To increase awareness and launch a discussion of consumerism, class members view What Would It Look Like, a 25 minute film of images that capture the global effects of the consumption of goods. Viewers make a list of the images that...

Student examine friendships. In this writing lesson, young scholars write about viewpoints of friendship. Students view pictures of friendship and write about the viewpoint of each picture.

In this pronouns and perspectives worksheet, students the case and point of view of bolded pronouns in sentences.

Music reflects culture and culture is reflected in popular music. Reading an article on how hip-hop has affected the lives of two young men of different races launches an investigation of the development and influences of various musical...

Students analyze various perspectives on the controversial "Sensation: Young British Artists From the Saatchi Collection" art exhibit on display at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Students create book arts based on a visit to the Botanical Garden. They choose their own images to put into their book and answer discussion questions.

Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current data...

To better understand the conflict between Amir and Hassan, two characters in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, readers assume the voice of one of the boys and craft a letter to the other that explains his feelings and concerns.

Young scholars describe geographical places through art, music, writing, and math. They compile information in booklets which may be published.

Use the dystopian novel After by Francine Prose to spark discussion about individual and student rights. Learners read the novel, evaluating how far a school can go to control its attendees. As they read, scholars...

Students examine Arizona counties and use the themes of location and movement to develop an Arizona map.

First graders listen and share ideas. They role play situations where they would use the safety rules and share different kinds of touches that make them feel comfortable, uncomfortable or confused. They discuss what a person can do when...

The Cay has been criticized by groups such as the Council on Interracial Books for Children because of the way race is portrayed. Explore the argument against the book while taking the author's perspective into account. Class members...

Bring a lesson about Negro League Baseball to your Black history unit, or any other research unit throughout the year. While the lesson plan itself is simplistic, there are several good ideas that you could use, such as creating trading...

Is Yuki a selfish character? Analyze her motivation and behavior during a unit on Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori. Readers fill out two sides of a graphic organizer with reasons why or why not she is selfish, and then come up with...

What would you take with you if you were traveling on your own to a different place? A different time? Pupils decide individually and then in groups what the main character of Running Out of Time should take on her trip. Coming to a...

Considering using Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for book circles or whole-class study? First time teachers, and those who have used the text before, will find some interesting tidbits in this overview.

To generate interest in some of the major issues in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, class members engage in a four corners activity that asks them or agree or disagree with a series of statements and provide reasons for their...

C.S. Lewis is considered one of the greatest Christian writers of all time. A slide show presentation provides an overview of his life and work. It includes multiple perspectives to give your class a well-rounded view of an amazing author.

Pupils investigate the basic emotions that are experienced by human beings. They define and differentiate between the feelings of happiness, sadness, and anger. Students complete a feelings worksheet and look at images that represent...

Students explore jobs at home. They name a personal strength, indicate interests, and explain the importance of jobs to home and school.

First graders explore and discuss how someone feels when they are not in a safe place or situation and how someone might react when put in an unsafe situation. They view a demonstration performed by puppets that express good and bad...

Fourth graders work together and generate a list of skills needed to work with diverse groups of people. They brainstorm the meaning of "diversity."' Students write as many skills as they can in two minutes. They listen and share ideas...

Art forms, especially government-sponsored "poster art", very effectively conveyed specific cultural values during World War II. Understanding the role that visual images play in expressing issues and ideas is critical to developing...