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Mini Museum
Students brainstorm about the different types of museums and complete a worksheet by looking at artifacts and what they think that object did. They work together in groups to complete a KWL chart throughout the lesson.
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Abstract Painting - Inspired By Textiles
Sixth graders compare and contrast various forms of artistic expression. They create an abstract painting.
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Masks Paper Collage
Seventh graders create a symmetrical mask using tempura paint that displays interesting visual texture after watching an Eric Carle video. They apply collage in the making of the mask.
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The 'Language of Dance'
Students choreograph dances. In this dance choreography instructional activity, students evaluate musical selections, then create a dance that capture the emotion of the music.
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Grammar Practice: Parallel Structure
Help your young writers improve the clarity of their sentences by showing them how to create parallel structures as they construct sentences. Two exercises give kids practice identifying the correct parallel structure and crafting...
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Wire And Nylon Stocking Sculpture
Eighth graders examine a free-form sculpture technique and produce a sculpture of wire, pantyhose and plaster.
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Zany Wire Sculpture
Young artists create a freestanding 3-dimensional sculpture using wire and modeled "clay" pieces. This immensely creative and engaging lesson should get your kids excited, because the medium is unusual to work with. Everything you need...
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Exploring Nature: Powerful Forces
Learners observe samples of artwork which use line, shape, and form to show movement and depict natural forces of nature. They create their own piece of artwork that shows a natural force and movement and then write a descriptive...
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Introduction to Victorian Valentines
Young scholars explore the history of Valentine's Day and how paper valentines became a tradition in Victorian times. Using a photo organizer, they select photos using tags. They use a software program to create a special image for their...
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So Foul and Fair a Play
Students watch various interpretations of Shakespeare's Macbeth in film. In groups, they examine the setting, characters, music and sequence. They compare and contrast the various films and discuss the differences. They write an essay on...
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Reading and Comprehension
Reading comprehension is defined and common problems with understanding text are outlined. Potential solutions are offered to help your group develop discernment skills. Starting with slide sixteen, a sample reading selection is shown...
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Writing: Laying and Covering the Foundation
Your middle schoolers can become stronger writers with a lesson covering the basics. They compose effective thesis statements and introductions, discuss different ways to capture a reader's attention, and compare a poorly written...
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Graph Paper Patterns
Young artists divide a piece of graph paper into sections using rectangles, squares, and triangles. They then fill each section with patterns of shape and color. Elementary graders describe how their patterns are organized. Secondary...
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The Meaning Behind the Mask
Young scholars explore the world of African masks and storytelling. They create masks that tell stories of their own.
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Vivacious Vocabulary
Students practice looking up the definitions of words using a dictionary. They put the defintion of the word into their own words. They create a PowerPoint slideshow to show illustrations related to their vocabulary words. Using the...
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A look at our larger population
Student team together to tell the story of the U.S.'s rapid population growth. High schoolers research census changes, focusing on changes in the size of the community and the school. Students tell the story by writing articles and...
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Journalism: Bullying Research
Students, after conducting extensive research about bullying, assemble their information into written and visual presentations. They write articles, conduct surveys, and develop infographics and other visuals.
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Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman
Do your young readers know that poems can be performed as a team? They listen to a few examples from Paul Fleischman's book Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, paying attention to how the how readers work together....
Smarter Balanced
Intellectual Property
To prepare for a study of intellectual property rights, (or an assessment) introduce your learners to the legal concepts and key vocabulary associated with the debate. After defining intellectual property, copyright, fair use, and...
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Listening to Airplane Announcements in Movies
Third graders listen to and practice in comprehending airplane announcements. They determine the predictability of these announcements.
University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War...
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Spice Container
Sixth graders examine and identify classic Greek and Roman motifs on spice containers. They analyze the process of casting and chiseling silver, and design and create a spice container using classic Greek and Roman design elements.
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Corn Prints and Henri Matisse
Fourth graders observe prints and paintings as the teacher discusses various design elements (repetition, variety, texture, pattern, etc.) used by the artist Henri Matisse. They look at and discuss Indian corn and then make a print that...
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Structural Stability - Legos
Students are introduced to a variety of design elements that promote structural stability including beams, joints and pins. They demonstrate the use of these elements with Lego constructions and compare the stability of several...