After reading and discussing a news article from the New York Times regarding gay and lesbian issues of the last thirty years, students engage in several activities to explore current events. They create a timeline, either electronically...

Students examine laws that have affected women in history: the 1780's, following the United States independence from England; the 1880's, the time of westward expansion, the silver/gold era, and the coming of the Industrial Revolution.

Students view the comic "Time sliders" from the Celebrate the Stamp Unit from the 1980's. They discuss what the comic magazine contains. Students listen to a speaker from the post office discuss how stamps are selected. They use...

The student will explore free jazz, fusion, and contemporary jazz. They will listen to avant garde, fusion, and pop recordings. In addition, they participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of...

Using political cartoons, scholars analyze the energy crisis of the 1970s and '80s, comparing and contrasting it to current tensions with oil. Display the 6 cartoons (linked) to the class, and demonstrate analysis using the worksheet...

Students imagine what it would be like to travel back in time. In this creative writing lesson plan, students watch parts of the film Back to the Future and examine artifacts from the past. Students write a short story in which they...

Learners explore the urban socioeconomic and political problems in the US that caused hip hop to emerge in the 70's and 80's. Hip Hop culture is explored and related to the genre of art form.

Students experience a dance club-like environment one would find in Haring's 1980's. They dress in 80's clothes and learn break dancing moves. They relate the experience to Haring's artwork and explain his influences.

Upper graders take a critical look at art criticism, music, and politics. They watch one segment of "True Spin," produced by VH1 music television and then discuss myths that relate to art and music. Several modern songs are analyzed...

Art and music have been vehicles for statements of civil unrest for hundreds of years. Upper graders critically analyze several pop songs or music movements from the 1980s that exemplify politically charged motives. They...

The phrase, "You sold out" has been thrown around among musicians that have lent their talents to the corporate world. Here, the class engages in an interesting discussion on how musicians make a living and the influence of commercialism...

Students examine how breakdancing influenced Keith Haring. They translate a flat image into movement. They breakdance along to music of the 1980's to experience the energy and innovation of that decade. They create flipbooks of their own...

Students examine a website for viewpoints on fitness as a legal issue. They form positions on communal responsibility vs. personal freedoms and present to the class their positions.

Learners examine the economics of a time period along with the music.

Research a historic event using textbooks, primary source documents, the Internet, and other library and media resources. Young historians will take the research they have gathered and write an attention-grabbing, historically accurate...

Seventh graders explore the goals of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.  In this US History lesson, 7th graders read a newspaper article that reported a significant event during this era.  Students write a...

Students discuss the United States Postal Service and choose an artifact from one decade. In this art lesson, students research how the artifact chosen relates to Chicago and the United States. Students create their own postage stamp...

Students explore life and work of Keith Waring, and create their own "Graffiti Wall" in the classroom.

Students examine artwork by Keith Haring, and listen to music popular in the 1980s that influenced him. They develop storyboards, and film music videos for their favorite song.

Students explore the cultural and creative phenomenons of the 1980s. They transform old clothes, model them and reflect on the process. They create a set as a backdrop and present a Fashion Show.

Pupils, in groups, research apartheid and its effects on South Africa. They present their information to the class.

Students discuss music of other eras students discuss the influence of elements such as politics, social events, etc. on music of the time. They examine the cause and effect of musical diversity after watching a video segment: "Behind...

Students identify different genres of music popular in the 1980s. They study musicians of the 1980s examples of the songs that they made popular. They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan to categorize the music.

Fifth graders use cut and paste paper composition inspired by the work of Henri Matisse and his book called "Jazz." After composition is completed, 5th graders select 2 shapes to reproduce in minitaure for border.