Musicals have been adapted from stage plays, novels, and movies. With The Lion King, Disney transforms its animated film into show-stopping, live-action musical theatre. The guide Disney provides to accompany a study of the award-winning...

Social issues of gender and media stereotypes, begins with a multi-sensory experience. Learners view the painting Backlash Blues and make critical comments based on what they see. They then read the Langston Hughes poem and listen to the...

Music, culture, social studies, and plant growth all in one! Kids explore the various type of traditional African instruments that are made out of gourds. They then grow their own gourds and use them to create a wide variety of African...

Trey from Phish and Dave from the Dave Mathews Band took a trip to Africa to explore music, culture, and history. Your class watches this episode from VH1's Music Studio to understand how African culture and music have influenced modern...

Much of Latin American music owes its origins to the slave trade. Peoples from the Yoruban and Dahomean cultures brought with them the distinctive rhythms, time signatures, and eighth note patterns that now characterize Caribbean music....

Africans transported to the Caribbean as part of the transatlantic slave trade brought with them a rich tradition of music and dance. Four lessons teach young musicians the rumba clave rhythm, cascara rhythm, and the 6/8 bell patterns...

Is it possible for a nation to buy an ally? Scholars research the growing relationship between African nations and one of the largest superpowers on the planet, China. Viewing a short video, they discuss how different nations in Africa...

Is containing a conflict possible in the Horn of Africa? Young peacekeepers engage in a simulation that examines the multi-faceted conflict that exists between the countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Representatives from ten countries in...

It's hard to image that a mystery surrounds the second largest settlement ruins found in Africa. Who built this stone city? Why was it built? What happened to it? Why was it abandoned? A short video explores the controversies surrounding...

To conclude a unit on the concept of diversity in world literature, class members conduct a symposium on "African Literature in Global Perspectives." In order to earn a spot on the panel, individuals craft an original thesis that...

Discover the complex, rich legacy of fourteenth century African king Mansa Musa, who is said to have been one of the wealthiest individuals who has ever lived. Young historians will learn about trade routes between the Mediterranean and...

Students explore ancient tradition and craft of mask making, examine role or function of masks in African culture, create instruments, and participate in class projects.

Found metal objects were welded together to create an inspiring African sculpture. Learners consider the use of objects and the inspiration of African art seen in Picasso's work. They then find and create a scrap art sculpture, as well...

The wood sculpture Nkisi Nkondi is said to have been used to aid in conflict resolution. Learners pretend they are journalists reporting on a conflict in which the figure was used to resolve an issue. A creative and interesting use of...

Study African culture and learn the origins of Kwanzaa with an artistic lesson plan. Learners recognize that Kwanzaa is Swahili for "first fruits of the harvest." They identify and comprehend the values and meanings of the nguzo saba,...

Students examine African cultural ideas about death and the afterlife by reading and answering questions about passages from Beloved.

Make your class musically and culturally literate. They'll listen to and discuss three types of music styles indicative of three different cultures. They'll identify characteristics and instruments used in western, traditional, and...

Students create a piece of art inspired by traditional African pieces.

Sixth graders create "macquette" sculptures, which would be models for larger playground pieces.

Seventh graders create three dimensional works of art from two dimensional plans, develop skills in papier-mach?? technique, utilize elements and principles of design to create 3-D form, and develop math/strategy skills in playing the...

Kids explore Gullah music from Africa and then create original compositions based on what they've learned. They practice traditional melodies and rhythms then make some of their own, which they then perform for the class. 

Brazilian music, culture, and religion have been heavily influenced by African's who were brought to South America during the time of slave trading. This presentation covers the blending of two cultures which resulted in Afro-Brazilian...

Quiz your class on the wonders of African music. There are approximately 25 questions broken into five sections, each section focuses on a different aspect of music applied to African music elements. Quiz topics include African music,...

You can keep this printable idea sheet and use when you're in a tight spot. It contains cross-curricular ideas that span every subject while relating to the African tale, "Anasazi the Spider." Learners will act, write, move, count, and...