Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Artistic Symbols

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers compare and contrast symbols used in African and Plains Indian art. In this visual arts lesson, students compare symbols of 2 cultural groups found in their art. Middle schoolers write a description of what items might...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pop Culture and Art

For Teachers 6th
Learn about American pop culture, art, and the social voice that art can convey. The class discusses the life and art of Barton Benes, views his piece Reliquarium, then discusses what they see and feel when they view his work. Make sure...
Lesson Plan
Brookly Museum

Mickalene Thomas: Origin of the Universe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Modern art is great to experience because it brings contemporary issues into everyday conversation. Upper graders consider the work of Mickalene Thomas, an artist that uses photo collage techniques to capture the beauty of African...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students compare and contrast African-American, Asian-American, Chicano and Native-American movements with the civil rights movement and are exposed to the sociopolitical and economic factors involved in the rise of social movements.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arm and Face Casts - body art

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study African masks. They also study African American Art and look for its influence in Modern Art. They research and design their own culture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visual Arts, Literary Arts, and Performing Arts: Their Connection and Place in America's Minority Culture

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore the rich, varied, and full artistic culture of each of these three minority groups, Native Americans, Chicanos, and African Americans. They explore art through dance, music, literature, and many other different...
Lesson Plan
Benjamin Banneker Association

Celebrate Benjamin Banneker

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Inventor, astronomer, surveyor, mathematician, clock maker. Learners celebrate the life of Benjamin Banneker by building creative analog clocks, making scale models, and solving problems related to surveying. The activities model the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Looking Closer: The Artwork of Shinique Smith

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A critical discussion regarding the nature of Shinique Smith's second-hand clothing art is the foundation for the lesson. Critical thinkers fully analyze the meaning behind her work, taking close consideration of where the clothing came...
Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Musical Harlem: How Is Jazz Music Reflective of the Harlem Renaissance?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Bring jazz music and the Harlem Renaissance to light with a lesson that challenges scholars to research and create. Pupils delve deep into information materials to identify jazz terminology, compare types of jazz and jazz musicians,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tears of Joy Theatre Presents Anansi the Spider

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Accompany the African folktale, Anansi the Spider, with a collection of five lessons, each equipped with supplemental activities. Lessons offer multidisciplinary reinforcement in English language arts, social studies, science,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Parallel Studies in American/Afro-American Literature, Part II -- Black and White Images in Alienation

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students begin the lesson with a review of the elements of poetry. Individually, they read a variety of poems and literature one white and one black author focusing on decay, sterility and alienation. They identify these images within...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Women: Their Roles and Music

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore music by African women. In this African society lesson plan, students compare and contrast the roles of African and American women. Students listen to music by African women and analyze the lyrics of the music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ray Charles

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners read the book Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis. For this biography lesson, learners read about the life of Ray Charles. Learners answer pre-reading questions about senses, strengths, and weaknesses they have. The lesson...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Louis Armstrong

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
In this reading comprehension worksheet students read a biography of jazz musician Louis Armstrong. Students answer 6 questions.
Lesson Plan
Akron Art Museum

Storytelling Resist

For Teachers K - 5th
The illustrations of Ezra Jack Keats in The Snowy Day inspire young artists to examine shapes in illustrations and to use these shapes to create their own watercolor resist painting.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Latino Contributions To American Culture

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create their own working definition of what it means to be an American. They examine the achievements of Latinos and discuss how the contribution of these Americans have enriched and helped shape American culture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roots And Styles Of Black Music - Lesson 1

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify many genres of Black music. They identify Black music as a reflection of the culture. They study many historically influential Black music artists, producers, and other contributors.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Male Image Building Utilizing the Writing Process

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Introduce your class to the techniques of proper writing. In groups, they brainstorm their ideas on family structures and discuss the importance of having a male figure in their lives. After listening to an African-American poem, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gaining Ground

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore African-American art by researching, preparing and presenting reports on particular artists. They analyze what they have learned through the lens of modernism.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visualizing Jazz Scenes From the Harlem Renaissance

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners identify themes of selected nonfiction, fiction, poetry and art to Harlem Renaissance jazz and describe the impact of jazz on African-American literature of the Harlem Renaissance
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Black Diamond

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Score a home run with this packet of information on the very first player of the Negro League to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame — cultural groundbreaker and sports legend Satchel Paige. These worksheets include a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ella Fitzgerald: Something to Live For

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the basic characteristics of jazz, and its relationship to African-American culture and history. They listen to examples of jazz, conduct research, and create a 20th century timeline of music and historical events.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Langston Hughes and the Blues

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the connections between Langson Hughes and blues music. In this African American culture lesson, students compare and contrast blues music with poetry and short stories by Langston Hughes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking the Chains: Rising Out of Circumstances

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Study history through photographs. In this visual arts and history activity, students learn to analyze photographs to discover details about life during the Civil War era. Students write journal entries as if they are the...