Compelling discussions are the result of open-ended, challenging questions. An introduction to Paideia discussions includes explicit directions about how to prepare readers and how to model the kinds of questions they should develop...

Like Oskar, the curious boy in Jonathan Safran Foer’s story, class members journey through other “stories that the mouth can’t tell” to find another sentence that uses a word found in novel. Individuals create their own vocabulary list,...

Tackle some big questions about A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle with a board game project. As learners brainstorm for and complete their board games, they consider what helps and hinders Meg on her journey and why she succeeds in...

Kids engage in a series of activities that ask them to consider differences and similarities in characteristics, both visible and invisible. With this new understanding, the class investigates the Special Olympics program and develops...

Meet with the school library specialist and work together to plan a visit and presentation on figurative language. After defining and examining examples of targeted terms, the class travels to the library where the SL has collected...

Students write garden inspired poetry. In this poetry lesson plan, students go out into the garden and write poems about how they feel, what they see, and what is going on in the garden.

The photograph, Nellie and her Italian Soda is viewed and discussed by the class. They are instructed to use the photograph as inspiration to write a poem about non-events, or things that are beautiful in every day life. Pupils use...

Learners imagine they are animals in the Palace Facade painting. In this Palace Facade lesson plan, students observe and discuss the geometric and organic shapes in the painting shown to them.

Here is a lesson designed for pre-schoolers and kindergartners that will pique their imaginations. They study images of a very interesting ceremonial hat from China's past called a Summer Official's Hat. These hats were worn by people of...

Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...

As the title suggests, this lesson plan is designed for a foster care therapy group. C.S. Lewis' novel provides children an opportunity to discuss life issues vicariously through fictional characters. However, the discussion questions...

First graders explore and discuss how someone feels when they are not in a safe place or situation and how someone might react when put in an unsafe situation. They view a demonstration performed by puppets that express good and bad...

Class members select a favorite book and write and present a book review. They view and discuss a sample PowerPoint presentation, then write a rough draft for their own slide show book review. They create a six-slide presentation to...

Learners analyze the symbolism in the portrait The Artist in His Museum. In this symbolism lesson plan, students analyze the portrait and then create their own portrait containing symbolism.

Pupils identify heroic character traits that they admire and that inspire trust and result in service to others. They identify the heroic traits of a character of their choosing and defend their reasoning using evidence from the text and...

Students explore an object without seeing it then draw what s/he felt.  In this touch-drawings lesson, students partner and place objects in a paper bag so the other person cannot see it.  Then students use their hands and...

Fifth graders identify the character trait of integrity in the main character, Slow, in "A Boy Called Slow." They participate in a discussion to determine what steps the main character took to earn his new name. Students write an essay...

Students practice their drawing skills. In this drawing skills lesson, students complete a self-observation drawing activity and then 3 methods of figure drawing.

Students observe and discuss kites and how they function. They apply recycled materials to kite making. They utilize and develop self-expression. They appreciate art made by others and themselves. They fly their kites.

Young scholars share the difficulties they have in determining what to write or draw for a project. In groups, they view examples from three different artists and discuss how their personal experiences affected their art. They...

Eighth graders use a software program to recreate a mask they made in art class. Individually, they write a paper describing their mask with an loose illustration. They combine the pictures of each mask into a class book for others to view.

Young scholars discover the right brain-left brain differences and then think about how to break down some of their self-criticism to try writing.

Students create a book using art, problem solving and language skills. They illustrate and write a tall tale. They sculpt a character from their tall tale.

Students practice shading techniques to mimic the exquisite shading of the Albatross eye (eye shadow). Extension for students skilled in computer art included.