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Walden the Ballad of Thoreau
Students role play to become familiar with the life of Thoreau. In this Thoreau lesson plan, students view a video of the Walden play about Thoreau. Students perform and promote the play as a school event.
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Thomas Jefferson: Philosopher of Freedom
Learners view a documentary on Thomas Jefferson. Statesman, scientist, architect, president-he was America's dashing Renaissance man. After viewing, students discuss what they saw then write their own version of a biography of Thomas...
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The Meaning of Disability
Students discover the different types of disabilities. They examine the stereotypes and stigmas associated with them and hear from a person who lived in an institution.
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A Dash of Folk, A Pinch of Fairy Recipes for Playmaking
Young scholars examine the importance of oral traditions while reading various fairy and folk tales. Given a piece of clay, they can mold it into any shape they want and pass it to their neighbor which keeps building the object. They...
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The Story Of American Freedom
Students investigate the concept of American freedom with the use of primary sources of images in order to derive meaning. The images are used to inspire research and writing about historical scenes. The writing and analysis of the...
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Voices from the Holocaust: A Message of Hope
Students develop a sense of historical empathy as they discuss The Holocaust and roll play activities designed to highlight prejudice in today's society. In this Holocaust history and The Diary of Anne Frank lesson, students...
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Gullah Activities
Students study the Gullah culture by watching a video about Gullah, Gullah Island. They discuss the customs and crafts of the people such as basket weaving, food preparation, pottery, and quilt making. While working in centers, they make...
PBS
Shakespeare & The Renaissance: Activity Ideas
Looking for ways to implement the words and works of William Shakespeare into your curriculum? This list of activity ideas is a great starting point, as it covers a wide range of grade levels and a wealth of online references to explore.
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VISUAL ARTS LESSON-Missal Stand/Lectern
Sixth graders investigate a work of art from Mexico. The role of the art in the history of Mexico is researched to help evaluate the meaning of the artwork. The art creates a context for students to make a creative project.
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Making and Breaking the Grid
Students examine the grid in terms of a method of organization in our society as well as graphic design. In this "Making and Breaking the Grid" lesson, students design solutions to common problems and draw conclusions about patterns and...
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African Mask
Students make masks. For this African art lesson, students review background information about African art and the use of masks. Students use geometric shapes and other designs to create their masks.
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King Arthur: Man or Legend
Students research the Legend of King Arthur. In this King Arthur activity, students explore him as he is presented in stories, poems, and art. Students compare and contrast the real life of King Arthur versus the man in...
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Random Album Covers
Students design a random album cover. In this album design lesson, students display their photo manipulation skills as they make a cover for an album. They examine covers of albums from classic bands before designing their own.
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Seven Famous African-American Masters of American Art
Students examine seven different African-American artists. In groups, they use the internet to identify their contribution and techniques to the art world and examine the time period in which the artwork was produced. To end the...
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Art of Cynicism
High schoolers analyze selected pieces of art and infer how they reflect a sense of disillusionment, and/or cynicism in American society in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. Then they identify and place cultural...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students delve into primary research. In this Japanese Internment lesson plan, students make deductions about life in an internment camp by reading and comparing letters written to Clara Breed. Along the way, they consider the advantages...
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Quilting Our Diverse Classroom
Learners explore diversity and race by creating art. In this ethnic background lesson, students discuss their family history, where their relatives lived and how it affects their life today. Learners create pieces of a quilt representing...
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Quilting
First graders investigate the color spectrum by painting their own pictures. In this artistic expression lesson, 1st graders discuss their own families and create ways to express their culture and family history on a picture quilt....
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The Invention of the Parachute
Students study the invention of the parachute and how Leonardo da Vinci came up with the design. In this aerodynamics lesson students test the properties that make parachutes more efficient.
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Harlem Renaissance
Students investigate the African American culture in the 1920's and the Harlem Renaissance. They read and analyze poems written by poets of the Harlem Renaissance, listen to jazz music and identify the characteristics of the music, and...
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Art and Anatomy: The Vitruvian Teen
Twelfth graders create an artistic version of a Vetruvian teen. In this anatomy lesson, 12th graders design an experiment to test the theory of the ideally proportioned man. They present their findings in class.
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In the Footprints of Lewis and Clark: 19th Century Artists -- Depictions of Native Americans
Eighth graders read excerpts of "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose. As a class, they view slides of artwork from the time period of westward expansion and Native Americans, write their reactions and share them with the class. To...
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Under the Blood-Red Sun
Fifth graders explore U.S. history by reading an award winning book about World War II. In this Japanese internment camp lesson, 5th graders read the book Under the Blood-Red Sun and discuss the entrapment of Japanese-Americans on our...
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The War: Japanese Americans and Internment
Students examine the experiences of Japanese-Americans at the beginning of World War II in America. After watching an excerpt from "The War", they answer reflection questions about the Japanese being put into internment camps. In groups,...