Classics for Kids
Composers Timeline
Take a quick tour through the last 350 years of music composition with an interactive timeline tool. As learners scroll through the years, they see which composers were born and working during the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern...
Classics for Kids
Composers and Their Countries
How many of the world's greatest composers were born in Austria? Or Germany? Or the United States? An interactive map provides young musicians with information about prominent composers in the last few centuries, as well as the periods...
Curated OER
Writing Exercise: Renaissance I
Learners compose answers to three questions related to the rise of the Renaissance. They will compare and contrast the Renaissance to the Medieval Period, consider why ideas from classical civilizations reemerged, and think about the...
Curated OER
The Renaissance
Get out a clean sheet of paper and get ready to take notes on the Italian Renaissance. Kids can easily follow along as you progress through each informative slide. They'll take notes on humanism, classical learning, city-states, and...
Curated OER
Say Hi to Haibun Fun
What is a haibun? With this interesting lesson, writers will experience the Japanese writing form haibun, identify elements important to Japanese writing styles, analyze a haibun, and compose their own. Different from the typical journal...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lu Shih — The Couplets of T’ang
Writing poetry in ancient China was the modern equivalent of sending a greeting card. Scholars learn about the ancient Chinese poetic form called the lu shih. They read about the context of poetry during the T'ang Dynasty and complete a...
Curated OER
Say Hi to Haibun Fun
Students examine the Japanese writing form of Haibun. They identify the elements of Japanese prose and poetry, analyze a haibun for writing devices, complete a graphic organizer, and compose an original haibun as a form of journal keeping.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: Musical Myths
Create musical myths in this West African tales instructional activity. Middle schoolers read myths from African Myths and Legends as well as West African Trickster Tales. They note when music could be used to enhance the tales, and then...
Curated OER
Music of India
Introduce the class to the music of India. They'll discover three main types of music Raga, Tala, and Kriti. Cultural context and a description of basic Indian instruments is also provided.
Curated OER
Mozart's Magic
Students become familiar with the young composer through his life's story and his music. They get to make some music of their own by using musical instruments that exist both online and all around them.
Curated OER
Greek Myths
Ever wonder why the ancient Greeks had myths? The explanation you'll find here, describes myths as stories that explain things people didn't understand. They also tell the stories of the gods people in ancient times believed in. These...
Curated OER
200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons
Students discuss the style and characteristics of the Classical era and the genre of opera. They compare and contrast modern day popular icons to musical icons throughout history. They write original librettos to modern entertainment.
Curated OER
Mission Accomplished
Second graders describe the impact of certain figures in United States history, including Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. They describe experiences of early American explorers and compose narratives from the perspectives of others.
Curated OER
Historical Puppet Play
Fourth graders analyze the book Train to Midnight, based on the Underground Railroad. They compose and perform a puppet play based on the book. Students perform and videotape their puppet plays.
Curated OER
Romantic and 20th Century Period Music
Upper graders explore the similarities, differences, and depth of pop music from the Romantic era and the 20th century. They listen to selections that exemplify the Baroque, Romantic, and 20th century periods, then create presentations...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The World of Haiku
Young scholars complete a study of Japanese culture through haiku. They read and interpret haiku poetry and write haiku of their own.
San Francisco Symphony
By the Great Horn Spoon!
By The Great Horn Spoon is a fantastic novel for introducing learners to life during the California Gold Rush. First, kids research and analyze American folk songs, then they connect to the text as they listen to symphonic pieces written...
Curated OER
Carla Bruni
In this famous person worksheet, students read a passage about Carla Bruni and then complete a variety of in-class and homework activities to support comprehension, including partner interviews, spelling, cloze, synonym matches, and...
Curated OER
Walking with the Emperors: Exploring Imperial Rome
Students travel Rome. In this geography skills lesson, students explore famous places in Rome with Google Earth tools. Students research the city of Rome and create touring videos that feature their findings.
Curated OER
200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons
Students discuss style and characteristics of musical time periods as well as the definition of "pop culture." They compare and contrast modern-day popular icons to music icons throughout history. This lesson requires a video, which is...
National First Ladies' Library
Stories from the Thousand and One Nights
Students hold a Thousand and One Nights storytelling festival with each one memorizing a story to relate to classmates. While examining provided resource links, they select and practice a story they would like to retell. As a dress...
Curated OER
My Trip to America
Students create their own stories about a trip to America, based on an oral reading. Student stories be compiled for a class Thanksgiving book.
Curated OER
Holocaust Literature Circle Discussion
Seventh graders participate in a literature circle regarding various novels of Holocaust literature. They read their selected novel and write a journal entry in response to the reading, and in small groups participate in a group...
Curated OER
Hong Kong Symphony: Heaven, Earth, Mankind
Students complete a unit on the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. They watch and discuss a documentary, write an essay about unification, conduct Internet research on three artists from the film, complete a data sheet, and...