The guide to John Steinbeck's The Pearl suggests ways instructors can help readers see below the surface of the novella to the parable beneath. Through a variety of activities, readers come to appreciate the complexity of the tale.

Many classic tales, like "Cinderella," can be found worldwide. Bacis events are similar, but each retelling is molded by the culture in which it exists. Present your class with several version of tale (links provided) and have them...

Middle schoolers practice evaluating art by creating a research project and presentation. They use the Internet and library to discover a piece of art or artist whom they feel has an impact on the world of art. Next, they create a...

Young scholars dramatize traditional literature.  In this retelling lesson, students practice retelling The Little Engine That Could and take on roles of the trains in the story.  Young scholars create and display train props...

Eighth graders study haiku poems. In this poetry lesson, 8th graders write two haikus containing the standard 5-7-5 syllables content about things they enjoy within nature.

How much do you know about the holidays around the world? Second graders put their knowledge to the test with a 14-day lesson about global celebrations. They read informational text, employ KWL charts, and compare and contrast the many...

Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this activity. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. ...

Students read Sharyn McCrumb's and Maggie Greenwald's versions of "Songcatcher" and use them as a springboard to explore the heritage and traditions of Appalachian folk music. They review Internet sources, conduct research and write...

High schoolers recognize traits of heroes as depicted in music, art and literature. In this cross curricular activity, students evaluate and analyze various works fo art from different cultures that depict heroes.

Students explore Chinese New Year. In this Chinese culture instructional activity, students read associated literature and use worksheets to explore aspects of the Chinese New Year. Students complete this instructional activity by making...

Students discover historical value and use of different African masks through research and literature. Students also relate different customs and traditions of ethnic groups to the masks.

Students participate in theatre activities to study American history. In this American history and theatre instructional activity, students work in groups to research a specific Native American group to investigate their lifestyle....

Students compare mosaic design and pointillism. They discover the meaning of chiaroscuro by creating paper mosaic designs in Rembrandt style.

Students read and discuss Alaskan Native stories and legends. They share summaries and questions from the reading.

Learners discuss the right and wrong actions of a young Navajo boy. Using that information, they compare and contrast his culture to their own. In groups, they create a newspaper or poster showing the cultural contributions of the...

Focusing on Doppo's "Unforgettable People" and late nineteenth century Japanese literature, this resource also leads to discussions of form being dictated by content. Explore the development of new literary styles first-hand by...

During the first century of Chinese Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the government sent out a total of seven voyages into the Indian Ocean. Young historians will discuss, explain, role play, and compare the decisions made by rulers during the...

Upper graders having skills in music performance will extend their abilities through creative musical composition. They'll use Finale 2000 to explore facets of music composition, they'll then compose a piece for their instrument in C, F,...

What is a graphic novel? How does it differ from a traditional novel? These questions launch a discussion of Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo's graphic novel adaptation of The Kite Runner. Through a series of literature circle discussions,...

If you'd like to prompt some great discussions in your history class, this presentation will surely get your class talking. Addressing 19th century liberalism in Europe (including influences from England, France, America, and Ireland),...

Make your learners aware of the advantages and disadvantages of using different media in presentations. This straightforward resource evaluates media formations such as print, digital text, and videos. Although the subject of ballet is...