Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Personal Stories of the National Parks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore historical information about U.S. national parks using the stories of Edward and Margaret Gehrke as a primary source document. In this United States geography, history, and literacy activity, students view the diary...
Lesson Plan
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Westward Expansion and the Frontier

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore U.S. history by researching a historic map. In this westward expansion instructional activity, students discuss the mystery of the western U.S. in the early 1800's and the impact expansion had on Native Americans and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Retell the Story

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Learners identify bias in books. For this character education lesson, students read a text and discuss any gender or racial bias which may be present. Learners retell and rewrite the story in a fair way.
Lesson Plan
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Publishing History

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create an issue of a magazine. They work collaboratively to write articles for the magazine, design a cover and develop advertisements. Students complete their page layout, and create the magazine using information form each...
Lesson Plan
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Dancing Hands, Abstract Drawings

For Teachers K - 8th
Students discover African musical rhythms by performing Ancestral Spirit Dances.  In this musical lesson, students research Willis "Bing" Davis and the abstract work he created.  Students listen to Yoruba drum music and...
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Comstockery vs. Eakins

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students research Eakins' teaching methods. They incorporate research to prepare and present a verbal argument. They understand and articulate a perspective and develop their own opinion.
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Observational Drawing

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students create drawings using oil pastels that convey cultural, social and historical meaning. Drawings are evaluated on use of color planning, contour drawing, color blending, line and pattern.
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Famous African Americans ABC Book

For Teachers K - 12th
Students create an ABC book with short biographies of famous African Americans in history. They utilize teacher-selected and/or student-researched library sources about African Americans in history.
Lesson Plan
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Family Life Among the Ashanti of West Africa

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the way of life of the Ashanti who live in West Africa. After locating the countries on a map, they are shown slides of artifacts to determine their uses. In groups, they compare and contrast the Ashanti's view of...
Lesson Plan
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Against The Tide: Three Who Made It!

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students examine the lives of three people from New Haven, Connecticut who have careers in law, politics and entertainment. In groups or individually, they read excerpts of information about the three people and what contributions they...
Lesson Plan
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A Land of Milk and Honey

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine the term multiculturalism.  In this Cross Curricular History and Social Studies lesson, 9th graders analyze a video clip.  Students investigate the requirements for becoming a citizen in Australia.
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Searching the Internet

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss current knowledge of internet searches. They research vocabulary terms related to internet usage. Students list African-Americans that they believe have made a difference. Each student picks a person to research and...
Lesson Plan
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Call It a Hunch

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Give young scholars a chance to practice making inferences after reading the book Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges. They confirm whether or not their conclusions are true, have a class discussion, and then independently complete an...
Lesson Plan
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Land Use and Lawmaking in California

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Young scholars read writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson to analyze transcendentalism and analyze photographic essays depicting environmental issues. In this art and history lesson, students read excerpts of Nature by Emerson to identify...
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Masks from Around the World

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine the history of masks, and create their own mask as a culminating activity. They view and discuss a PowerPoint presentation about the history of masks, complete a class KWL chart, create their own mask, and write a...
Lesson Plan
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Harlem Renaissance Research Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students complete a group research project on the Harlem Renaissance. In this Harlem lesson, students pick from a list of topics all related to the Harlem renaissance. They create a PowerPoint presentation, topic outline, and...
Unit Plan
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Turbulent Times of the Sixties

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore 1960's America. In this American history lesson, students read about and research 1960's political and entertainment figures, social activism, the Civil Rights Movement, and environmentalism as they complete writing and...
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Water Tank Mural

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students evaluate visual arts by creating a mural on campus. In this symbolism instructional activity, students research famous artists on the Internet and examine the impact their work has had on society. Students create murals around...
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Drawing with Wire

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students identify visual arts by examining visual models. In this art analysis lesson, students discuss the history of Keith Haring by researching information on the Internet. Students view images showing Keith Haring's work and...
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Zora Hurston Teacher's Guide

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students explore American culture by reading classic literature in class. In this African-American history instructional activity, students read the story Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree while identifying the work and contributions...
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Entrepreneurs and the African-American Dream

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students make a simple graph of labor supply and labor demand in the North and South in the early twentieth century. They conduct research to identify top contemporary African-American entrepreneurs.
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Gilbert Stuart and Presdidential Portraits

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners read passages about the context of paintings for artist Gilbert Stuart. In this art history lesson, students study paintings by artist Gilbert Stuart and learn about the context of his art. Learners then complete a presidential...
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The Harlem Renaissance

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students locate Harlem on a city map of New York City. As a class, they are given information and take notes on the Harlem Renaissance. They are read two poems by different authors and write a paragraph about what they believe it means....
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How Music Motivates

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students form conclusions regarding the motivational effects of music on the mind during the Civil Rights era. In this Civil Rights movement lesson, students describe how music motivates, describe the motivational role in freedom songs...