Students discuss children's rights during wartime and watch public service announcements. After reading excerpts from children's diaries of war, they work in groups to create a storyboard for their own PSA on children's rights during...

High schoolers explore world literature through completing several varied exercises. In this compare and contrast lesson students compare and contrast stories and how time and culture impacts the stories.

Students examine the various cultures of the world through literature. After reading various stories, they compare their own personal experience with the characters. In groups, they take the original story and add their own characters...

Students explore philosophy by participating in a philanthropic activity. In this book read-in lesson, students collect a group of used books and illustrate an image to go along with the story. Students donate these books to a shelter or...

Students read books by the same author and compare what they find.  In this Dr. Seuss lesson, students learn about Dr. Seuss' writing style, listen for the rhyme scheme in his stories, and create a KWL chart on Dr. Seuss. ...

Students explore The Golden Rule of Reciprocity from various religions. In this religious beliefs instructional activity, students examine various religious quotes and summarize the idea of The Golden Rule in a sentence.

SStudents view examples of O'Keef's work and watch a video about her life. They use colored pencil to create a 6" x 6" reproduction of a 2" x 2" square cut from a magazine picture, finding and using the most interesting shapes in the...

Begin this activity by asking third graders to bring from home pieces of cloth that represent something important to them. (Have extras for students who need them.) They reflect on important events in their lives, compose narrative...

Students explore Indian Basket designs, experiment with weaving materials and create their own baskets in this 5-day Arrt lesson for the early-elementary classroom. The lesson includes scoring guides and illustrated directions for students.

Students investigate impressionist painting techniques. In this visual arts lesson, students view paintings by Monet and practice the dot and stroke technique. Students use shades of green and gentle brush strokes to create grass in...

Investigate national unity in a month-long lesson. After creating "I am from" poems, 5th graders will construct accordion flip books, listing and illustrating reasons for settlement. Choosing illustrations, essays, or Powerpoint...

Here is a lesson that acquaints learners with the 1920s. They will use primary source documents to create original skits. Students choose a character from the 1920s, become that character, and then share what they have learned through...

Students examine the different kinds of families. In this family lesson, students discuss who is in their family, talk about how families should treat each other and how they feel about their family. Students make posters that show...

Students explore a local seat of government to examine ways to make changes in their communities. In this local government lesson plan, students read about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his nonviolent protests. Students read important...

Learners and their parents participate in a volunteer opportunity in their community in order to solve a problem. In this problem solving lesson plan, students reflect on historical problems and see how they can solve a current problem.

Students make their own chalk art or poster that represents a protest sign. In this protest sign lesson plan, students look at signs from the Civil Rights movement and then make their own.

Students examine the many ways quilts were used to chronicle the history and experiences of African slaves and African-Americans in America. They analyze a story quilt using the elements of storytelling, then create a class quilt.

Students participate in diverse cultural activities that lead them to a better understanding of Native American people. They use pictographs to write a story, imagining themselves as tribal members. Students transfer their story to a...

Students role-play as pioneers in Illinois river towns. They research and choose a home town and participate in the development of the town. They present their simulation in either a written report or visual presentation.

Young scholars create a cookie that is inspired by their holidays. They write a paragraph explaining why the shape represents their holiday.