Young scholars develop an understanding of how outer walls, doors and windows are added to construction. They examine the jobs of specific construction workers and how they bring the job to completion. They design a brick laying pattern.

Students begin the lesson with a review of the elements of poetry. Individually, they read a variety of poems and literature one white and one black author focusing on decay, sterility and alienation. They identify these images within...

Students explore communication by participating in a digital journalism activity. In this aboriginal research lesson, students view a sample blog on the Internet and identify the techniques behind blogging and Internet journalism...

Students investigate the use of proportion using gesture drawing as the subject matter. They create a painting using the elements of art and principles of design.

This lesson is designed to teach students the definition of persuasive writing, and to have them use the elements of persuasive writing to complete a writing assignment. The Web site will be used to introduce persuasive writing and the...

Learners compare and contrast the difference in the two sets of images and discuss the visual interest in the first set and the different visual interest created in the second set of prints.

Students explain the impact that the media may have in shaping their intellectual and emotional responses to current events. They examine broadcast and Web-based news sites to find subtexts through the use of language, audio, and visual...

Students investigate illuminated manuscript pages from the Medieval period. In this illuminated manuscript lesson, students examine 13th century pages and compare them to modern printed works. They describe the details of an illuminated...

Young scholars examine the elements of advertising. They analyze the format and structure of advertisements. They develop awareness of advertising techniques and explain that media messages and products are composed of a series of...

Fourth graders engage in a multitude of written and artistic activities as they study illustrators, how illustrations enhance a studenT book, and the Caldecott Award.

Students examine the 20th-century sculpture "Gandydancer's Dream" by Mark di Suvero. In this visual arts lesson, students examine the sculpture and then use flat shapes and wire to create their own sculpture. The students are...

Learners draw and describe their monster. They exchange papers with another student and recreate the monster based on the other student's description.

Students study Chinese jade carvings and then carve an animal from soap in a similar fashion.

Students study the discovery and import of the Scorpion Tableau. They research other examples of ancient writing systems and synthesize their knowledge of them by designing new writing systems based on these early models.

Students discuss still life painting and the Realism style of art. They plan a personal narrative still life drawing, complete the project and present it to the class.

Students participate in literary circles to analyze characters, critique writing, discuss events, and  story elements.  In this literary circles lesson, students take responsibility for their learning as a member of the...

Eighth graders examine the lives of the Gullah-Geechee people. In this unique cultures lesson, 8th graders explore music, language, and slavery of the Gullah-Geechee people from the southern low-country in the United States. Students...

Students create CD covers from their music-inspired drawing sessions. They compare what they drew while listening to classical, punk and rap music. They scan their drawings into Adobe Photoshop and design their cover.

Students study the life and art style of Henri Matisse. They view various prints from his early and late art styles. Then students draw something they enjoy and cut out pieces of colored construction paper and glue them onto pieces of...

Students study letters and letter sounds and are to be used throughout the year. They predict the letters and sounds and words that are represented by each letter. Letter and sound recognition can be assessed through one to one...

Students become both mystery readers and writers. They utilize the Internet to understand the elements of this classic genre; employ critical thinking skills when reading various stories in both print and electronic formats; form groups...

Students identify parts of plants by name and the relationship among these parts as they use Plant Studio Freeware Wizard and tools on the computer to draw a particular plant from life or from a picture.

Seventh graders identify the elements that characterize culture in literature. Students analyze the representation of Chinese minority peoples through textbooks. Students identify and interpret the differences among the people of China.

Students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of private communities and the lives led by their residents. They design ideal planned communities for people featured in other Class Matters articles.