Learners annotate text from The Great Gatsby before working through a character development map. They then use text evidence in a final essay to describe the connection between central ideas and character development.

Students analyze common recurring motifs and themes found in literature and artwork from various cultures. They research and report of the "trickster" motif found in Native american, Mayan, and Ethiopian cultures.

Students explore music as a cultural tradition. In this global studies activity, students consider the implications of the loss of childhood songs to a cultural group. Students determine the type of musical "treasures" that are part of...

Seventh graders play physical movement games to enhance their health and research Indian cultures. In this movement lesson plan, 7th graders research Indian movements and use them in physical activity.

The Japanese communicate in very different ways than people in the US. Using three essential questions as a guide, learners look at different scenarios (included) and compare customs seen here and there. All the materials you need are...

Students discuss their food preferences. Using a flannel board and food models students describe what they would like to eat for dinner. Students compare their selections with their classmates. Students identify the nationality of ethnic...

Learners explore Puerto Rico.  In this Puerto Rico current events instructional activity, students conduct a Webquest to answer questions about Puerto Rico's culture.  Learners discuss whether Puerto Rico is a country or a...

Learners examine the Declaration of Independence. For this Revolutionary War lesson, students use primary sources to analyze how the creation of the Declaration of Independence lead to the development of the United States as an...

Students study African American history month. In this culture activity, students discuss the origins of African American history and play a concentration game by matching the picture to the name of a famous African American.

Students 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 mediums....

Twelfth graders research the history to Haiku Poetry. They read classical haiku to comprehend their special sensibility and form. Students encounter the Buddhist philosophical background of this poetry and its roots. They write original...

Learners examine how African American families were affected by slavery. As a class, they watch and read King's "I Have a Dream Speech" and write a paper on how this message relates to families. In their journals, they compare and...

High schoolers study American transcendentalism through readings of Emerson and Thoreau. They make cognitive connections to the similarities to Buddhism in these writings. The connection of the literary movement is explained in the art...

Fifth graders investigate given cultures using the internet, personal interviews and other sources, They examine how the civilizations of six Native American tribes and six Australian Aboriginal tribes survived during their respective...

Students explore differences in cultures while researching Indian boarding schools in the United States. They explore issues related to the forced acculturation of American Indians into the American culture and examine different...

Young historians examine the lifestyle changes and cultural changes that occurred as a result of the challenges posed by World War II on society in general. With regard to American History and culture, pupils write an essay on the...

Travel back in time to the Stono Rebellion. Young historians research historical figures who played a role in African Americans' fight to escape slavery. Scholars research material, complete handouts, participate in group discussion, and...

Mexican Repatriation: the forgotten deportation of American citizens. The resource focuses on the deportation of Mexican American citizens during the Great Depression. Young historians read documents, complete a free-write, and fill out...

American music is the result of the influence of many cultures, including the traditions brought by the African slaves. Young scholars study the polyrhythms, the call-and-response format, and the vocal improvisations of the Gullah...

Although the work Americans do has changed over time, the plight of the American worker has largely remained the same. Facilitate a class discussion aboutAmerican workers using Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith" and...

During the early 1500s, parts of modern-day New York were inhabited by Eastern Woodland Native Americans. To learn about the daily life, value, and traditions of these tribes, fourth graders research the Iroquois.  Groups select...

Mass incarceration: A result of a tough stance on crime or racial discrimination, you decide. Academics explore the history and reasons behind mass incarcerations in the United States and its impact on ethnic communities. The...

Break the chain. An engaging lesson examines why it is so hard to break free of the prison system in the US. Academics participate in a reader's theater, read primary sources, and discuss their thoughts. The lesson explains the hardships...

Just because slavery was illegal doesn't mean it went away ... Jim Crow Laws took its place. An eye-opening lesson focuses on how Jim Crow Laws were used as a form of racial social control against African Americans in the United States....