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Idioms Quiz: Numbers 2
In this online idiom quiz instructional activity, students analyze the given idioms and read the example sentences using the idioms. Students select the correct meaning of the idiom in the 10 examples.
National First Ladies' Library
Mark Twain's America
Pupils read Huckleberry Finn, analyze text for historical contexts, and write book report emphasizing historical elements, type report comparing and contrasting events in book to events of today, create Powerpoint presentation...
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Jackie Robinson, A Black Hero
Students examine the life of Jackie Robinson and how he opened the door for other African American athletes. They identify how one person can make a difference by their actions. They write about the responsiblity of citizens to end the...
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Judging a Book by Its Cover
Students explore the relationship between the form of books and the content inside. In this book exploration lesson, students use a piece of their creative writing as inspiration; they author a written book and design a cover that...
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Ancient Greece: Athens as a City State
Sixth graders find Greece on the map and recognize how the geography of Greece was important in its development. In this ancient Greece lesson, 6th graders research Greece and compare to the civilization of ancient Egypt. Students answer...
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Meet Matisse!
Second graders discover the life and works of French artist Henri Matisse in this one day, introductory lesson for the 2nd grade classroom. This first lesson can be used by itself or as the first day activity to a three to four day unit...
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Peking Opera Mask
Students design and create their own masks using the symbolism evident in Peking opera masks.
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Castles and Cornerstones
Students become familiar with the style of architecture of medieval times. In this architecture activity, students design a model of a medieval castle including its cornerstone. Students understand scale in their representation.
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Create a Hero Trophy
Students research and read about the lives of some famous American heroes. They examine the qualities that make or made these people heroes and how the time period they lived in influenced their images as heroes.
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Exploring Pottery Techniques
Students examine Native American pottery. In this visual arts lesson, students analyze burnished and glazed clay pots. Students study how to create pots from online sources and respond to questions about the process. Extension activities...
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If These Walls Could Talk
Students compare Neoclassical objects from the Getty collection to American civic architecture of the time. They discuss the moral and political ideas of the Enlightenment and articulate how these art forms influenced democratic thought...
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Baked Polymer Clay 3D People Portraits
Students discuss methods of building forms with clay (ball and variations, snake, flat sheets). They draw a stick figure of what their sculpture may look like, including correct figure proportion.
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Underground Railroad
Learners explore the Underground Railroad. In this U.S. history and technology lesson, students research an assigned topic related to the Underground Railroad, such as "abolitionist," "conductor," or "station houses." ...
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The Rural World Seen by Artists 1848-1914
High schoolers prepare to visit the art museum and view the rural world as seen by artists of 1848 - 1914. In this Monet instructional activity, students examine the haystacks series of artworks by Monet. High schoolers observe...
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Build a Paper Plane
Students study the history of the paper plane. In this design lesson students create several types of paper planes and determine if there is a difference in mean flight distances.
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Lewis and Clark: Prized Possessions
Students consider the role of Sacagawea as part of the Corps of Discovery. In this Lewis and Clark expedition lesson, students discover details about Sacagawea's wampum belt and then create their own wampum belts using their computer and...
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Flat Shapes in Three Dimensions
Students examine the 20th-century sculpture "Gandydancer's Dream" by Mark di Suvero. For this visual arts lesson, students examine the sculpture and then use flat shapes and wire to create their own sculpture. The students are...
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Exploring Photographs, Lesson 2—A Closer Look: Analysis in the Museum
Students explore photographic works of art. In this visual arts lesson plan, students analyze selected photographs by Garcia, Ray, and Eggleston. Students take their own photographs in the style of these photographers.
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Frontier Life Story
Young scholars undertake a similar (but not quite as drastic) adventure as that of Frontier House as they explore the day-to-day realities of frontier life through a Laura Ingalls Wilder story, and reflect on which time period suits them...
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Members Only
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.
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Lighting Instruments from the Inside Out
Students examine theatrical lighting instruments to see how light is controlled, and write a paragraph telling of their discoveries.
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Edgar Allan Poe: an Author Unit
Eighth graders study the life and writing of Edgar Allan Poe in this unit of work.
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Multiple Intelligences and The Illinois & Michigan Canal
Third graders engage in a wide variety of cross-curricular activities designed to give them a thorough understanding of the history of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. There are a very nice set of activities included in this plan!
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Communications
Middle schoolers incorporate different disciplines into this lesson. For this science lesson, students investigate the use of communicating without words, and how it is different than communicating with words. They discuss the pros and...