Curated OER
Mavericks and Measurement
Students study the measurement formulas for area and perimeter in real-life situations. For this area and perimeter lesson, students design a bed and arrange furniture in a hotel room using area and perimeter formulas for a 7 1/2 foot...
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Ideal Living
Students examine two artists Vasily Kandinsky and Marcel Breuer. In this artist analysis lesson, students explore the principles of Bauhaus and consider the elements of chair design. Students identify the technique of lithography and may...
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African Mask
Students research the importance of masks to the African culture. In this African mask lesson, students design original masks using a variety of materials. Students use the template provided to create their masks.
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Shapes and Shelters
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (photographs) for evidence of Ancient Egyptian culture and design meaningful objects. They are grouped in pairs and instructed to choose someone that they admire, either living or...
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Fastest Way to a Full Belly
Students create a scale model of a cafeteria. For this scale lesson, groups improve their actual school cafeteria layout by taking measurements of the structure and redesigning furniture and food serving lines. They create a scale...
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Summer Fun Activity: Dream Vacations
Students can turn the block area into a travel agency. In this early childhood problem solving lesson, students use creative-thinking and language skills as they design a play environment.
Curated OER
Arrange the Classroom (Part 1 of 3)
Fifth graders arrange the classroom using all the moveable objects and through the exploration of area and perimeter. They determine the area of the classroom, create and label model pieces of furniture using graph paper, and create a...
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Bedroom Floor Plan
Students discover how floor plans for houses, specifically, bedrooms are made. In groups, they compare the characteristics of floor plans and zoning ordinances in order to meet the needs of those using it. To end the instructional...
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A Chair For My Mother
Students create art inspired by literature. In this literature activity, students read A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams and then design cards and draw gifts they would present to new neighbors.
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Tints, Tones, & Shades Painting
Students experiment with color mixing, using paints as the medium to discover tint, tone, shade, value and intensity.
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American Contemporary
High schoolers are introduced to the American Contemporary period in design. As a class, they examine the various types of design techniques used in this period by watching a PowerPoint presentation. To end the lesson, they sketch...
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Measurement, Scale and the Corn Dolly
Students read and discuss the story The Corn Dolly by Terry Jones. The teacher shows the class a corn dolly and they need to design and construct furniture that is appropriately scaled for that specific dolly.
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Where We Put Ourselves
Students examine the form and function of furniture in New Spain, explore the origins of marquetry, and discover the influences of other countries on marquetry in Puebla, Mexico.
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Room Balance
High schoolers will be able to identify a symmetrical furniture grouping from an asymmetrical grouping. They will also be able to judge the visual weight of an item and use it to create a type of balance in a composition.
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Make a Two-Dimensional Dollhouse
In this dollhouse instructional activity, students use the outlined pictures to cut, color and paste to design a two-dimensional dollhouse. Students color, cut and paste furniture of their choice.
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Bench
Sixth graders examine and discuss the marquetry ornamentation on an antique bench. They design and create a symmetrically designed jewelry box using marquetry techniques.
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Termite Trails
Students observe the behavior of termites and draw conclusions about their behavior. They record data as to termite behavior and recognize elements in the experimental design which must include a hypothesis.
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Houses in Japan
First graders compare the everday lives of school-aged children in the United States and Japan by comparing the houses they live in. They discuss how traditional Japanese houses are designed with a feeling of opennes to the outdoors and...
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Looking At French Decorative Arts: Makers of Nothing, Sellers of Everything
Students compare/contrast the role of merchant to that of his modern-day business counterpart. They role-play that they are 18th-century merchants, and write persuasive letters to sell French beds for clients.
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Describing Motion
In this motion instructional activity, students will use Newton's third law of motion to compare the force of objects on Earth with objects on Jupiter. This instructional activity has 5 short answer questions.
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The House
Oú est la cuisine? Several activities are suggested here to develop and further vocabulary acquisition for your beginning French speakers. They draw pictures of different rooms in a house and place objects around the room. Then, using...
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The Science of a Historic Sinking
Incorporate science investigations to expand pupils' understanding of the Titanic.
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Making Summer School Less of a Drag
Teaching summer school is the perfect opportunity for experimenting and expanding your classroom repertoire.
Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.
Classroom Setup: Grade 3
There's a lot of thought that goes into setting up safe and supportive classroom environments. From establishing a whole group meeting area and arranging desks, to organizing classroom supplies and creating bulletin board displays, this...