Lesson Plan
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Granary Door Dogon, Mali

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars explore a creation myth. In this visual arts lesson, students discuss the Dogon creation myth and the design and make refrigerator magnets in the style of Dogan granary doors. The design of the magnets should include...
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Literature Overview of African Folktales

For Teachers K
Students play a game of tug-of-war, participate in a discussion about the story, discuss the phrase "bigger doesn't mean better." , and illustrate a scene from the story.
Lesson Plan
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Guided Reading: Cold and Hot

For Teachers K - 1st
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...
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Creating Adinkra Symbols

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover examples of adinkra cloth. They explain the history of the symbols themselves. They create a larger pattern using geometric symbols. They discover how the symbols can be used to communicate with one another.
Lesson Plan
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Kente Cloths

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders create examples of Kente cloths using paper, markers, and paints in this multi-cultural Art lesson plan for the second grade. The two part lesson plan includes an introduction of Kente Cloth designs and can be accomplished...
Lesson Plan
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Quilting: The Story of the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore quilting. They read and discuss the book, Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. They research African American quilting traditions on the Internet and name three common qualities in quilts. They create a quilt block...
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Sew, You Want To Quilt?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students become familiar with the achievements of the artist Faith Ringgold. They take notice of the patterns in their environment. They connect the mathematical concept of patterns to create a class quilt.
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Celebrating Ancestors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in a "hands-on" activity, to explain that African masks were and are more than aesthetic artifacts, they are functional implements of the many cultures of the African continent.
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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.
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Physical Geography of Africa

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the topography of Africa.  In this physical geography instructional activity, 5th graders research the six regions of Africa and complete a physical map.  Students locate various landforms in...
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Big or Little

For Teachers K - 1st
Students complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book Big or Little, . In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer...
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Properties of Soil

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students encounter various pieces of knowledge utilizing lessons that addresses a diversity of learners with multiple intelligences. They cover various concepts: science, Earth, scientific inquiry, geometry, data analysis, probability,...
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Africa: Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students will create a poster showing how two different cultures strive for beauty. This instructional activity combines art and social studies in a meaningful way.
Lesson Plan
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Rhythm Sticks

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders experience artistic perception of rhythm in music and see how to move their bodies and tap their sticks to the rhythm of a particular song.
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Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain - Kenya

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students accompany music to the story Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain - Kenya to show how sound and music can accompany story description. For this music lesson, students learn how to show sound during a story.
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Families and Neighborhoods

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the concept of community. In this community lesson, students explore the cultural flavor of their neighborhoods as they discuss the history of their neighborhoods and draw pictures of their family and a building in their...
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Facial Tattoos or Face Painting

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students use a grid-like method to create a life-size self-portrait from a 3X5 black and white photo. They explore the different customs and rituals surrounding face painting from ancient through modern civilizations. Students create a...
Lesson Plan
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Singing And Making Rhythm

For Teachers 1st
First graders engage in a lesson that emphasizes the use of music to form a rhythmic beat that incorporates singing. They create a song in freestyle and some of them create a song. Students are assessed at using hand movement to track...
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Jamestown Journey Part 3

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the economy of Jamestown. In this early settlers lesson, 4th graders read about the trade between the English and the natives in Jamestown. This lesson is part of a larger unit and coincides with the novel The Double...
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Africa

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars create a poster showing how two different cultures strive for beauty.
Lesson Plan
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The American Dream

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students expand their knowledge by researching on the Internet the African American civil rights movement and compiling a timeline of events and heroes. In addition to the civil rights timeline, students identify the key historical sites...
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Impact on Your Essence

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students are introduced to the use of symbolism and how it can change one's view of a piece of art. Using a piece of art, they view it as if they were the artist and create a symbol that accompanies it. They discuss the impact of two-...
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Multimedia Stained Glass Window Design

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students construct and display a stained glass gothic window box made from cardboard boxes, color tissue or colored plastic sheets of mylar, and glue.
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Jamestown Journey Part 2

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create a chart or web to display qualities and characteristics of a good leader. They write a paragraph describing the qualities of a good Jamestown leader. Finally, 4th graders contribute to small group discussion about...