Curated OER
Cruisin' the Counties: Learning Counties and Major Roads in Arizona
Learners examine Arizona counties and use the themes of location and movement to develop an Arizona map.
Huntington Library
The Poetry and Prose of Langston Hughes
Eleventh graders discover the poetry of Langston Hughes. For this social issues lesson plan, 11th graders experience the views of Langston Hughes. Students read Hughes' poetry and discuss the basic theme. Students evaluate the political,...
Curated OER
Analyzing Two Dances and Making a Dance Map: The Nutcracker
Students discuss dance elements and create a dance map. They choose a dance theme and incorporate movement into their dance maps and choreography. They also experiment with different types of music.
Curated OER
"Living in the Limelight The Universal Dream"
Students, using Leo's Lyrics, investigate common themes in popular music. They create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that analyzes their findings along with a 200 word paragraph stating their observations, conclusions and hypotheses about...
Curated OER
Birch Bark Biting
Fifth graders create birch bark biting art pieces. For this aboriginal art lesson, 5th graders produce art using birch bark. Students present their art pieces and explain their designs.
Curated OER
Haydn's Surprise
Pupils listen to Haydn's "Surprise" and use the score to create themes and variations with other rhythms. They create poems using Haydn's rhythm in the symphony and research his life. They also use "body percussion" to play parts of the...
Curated OER
Mutability Questions
In this poetry analysis worksheet, learners read the poem "Mutability," by William Wordsworth and then respond to 6 discussion questions. The questions require students to consider the role of religion and the impact of sudden change as...
Curated OER
Individual vs. Social Responsibility: From Camus to the Cure
Students explore the individual's role in society. In this social responsibility lesson, students analyze Camus's The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus as well as Borges's "Rosendo's Tale." Students compare the themes of the pieces to...
Curated OER
American Music Styles - Lesson 1
Young scholars describe some of the distinguishing characteristics of rock, folk, blues, and country music. They identify two main musical roots of today's American popular music.
Curated OER
M.C. Bard: Hip Hop and Shakespeare
Students compare lyrics from hip hop songs with monologues from Shakespeare's plays, and perform both for the class.
Curated OER
Black and Blue: Jazz in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man
Students analyze the impact of jazz on the novel, "Invisible Man," by Ralph Ellison. They read and discuss excerpts of the novel, write an essay on the influence of jazz on Ralph Ellison as a writer, and view video excerpts on jazz...
Curated OER
Phenomenology Lesson Plan #7: Theme Part 2
High schoolers summarize the Phenomenology unit in this instructional activity. They identify character and universal themes from different films. They create a ten question survey for reviewer responses.
Curated OER
The Collaborative Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Show Business
Students study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two decades...
Curated OER
The Grapes of Wrath: Scrapbooks and Artifacts
Young scholars complete research to enhance their reading of "The Grapes of Wrath". Using the text, they identify and locate cultural artifacts and discuss their symbolic connotations. As a class, they create a museum exhibit of the...
Curated OER
Individuality: India Arie Music Video
Young scholars examine individuality. In this music video activity, students listen to music by India Arie to determine how music shapes our ideas of what normal is as well as how music is a form of poetry. Activities are...
Curated OER
Dreams, Stars, and Beaches
Compare and contrast ideas, hopes and dreams with those of Cassie in Faith Ringgold's, Tar Beach. your students can entries in their journals expressing their ideas.
Curated OER
Storytelling: Performance and Art Learning Center
Tenth graders explore the process of telling stories without words. In this literature lesson, 10th graders watch a music video performance made by Alaska Native students, and then examine art objects that may be used to tell a...
Curated OER
Monster: Guided Imagery
How would you feel if you were on trial for murder—and you were only 16 years old? Put yourself in Steve Harmon's shoes before reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Kids listen to music that fits the theme of the book before...
Curated OER
Calligraphy, Handwriting And The Alphabet
Students produce calligraphy projects using writing skills and unique tools in this six-day Art activity. Emphasis is placed upon the work of Portland, Oregon calligraphy artist Inga Dubay and her experiences with "Italic" writing...
San Francisco Symphony
Beethoven's Sixth Symphony and the Expression of Feeling through the Arts
Here is an activity used originally to finish off a unit on country life and nature. It requires learners to have a basic understanding of harvest, rural life, and autumn. They'll use what they know to construct dance movements showing...
Curated OER
Pudd'nhead Wilson: Guided Imagery
Inspire thought around some of the themes of Pudd'nhead Wilson with a visualization activity. As you read a passage, learners close their eyes and picture the scene. A writing exercise and discussion follow.
Curated OER
The Music and Message of Lauryn Hill
Learners explore the music of artist Lauryn Hill and analyze the way she uses her music in a socially responsible manner. In this music artist instructional activity, students read the lyrics to Hill's songs and listen to some example...
Curated OER
Studying The American Musical Theatre
Students discover the group dynamics necessary to produce an American musical in this six day instructional activity. Themes and characterization techniques are explored during collaborative small group research projects.
Teaching Tolerance
One Word Posters
Students explore the universal themes they find in the complete set of One World Posters, including art, history, literature and music.