Curated OER
Slave Narratives: Constructing U.S. History Through Analyzing Primary Sources
Learners access oral histories that contain slave narratives from the Library of Congress. They describe the lives of former slaves, sample varied individual experiences and make generalizations about their research in journal entries.
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Wynton's Tune
Students examine the serigraph, "Wynton's Tune," by artist Faith Ringgold. They discuss the painting, listen to jazz music, create a drawing that tells a story inspired by their favorite music, and write sentences describing their artwork.
Curated OER
A Renaissance of Jazz and Poetry
Students explore, analyze, study and read a variety of poems and listen to jazz that have their roots in the Harlem Renaissance. They then discuss the similarities and differences of themes in the works of different poets and composers.
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Guided Reading: Cold and Hot
Explore the text, Cold and Hot, with comprehension strategies for young readers. First, give them a purpose for reading: find out what the boy wore outside in the snow! Then have them use one-to-one matching and picture clues to...
Curated OER
Artistic Influence - Lesson 3
Students discuss how musicians' messages can influence society. They think of examples of artistic expression in music, the visual arts, dance, and theater that can lead to a society's self-examination.
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Theatre: Oral Traditions
Students investigate cultural traditions. For this multi-cultural lesson, students discuss various cultures and research their traditions.
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Individual Empowerment in the Face of Oppression
Sixth graders investigate non-violent ways of dealing with conflicts by performing short plays. In this philosophy instructional activity, 6th graders discuss how men can gain power in a non-violent manner similar to Gandhi's...
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The Greek Gods
What were the early Greek myths? Have elementary young scholars examine the Persian Wars and read various Greek myth in order to identify the cause and the results of the Persian Wars. Myths, activities, simulations, and a unit plan are...
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A Taste of the Caribbean
Pupils are introduced to the foods and traditions of the Caribbean. In groups, they brainstorm their own definition of culture and review the physical and political geography of the Caribbean. They spend time sampling different foods...
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Stories Share Similar Scenes
Students listen to similar stories that come from different cultures and compare them. In this folktale lesson, students focus on different versions of "Cinderella," then complete a worksheet which is embedded in the plan about two...
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Cat Study Article
Learners write a letter to the editor of USA Today. In this letter writing lesson plan, students read a newspaper article about cats and consider a dog or cat's view on current events. Learners reflect this perspective in their letters.
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Following Muddy's Trail
High schoolers view the AMERICAN MASTERS film "Muddy Waters: Can't Be Satisfied" and research him using the Guided Reading strategy. They examine the influential musician's childhood and trace his journey from the Mississippi Delta to...
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Reliving History Through Slave Narratives
Students read slave narratives and retell the stories to the class, identifying sensory details. For this slavery lesson, students discuss the importance of sensory details, then read the slave narratives looking for specific examples. ...
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Sneetches by Dr. Seuss:
Students enter the classroom, half of them are given die-cut stars. They are told to keep the star for later. At the start of the day, the students with stars a piece of candy. Students brainstorm how it feels to get/not get a piece...
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Philanthropic Literature: Quilt to Freedom
A reading of Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson launches this study of slavery, freedom, and the Underground Railroad. After a discussion of the importance of showing respect for others and of helping each other in...
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
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Revolutionary Money
Examine paper money from the American revolution! Historians study the paper bills and discuss the history of money. How has money changed over the times? Activities are included.
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Studying the Life of Henry Bibb
After reading primary and secondary source materials about the life of Henry Bibb, individuals identify a core democratic value Bibb demonstrated and give examples drawn from their readings.
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North African and Southwest Asian Architecture
Seventh graders search online for current and historic images of North African and Southwest Asian architecture. They compare North African and Southwest Asian architecture to North American, European, Russian/Eurasian, and South...
Curated OER
Words and Music - Lesson 2
Students analyze the relationships among cultural values, freedom of artistic expression, ethics, and artistic choices in various cultures and historical periods.
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Literature: Coretta Scott King Award 2005
Students visit websites about the books, authors, and illustrators who received the King awards. They view illustrations from Kadir Nelson's award winning book Ellington Was Not a Street. They read excerpts from books and author interviews.
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Exploring Heroism
Learners research heroism online. In this heroism lesson, students use the documentary of Heroes of Ground Zero to explore the theme of heroism. Learners complete five days of activities to research and participate in activities that...
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History Hall of Fame
Students create an American History Hall of Fame for various cultures that have been forgotten in American History.
Curated OER
Lesson 8: After Slavery: Stowe's Vision
Eighth graders read Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.