Curated OER
That Was Then, This is Now
Students read about the effect of strict fur trading laws on the lives of the Inuit people in Canada, then use print and digital resources to compare past and present-day ways of life of several indigenous peoples around the world.
Curated OER
Lesson: Emory Douglas: Here and Now: Looking at Contemporary Struggle
After looking into the life, art, and social contributions of artist Emory Douglas, learners analyze several social art pieces. They use Emory Douglas as an example of social art, then consider 10 other pieces. They write a paper...
Curated OER
The Clay Pot that YOU Built!
After listening to a story called The Pot that Juan Built about Mexican clay pot maker Juan Quezda, learners discuss this artistic process. Then, they discuss the special techniques used to make clay pots. And, finally, they make their...
Curated OER
Then and Now: Public Health from 1900 to Today
Throughout the 20th Century, the world has become a healthier place. By examining the public-health issues and diseases doctors faced during the 1900's, students will compare and contrast life from today vs. life in the 1900's. Their...
Curated OER
That's the Spirit
Is, as Walt Whitman contends, America’s “almost maniacal appetite for wealth,” the heart of the American dream? Class members grapple with this question as they read David Brooks’ article “The Commercial Republic,” and quotes that...
Curated OER
Souper Art
Turn your young artists into great marketing specialists with this fun lesson plan! They will turn ordinary soup cans into exciting choices for dinner by recreating the can label. This is a fantastic project to connect art, advertising,...
Curated OER
Animal Fact or Fiction?
Read and discuss the article "Welcome to Cicadaville (Enter at Your Own Risk)" to gain a better understanding around the confusion regarding cicadas and locust swarms. In groups your young analysts research statements about animals to...
Curated OER
The Object Is Objectivity
Young scholars search for and read articles about the initial United States strike on Afghanistan from non-U.S. news sources, then describe the journalists' perspectives and reflect on how difficult it might be to maintain an objective...
Curated OER
A Sense of Emptiness in the House That Michael Built
Students investigate different journalistic techniques used to add color and new dimension to fact-based news stories. They write a journal discussing techniques that journalists could use to make Michael Jordan's retirement from the NBA...
Curated OER
Less Is More
Students explore the underlying principles behind the Minimalist art movement. They create their own Minimalist works of art that explore specific philosophical questions.
Curated OER
Lunch Pail
Explore a 1900s lunch pail. In this oral language and 1900s history lesson, students view a photograph of an old-fashioned lunch pail. Students describe the object and make predictions about what it is and its possible uses. Students...
Curated OER
Where is Mesoamerica?
Students create a map of Mesoamerica using construction paper, clay or by drawing it. In this World Geography lesson, students determine the location of Mesoamerica, make a map, then present their map to their class.
Curated OER
Child Labor during the Industrial Revolution and Now
Fifth graders research topic of child labor by studying Industrial Revolution, read about child labor laws, and examine countries where child labor still exists today. They then choose single question to research from list, and create...
Concordia University Chicago
The Cradle by Berthe Morisot
The art activities found here have learners take a critical look at the role of women in the domestic setting. They analyze Berthe Morisot's The Cradle through a guided discussion. Then they paint men and women in traditional domestic...
American Physiological Society
Sit On It
How do product designers come up with the variety of things we see in stores and on TV every day? They identify a need, then create something that meets that need. Sounds simple, right? A two-week instructional activity puts seventh...
Curated OER
Lesson: Unmonumental: Final Projects
If you've used any of the New Class Museum lessons exploring the theme, Unmonumental, then check this out! Included are three different final project ideas that tie into the other seven Unmonumental lessons. Kids create community through...
Curated OER
ABC It's as Easy as 1-2-3!
Help readers explore initial letter sounds. They will choose a letter of the alphabet and create a page for a classroom "ABC" book. They will write down various words that begin with their assigned letter and draw a picture to go in the...
Curated OER
The Peanut Wizard
Students read and discuss information regarding George Washington Carver and how the peanut became cultivated in the southern colonies of the United States. In this George Washington Carver lesson, students develop vocabulary that...
Curated OER
Then and Now in Las Vegas
Third graders examine the history of Las Vegas. In this Las Vegas lesson, 3rd graders learn about the history of the city as they listen to a lecture. Students then create a Las Vegas timeline and acrostic poem.
Curated OER
On This Day in History
Pupils research the Internet to learn historical events that share their birthday. In this birthday research lesson, students use the given websites to research important events that share their birthday date. Pupils create a poster for...
Curated OER
All in a Day's Work
Who is Herman Melville? Read and discuss "Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-street." Then, discuss the film adaptations of Melville's work and translate a passage of the text into modern-day English. Discussion questions are...
Curated OER
Creating Scrolls Based on the Illustrated Tale of Genji
Now these are learning activities full of fun, art, and cultural exploration. Kids consider the art of storytelling through comic book images. They then look at the Tale of Genji as it was written in the 11th century. They discuss...
Curated OER
Facing the Ghosts of Our Past
A reading of a New York Times review of the movie Beloved launches research into how the Civil War affected the lives of people living during this period. Creative thinkers select a person from an included list of historical figures and...
Curated OER
Grand Canyon Suite
Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...