Curated OER
Mexico's Day of the Dead
Students explore global culture by researching a Mexican holiday. In this Day of the Dead lesson, students read assigned text which discusses the view of death in several different cultures including the U.S. and Mexico. Students write a...
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Dancing Skeleton Puppets
Students study the Mexican holiday known as The Day of the Dead. In this holiday lesson, students study bones, listen to Tony Johnston's, Day of the Dead and learn on about the holiday. They listen to two more books before making puppets...
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Celebrating the Day of the Dead
Young scholars explore the artwork of the Indo-Hispanic holiday of Day of the Dead. They view images, define key vocabulary terms, and plan and create a two- and three-dimensional sculptural figure.
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Latin American Film
Students identify characteristics in a Latin American film. In this filmography instructional activity, students describe their favorite movies and the reasons why they like them. Students are shown a short clip of a Latin American movie...
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Dia de los Muertos Sugar Skulls
Pupils research information about the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), a major celebration in Mexican culture, and compare it to similar holidays in other cultures. They discover various folk arts and festive traditions associated...
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Claycrete Calaveras - Dia de los Muertos
Learners create skeletons to celebrate the Day of the Dead. In this visual arts instructional activity, students explore the importance of the Day of the Dead celebrations in the Mexican culture. They create skeletons and decorate them...
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Magnificent Mexico
Students complete a variety of activities in a unit about the art, culture, and traditions of Mexico. They read books about the Day of the Dead, create a skeleton puppet, and create a traditional Mexican tissue paper cutting. Students...
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My Brother Sam is Dead: A study of the Revolutionary War
Fifth graders complete an analysis of the Revolutionary War through literature. After "My Brother Sam Is Dead," students create a time capsule containing items that would be relevant during the Revolutionary War. They identify key...
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Comparing Cultural Holidays
Students discover facts about the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead. In this compare and contrast lesson plan, students explore Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Students create an alter to memorialize a family member or friend that has...
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El Dia de Los Muertos: Mexican Celebrations
Students research Spanish speaking individuals and the holiday, The Day of the Dead, using Internet and print resources. They orally present their research. Students engage in Mexican traditions by making either a lapida (headstone) or...
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Marigold Sculptures
Students design paper sculpture. In this visual arts lesson, students follow the provided steps to create their own marigold sculptures from paper products and paint.
Hildegard Center for the Arts
Mardi Gras Masks
Laissez les bons temps rouler! Create your own festive Mardi Gras masks with a lesson that provides background information on the celebration and instructions about constructing the masks.
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Hit the Trail
Students read about the history of cattle trails and complete language arts, math, social studies, and more activities about barbed wire. In this barbed wire lesson plan, students read poetry, research changes over time, draw cattle...
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Library Skills: Biography
Biographies deserve special attention when training youngsters how to use the library because they are alphabetized by subject rather than by author. Guide children through the process of finding biographies over a two-visit series. On...
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Jose Posada - Calaveras Drawings - Line
Students examine and discuss work of Mexican printmaker Jose Posada, and create drawings in the style of Posada that use current subject matter and symbols.
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Comparing Cultural Holidays
Third graders explore art that reflects their cultural background. In this writing and research lesson plan students compare and contrast the Halloween with El Dia de los Muertos. Students study the visual art of these holidays. Then...
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Irony in "The Gift of the Magi"
Use O. Henry's ubiquitous tale of love and poverty to explore irony. After reading the story, middle schoolers identify examples of all three kinds of irony in the story. With partners, they brainstorm original examples of irony. Then...
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Agriculture is a Cycle
Learners explore cycles in nature. In this cross curriculum agriculture lesson, students define "cycle" and research weather and planting folklore. Learners make a bracelet in which individual colored beads represent the many "cycles" of...
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Hieroglyphs and Communication
Students compare modern day text messaging with the use of hieroglyphs as forms of communication. They translate hieroglyphic messages written by classmates and check for accuracy.
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Chinese Paper-Cuts
Students identify the art and culture of China while increasing their dexterity in art and their skills of papermaking. Students identify and analyze the application of the elements and principles of design to the cute of paper-making...
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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.
Curated OER
The Renaissance Person: composing an Extended Definition Essay
Young scholars recognize the characteristics of an extended definition. In this Renaissance person lesson, students read a collection of short stories. Young scholars research the definitions of Renaissance and Renaissance person. ...
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Lesson Plan to Accompany Psalm of Life
Students read and analyze the poem, "Psalm of Life," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They create a Footsteps Quilt, developing quilt squares to represent each goal and gift they would leave as a gift to humanity.
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Dealing With Tragedy in the Classroom
Students compose a letter, organize a group effort, discuss the idea of patriotic symbols and explain their importance, use visual representations to express feelings and explain the importance of sustained volunteerism.