Arts Midwest
The Joy Luck Club: Culture and History
Explore San Francisco's Chinatown in a instructional activity about the first few chapters of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Kids research Chinatown on the Internet and create a virtual tour of the neighborhood, including the foods,...
Curated OER
Drama and Dance
Students create a dance that tells a story then they use the dance for inspiration and write their own. In this drama and dance lesson, students discover how the May and Aztec would dance to covey a concept or story. Students work in...
Curated OER
Comparing the Oneota of Wisconsin to the Aztecs of Mexico
Students study the Oneota Indians of Wisconsin. They compare and contrast them to another group of natives in the Americas around the same time. They conduct intelligent discussion of the Oneotas that gives evidence to support statements.
Curated OER
Did You Know...
Students research about hispanic history. They complete a true-false worksheet together or in groups. They discover achievements by hispanic members of society.
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What's Behind that Mask?
Students use a "spider web" graphic organizer to record information about different types of masks they are familiar with. They write a paragraph about masks. Students read about Native American cultures and compare/contrast the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays
Young historians have an opportunity to study the complex history and culture of Mexico by learning about several holidays: The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los...
Curated OER
Pre-Colonial Native American Groups
Students investigate U.S. history by researching the Internet and taking a test. In this American Indian group lesson, students identify the many specific Native American tribes and their geographic locations. Students research the web...
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Tie Snakes
Second graders make snakes out of ties. The students sew the bottom of the ties shut and stuff them with shredded plastic bags, the kind from a grocery store. They then sew them shut at the top. The students then sew on button eyes and a...
Curated OER
Halloween
Discover the origins and traditions of Halloween with a crafty lesson plan! Second graders create bats, monsters, witches, and ghosts with masks and puppets. Next, they share their work with their classmates in a fun celebration.
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Mesoamerican Codex Books
Fifth graders recreate Mesoamerican Codex Books using brown paper bags, paints, glue, an iron, and books on Mesoamerican Glyphs in this 5th grade lesson in the Art classroom. Resource links and book references are provided for lesson...
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The Selling of the Taj Mahal or Osaka Castle
Seventh graders work in groups and act as a real estate company who is trying to sell a billionaire a historical landmark to house his art collection and must make a presentation convincing him to buy their historical site.
Curated OER
Sun Relief Sculpture
Sixth graders create a slab project based on sun images throughout history.
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Exploring & Creating Mythology
Pupils read and compare mythological stories from ancient cultures from around the world. In small groups they read a myth and present the storyline and themes to the class, and write an original mythological story of their own creation...
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Inked Geometric Mandalas
Fifth graders gain an appreciation for mandalas in many cultures. Compare and contrast designs from many cultures. They see geometric design in mandalas and become aware of symmetrical balance and radial balance. They create a mandala...
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Mythology and Ancient Civilizations
Third graders examine ancient world civilizations and the mythologies they created to explain natural phenomena, as well as the writers and poets who wrote about the mythologies.
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Golden Door Book
Students use the Golden Door as a theme to search for historical and aesthetic content. They create a paper collage containing relevant images, text and expressions.
Curated OER
AN INTERNATIONAL MENU
Studentsl expand vocabulary through word study, literature and class discussion (e.g. word origins, roots and affixes, meaning in context, levels of usage, etc.). They recognize food-related words that have entered the English language...
Curated OER
Chapter 9: A Surprising Day and A Little Bit About China
Fifth graders complete activities with Chapter 9 of the book The Fastest Pig in the West by Randi Hacker. In this literature lesson, 5th graders discuss the concept of saving face and how it affects the main character's decisions....
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Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources
Students identify legends in Tennessee and U.S. history, and differentiate between primary and secondary sources. They list examples of primary and secondary sources, participate in a field trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and...
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Central American Immigrants to the United States: Refugees from Unrest
Middle schoolers identify the major aspects of Olmec and Mayan civilzations, including economic, political, and religious. They list contributions of these civilizations. Students identify the Central American countries where the United...
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HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ANALYSIS
Middle schoolers examine a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries, to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires,...
Curated OER
Time Line of Astronomy Events and Discoveries
Students work in groups to present a segment of a timeline of events and discoveries in astronomy. For this astronomy lesson plan, students teach their classmates about their section of the timeline.
Curated OER
Come On Over To Maya Place
Fifth graders analyze the Mayan culture. In this Mayan culture instructional activity, 5th graders study the Mayan culture noting similarities and differences between the Mayan culture and their own. Students examine hieroglyphic writing...
Curated OER
Incan Artifacts - Clay Pottery Lesson
Students study Incan artifacts found at an online database and create samples using clay pottery and paint.