National Endowment for the Humanities
Vengeful Verbs in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
It's time for pupils to read, examine, and contemplate literature to explore the difference between vivid and generic verbs. Pupils distinguish between the two types of verbs as they read the ghost scene from Shakespeare's Hamlet. They...
Prestwick House
Poe’s “The Raven” – Unity of Effect
How do Poe's choices of imagery, rhythm and rhyme scheme, and structure help build the desired single effect of "The Raven"? After listening to a dramatic reading of the poem, class members consider whether Poe's choices do...
Curated OER
Canvas Transformations
Students transform the content of paintings currently in the collection hanging in the Utah Fine Arts Museum by using the four theatre techniques of storytelling, kinetics images, soundscapes, and ritual building.
Curated OER
Folktale Improvisation
Sixth graders present reader's theatre by improvising folktales from different countries. In groups, they produce an improvisation of a folktale story from an assigned reading of a folktale.
Curated OER
Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun"
Students translate the print based content of the play by utilizing mixed media skills to communicate an argument. In this play translation lesson, students analyze and translate the play A Raisin in the Sun and explore themes from the...
Curated OER
Theatrical Economics
Read then role-play the characters from story of If You Give A Pig a Pancake. Young actors use improvisation and characterization to create the characters from the story. They will also write and role play original version of the...
Folger Shakespeare Library
Pre-Reading Hamlet with "Hamlet: An Insider’s Guide"
Prove that Gertrude did kill Ophelia from practicing the word inflections activities with these pre-reading strategies for Hamlet. Thespians practice the line, “Is that your sandwich?” as they stress and accent different words, and...
Curated OER
Circle Sculpture
Students discover the Theatre of the Oppressed. In this diversity lesson, students practice confronting injustice as they participate in "circle sculpture" to role play performance models that deal with social justice issues. Students...
Curated OER
Final Performance of a Play
Second graders study theatre by designing a play, studying actors, and work in partners to create a story to perform. In this theatre study lesson, 2nd graders discuss theatre as live theatre, television, film, and radio. Students act...
Curated OER
Nature’s Fury—Myths and Drama
Fifth graders explore the elements of theatre. In this dramatic performances lesson, 5th graders discuss the structural elements of theatre and dramatize "The Origins of the Season," an explanation myth.
Curated OER
The Bard, the Globe, the Midsummer Night's Dream
Students complete a unit of lessons to learn about William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre. In this William Shakespeare lesson, students complete 7 lessons of activities to study William Shakespeare, the Globe Theatre, and the play 'A...
Curated OER
Storymaking Through Pantomime
Middle schoolers explore performing arts by participating in a role-play activity. In this storytelling lesson, students utilize their physical expressions to particpate in a pantomime performance. Middle schoolers evaluate performances...
Curated OER
A Year in the Work of the Bard
Students study the life and times of Shakespeare. In this William Shakespeare lesson, students research the noted Web sites to discover details about Shakespeare's life and the times he lived in. Students also virtually visit the Globe...
Curated OER
Bloody Business
Young scholars research word frequencies in Macbeth and create a frozen picture inspired by a word. In this Macbeth lesson, students view Blood Will Have Blood and discuss the dual meaning of the word "blood." Young scholars...
Curated OER
Flamenco And Its Origins
Students discuss the role Islamic culture had on the development of Flamenco music in this General Music lesson for the middle-level classroom. Resource links are provided. The lesson emphasizes the creation of group posters.
Curated OER
Families and neighborhoods
Students create their house to add to a class "neighborhood". In this lesson plan on family and community, students read the book Family by Todd Parr and discuss how all families and houses are different. Then, students create their own...
Curated OER
Book Report Bingo
Students choose books based on their interests. They complete book reports and share their ideas with the class. They participate in a book bingo game to complete the lesson.
Curated OER
Music and Interdisciplinary Connections
Learners examine the interconnectedness of different art forms. They listen to music and watch a video while determining the similarities of the themes. They make connections between books, movies, opera, dance, and music.
Curated OER
...But What Does It Mean? Symbolism in Artwork
Students analyze the symbolism in the portrait The Artist in His Museum. In this symbolism lesson plan, students analyze the portrait and then create their own portrait containing symbolism.
Curated OER
Study Guide for Lelavision's Physical Music
Students complete activities for physical music analysis. In this physical music lesson, students read the biography for Lelavision musical sculptures, complete a sound and motion activity, and a making music activity. Students also...
Curated OER
Cinderella Stories From Around the World
Fifth graders are read a variety of Cinderella stories from around the world. In groups, they complete a comparison chart for each story and how it compares to the American version. To end the instructional activity, they participate...
Curated OER
Orientalism
Students read information about Orientalism, the artists who painted in that style, and study examples of the art. In this art style lesson, students read about the periods of Orientalism and the artists who created with the style....
Curated OER
Cinderella Stories From Around the World
Fifth graders review the basic story of the Cinderella fairy tale. In groups, they read various stories of Cinderella from different cultures. They use a compare and contrast chart to examine the differences between the American...
Curated OER
Development of Popular Music
The history and marketing of pop music is the subject of this lesson. Students first read an article detailing definitions and historical shifts of pop music in society. The activity then provides students with a few comprehension-level...