...
Crash Course
The English Renaissance and NOT Shakespeare: Crash Course Theater #13
Believe it or not, Shakespeare wasn't the only British playwright to rise to fame during the Renaissance. Writers other than the Bard make up the content of a video about British theater during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The...
TED-Ed
How to Find the True Face of Leonardo
Illustrator Siegfried Woldhek describes how he analyzed over 700 of Leonardo's works in order to determine an image of the face of the famed Renaissance man. Try flipping the lesson and adding your own assessment and discussion...
Curated OER
The Renaissance, Background
Students are introduced to the Renaissance by viewing a PowerPoint presentation. In this Renaissance lesson, students locate the important countries and cities of the Renaissance. Students compare how it was in England from the rest of...
Curated OER
Harlem Renaissance
Young scholars investigate the African American culture in the 1920's and the Harlem Renaissance. They read and analyze poems written by poets of the Harlem Renaissance, listen to jazz music and identify the characteristics of the...
PBS
Shakespeare & The Renaissance: Activity Ideas
Looking for ways to implement the words and works of William Shakespeare into your curriculum? This list of activity ideas is a great starting point, as it covers a wide range of grade levels and a wealth of online references to explore.
Curated OER
Achievements of Leonardo Da Vinci
A short clip discusses Leonardo da Vinci's art, inventions, architecture, and amazing mind. Many of his inventions and ideas have actually been built, such as tanks, man-powered flying machines, and a parachute.
Curated OER
Leonardo da Vinci: Creative Genius
Students discuss how Leonardo Da Vinci reflected the spirit of the Renaissance. They examine his achivements and explain the significance of his notebooks. They write essays on what constitutes a "rRenaissance man."
Curated OER
Social Studies: Renaissance
Students explore Renaissance architecture. In this Renaissance instructional activity, students view a slideshow featuring architecture of the era and then discuss the math skills used to the build the structures. Student build their own...
Curated OER
The Sonnet: Renaissance Representative
High schoolers compose couplets, quatrains, and sonnets after learning about Italian and English sonnets. In this sonnets lesson plan, students read sonnets, analyze them, connect them to the Renaissance and present times, and then write...
Curated OER
Paul Robeson: 20th-Century Renaissance Man, Hero In Any Century
Students study the life and times of actor Paul Robeson. For this social activism lesson, students research primary and secondary documents to create multi-media presentations featuring Paul Robeson's life and political activism.
Curated OER
Leonardo da Vinci: Creative Genius
Students examine how Leonardo da Vinci exemplified the Renaissance period. They explore various websites, conduct Internet research, complete a chart, explore virtual da Vinci notebooks, and write an essay.
Curated OER
The South, the North and the Great Migration: Blues and Literature
Here is a complex lesson plan that interweaves the history of the Jim Crow South and the Great Migration with the study of poetry, art, and blues music from the Harlem Renaissance. The plan helps young historians develop a deep...
Curated OER
The Renaissance Person: composing an Extended Definition Essay
High schoolers recognize the characteristics of an extended definition. In this Renaissance person lesson, students read a collection of short stories. High schoolers research the definitions of Renaissance and Renaissance...
Curated OER
Italian Renaissance
Fifth graders explore the Italian Rensissance in this six lessons unit. The prominent citizens, the ideas, values, art, philosophy, and literature of the are seen as a rediscovery of Ancient Greek and Roman times.
TED-Ed
Development of English Drama
From mystery plays to Shakespeare! Progress chronologically through the evolution of English drama, which began as a way for English clergymen in the eleventh century to illustrate biblical stories to the mass of illiterate commoners....
Curated OER
Paul Robeson: 20th-Century Renaissance Man, Hero In Any Century
Students explore several themes relevant to the life of Paul Robeson and the social, artistic, & political realities of the first half of the 20th century, identify and interview heroes in their communities, and publish profiles on...
Curated OER
Passages of Man and Word
Third graders explore transportation and written communication prior to the Renaissance.
Curated OER
What a Square
Learners examine the painting "Old Man With A Gold Chain" by Rembrandt. They identify geometric shapes in the painting, measure these shapes and compare the relationships of these measurements.
Curated OER
Michelangelo: Artist and Man
Students are introduced to Michelangelo in this A&E influenced lesson.
Curated OER
The Magnificent Medici
Students watch a video about the internal power struggles of the Medici family of Renaissance Italy. They compare the Medici family to the Mafia and produce a written response to the film.
Crash Course
Moliere - Man of Satire and Many Burials: Crash Course Theater #21
Until the reign of Louis XIII, French society did not view acting as an honorable profession. A video describes French theater during the time of popular playwright Moliere. Viewers enjoy an excerpt of the play Tartuffe and learn the...
Curated OER
Spiritual Space
High schoolers explore Italian Renaissance artwork. In this visual arts lesson, students examine "Madonna, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint Paul'" by Bernardo Daddi. High schoolers investigate the use of space, scale, and proportion in...