Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"The Block": Romare Bearden's and Mine

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students study Bearden's style of collage and create their own collage that reflects their neighborhood. They are read "The Block" and poems about neighborhoods and write one about theirs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration Unit

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders develop an appreciate for the various cultures that are present in their local community. Through reading and research, they explain how various culture came to live in their area. At the conclusion of the unit, 3rd...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folk Music

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore Folk Music in Iowa. For this folk music lesson, students discuss different types of folk music and how it relates to life in Iowa. They take the tune of a song and write their own lyrics to describe their life. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Relationship Between Addition and Subtraction

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students are taught how to add and subtract and use number sense to solve basic math problems. In this addition and subtraction lesson, students are being taught using theories from different philosophers in education. They are given a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Philanthropy in History

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students understand the importance of books in past and present societies. In this philanthropic instructional activity, students compare Andrew Carnegie and Benjamin Franklin's perspective on the importance of everyone being able to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

District Decisions

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Learners review census data and examine the manner in which reapportionment and redistricting occurs. They, in groups, debate a proposed change in the way congressional districts are drawn and present their debates to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visual Art: Romare Bearden and Group 306

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine the life and art of Romare Bearden. Using his "Mill Hand's Lunch Bucket" for inspiration, they write a first chapter for a book. Students observe numerous other works of his art and discuss them from artistic and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blues Improvisation

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students practice playing and improvising while playing the 12 bar blues. They practice compositional skills, evaluate and perform musical pieces focused on the blues.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hard Edge Painting

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils study the history of hard edge painting and discover demonstration techniques using a variety of fonts and discuss lettering. They present a number of abstract works of art with hard edge technique and works of art with text.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Cultural COmmunity

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create tiles to create a project that helps students to reflect upon culture. The concept of multicultural education is necessary to help create a community of learners. Brainstorming is the main skill that is used for students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Characteristics of Living Things

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders identify the characteristics of living and non-living things. For this biology lesson, 7th graders define vocabulary words as they go through the lesson. They answer a crossword puzzle after class discussion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rhythmic Travel Around the World

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore and play rhythm sticks while listening to songs from around the world. They locate the countries of origin on a map, and tap their rhythm sticks to the beat of the music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colonial Research Fun

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review the characteristics of the thirteen colonies. In groups, they use the internet to research one of the colonies more in depth and answer questions about it. They develop a newspaper or travel brochure to share the...
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: African American Sheet Music, 1850 1920

For Students 9th - 10th
View 1,300 pieces of sheet music composed by and about African Americans between 1850-1920.
Primary
Brown University

Brown University Library: African American Sheet Music: James Bland

For Students 9th - 10th
This website is an excellent source for information on James Bland and his music. Includes images of his sheet music, complete with notes and links to related information on African-American music and popular music from the post-Civil...
Website
Other

Florence Beatrice Price: African American Composer

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the first African American women to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra. This resource lists information about her birth, her marriage and a list of nearly all of her compositions.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: The Blues

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Examples of the blues inspired by the African American migration to Northern cities. These lyrics and audio clips explores the reasons for, and effects of, these migrations.
Handout
John F. Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center: Arts Edge: William Grant Still

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about composer William Grant Still in this resource. This brief biography highlights the career of this African American composer.
Website
PBS

Pbs: Duke Ellington's Washington

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explores the life of Duke Ellington, as well as the strong African-American community that flourished in Washington, D.C., during the time that Ellington lived there (1899-1923).
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Ellington, Edward "Duke"

For Students 9th - 10th
Duke Ellington's prominence as one of the greatest American composers and key figure in the development of the genre of jazz is highlighted in this encyclopedia entry.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Smithsonian Jazz: Duke Ellington

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site provides audio clips, photos, and biographical information of this legendary composer and performer. A match game teaches and tests your knowledge of Ellington.
Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Documents Gallery: Ellington and Strayhorn

For Students 9th - 10th
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, two of the greatest jazz composers, collaborated on hundreds of works. As you explore this exhibition, you will have an opportunity to view original music scores, listen to audio clips, and view videos...
Handout
PBS

Classics for Kids: William Grant Still

For Students 3rd - 8th
A short biography of William Grant Still (1895-1978 CE). Click to the past radio shows to hear his music and learn more about this famous composer.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Famous African Americans Duke Ellington

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage contains biographical information about the famous jazz composter, Duke Ellington. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and...