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Did Disco Change America?
Students examine the economics of a time period along with the music.
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Harlem Renaissance and Toni Morrison's Jazz
Students study the historical time of the Harlem Renaissance, including key events and figures. They read literature that weaves fiction and history and survey some of the references to the Harlem Renaissance in the novel, Jazz, by Toni...
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A World of Taste--Louisiana Gumbo
Students discover the multicultural contributions to New Orleans gumbo through participation in cross curriculum activities. In this multicultural diversity and New Orleans history lesson plan, students shade regions of a map according...
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Civil Rights Leaders
Tenth graders investigate three American leaders from the Civil Rights Movement while they examine the early 1960's and the topic of racial equality. They listen to music from the era, read speeches, and look at images of Martin Luther...
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African American Heritage in Arkansas
Students research and write about three African American composers from Arkansas: Scott Joplin, Florence Price and William Grant Still.
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Memorable Singer 1929-1949
Learners examine how Louis Armstrong's fame spread from the African American community to the whole world. They examine how his singing style influenced both popular and jazz musicians by participating in guided listening of his musical...
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Compare and Contrast Composers
Students identify various pieces of music that are familiar to them and define how the music made them feel. Then they select their favorite piece of music heard and the activities in which they like to do. Students also attend a...
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Todd Duncan: The First Porgy
Students view a video and conduct research about Jim Crow laws and their effects on race relations.
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Kandinsky Color Studies
Students study the artist Wassily Kandinsky as well as his art and and music. In this art appreciation lesson, students view a variety of Kandinsky's work and circular color studies. Students relate the use of color to emotion and listen...
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Facial Tattoos or Face Painting
Students use a grid-like method to create a life-size self-portrait from a 3X5 black and white photo. They explore the different customs and rituals surrounding face painting from ancient through modern civilizations. Students create a...
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Scratch Some Fireworks
Learners create sheets of "fireworks" using art paper, crayons, black paint, and wooden skewers in this instructional activity that can be adapted to celebrate any time of the year. The instructional activity also includes a short...
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Sunset Silhouettes
Students create "SUNSET SILHOUETTES" using primary colors, black construction paper, and glue in this elementary-level Art instructional activity. The instructional activity extension included with this instructional activity involves...
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Fireworks
Students listen to a short lecture on the history of fireworks and identify how fireworks are made. They paint a picture depicting fireworks and view a presentation on firework safety.
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Wiggly Spiders
Learners create "wiggly spiders" using black paint, construction paper, yarn, and their hands in this fun, messy, art lesson for the early elementary classroom. An ideal lesson for the Halloween holiday or for a lesson/unit on spiders.
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Heavy: The Story of Metal (Part 1) (Lesson 3)
Students analyze and write an evaluation on the song "Black Sabbath". They interview a person who grew up listening to heavy metal music and compare and contrast the interview with their evaluation on the song. They share them with the...
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Simple Gifts
Young scholars examine the concepts of half notes, quarter notes, whole notes, and musical phrases by performing the Shaker song "Simple Gifts". Emphasis is placed on movement with music and meeting national standards for the arts.
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Noh Theater
Students compare Noh drama to western drama and trace the influence of Japanese theater on modern western drama. In this Noh drama lesson, students read the play Black Tomb (Kurozuko) defining the elements and conventions of Noh drama...
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African Americans: 1800 - 1870
Students explore living and working environment of both slave and free African Americans from places throughout the United States.
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Democracy Sense
Students define democracy and distinguish representative from direct or pure democracy. Then, with the focus on representative government, students will discuss and trace voting patterns in the United States.
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Is London Bridge Really Going to Fall Down?
Students discover what forces work together to hold up a suspension bridge. They see various bridges around the world, and learn the basic principles that enable each bridge to support itself. Groups design their own bridge, testing how...
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
Students create an art project based on "Follow the Drinking Gourd," a song used to guide slaves to freedom during the Civil War. They read a picture book to learn the story of how Harriet Tubman and Peg Leg Joe led slaves to freedom.
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Six Billion and Beyond
Students consider the idea of a world with Six Billion people and subsequent results and ramifications. Then students will gather data regarding the state of these diverse nations and then create a presentation as a culminating activity.
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Inventors & Trailblazers
Students are introduced to a groups of African American inventors. In groups, they research the role of each person in improving different industries. They also examine the barriers African Americans faced from the Civil War to the...
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The Underground Railroad
First graders read a book about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. In this underground railroad instructional activity, 1st graders learn songs and code words that the slaves used to communicate with one another. Students...