Comparative thinking is one way to build critical analysts. Budding artists discuss symbols and how they represent concepts, beliefs, or ideas. They compare the symbols found on an ancient Egyptian mummy case to those found in...

Students explore life in early Mesopotamia through a list of jobs that people taken from an ancient clay tablet found in Mesopotamia. The list is compare to jobs still performed in today's society.

Students explore why the need arose for laws to govern society, comparing and contrasting hunter/gatherer societies vs. agrarian societies. They write letters to the editor of the Babylonian Times, discussing their opinion of Hammurabi's...

Students compare the ancient Greek method of schooling and writing to contemporary methods and learn the Greek alphabet on wax tablets.

Students are introduced to the way writing was invented in Mesopotamia. In groups, they participate in re-creations of events that occured in a traditional Mesopotamian school. They practice writing in cuneiform script on clay using...

Learners research cuneiform and hieroglyphics from the internet and use educational software to create their own cuneiform tablet in this excellent World History lesson. The use of the computer software program Inspiration 7.5 is...

Fifth graders explore various styles of architecture. They work together to create a town with clay buildings that come together in order to form this small town. They discuss maps, layouts, and the structure of buildings.

Find Pythagorean Triples like the ancient Babylonians. The resource presents the concept of Pythagorean Triples. It provides the system of equations the Babylonians used to calculate Pythagorean Triples more than 4,000 years ago. Pupils...

Most twenty-first century pupils don't know how to interpret cuneiform. Examining images of cuneiform and papyrus writing and using a chart and Venn diagram, young historians extrapolate what life may have been like for people who lived...

Students follow a bookmaking format to create a book and use it as a garden journal. In this science journal instructional activity, students follow book making directions to create a garden and science journal.

Students explore Inuit language. In this Inuktitut lesson, students listen to a lecture about the history and phonology of the Inuit language. Students create Inuktitut-English dictionaries with illustrations for...

Students create an original art book after studying nontraditional boomaking. In this visual arts lesson plan, students watch a video on the work of Julie Chen and discuss the concept of books as three-dimensional art. Then students are...

Students read about the history of paper production and make their own recycled paper. In this paper making lesson, students follow the directions to make paper from recycled paper. Students also learn about making paper from live plants.

High schoolers research Babylonian mathematics. They calculate simple surd numbers. Students find the fractional form of rational numbers expressed as decimals. They work with numbers in base 60.

Students are introduced to a method for finding square roots used by the Babylonian people of Mesopotamia. The method involves dividing and averaging, over and over, to find a more accurate solution with each repeat of the process.

Students create Japanese side-bound books using traditional bookbinding methods and original Haikus in this Art lesson for the High School classroom. The lesson can be modified for any grade level and can be accomplished in two class...

Students are introduced to the various occupations in Mesopotamia. In groups, they discuss the reasons for occupations changing over time. They use the internet to research the ancient jobs of their choice and write a paper discussing...

Learners move around a makeshift "track" set up by the teacher, moving around it as many times as they can before the stop signal. Students begin by power walking and slow-jogging, then build up speed as they proceed. Learners call out...

Students consider how archaeologists discovered and pieced together artifacts that indicate a Celtic presence in ancient Turkey. They research ancient civilizations and create archaeological digs containing items representative of these...

Sixth graders participate in various activities in which they must complete research. Individually, they draw a human heart and label each part along with its function. They use the internet to research an invention in Mesopotamia was...

Students examine water quality indicators,test water quality and record their results.  In this water quality lesson students complete a water testing lab and complete a lab report. 

Students participate in a demonstration in which they examine the effect on temperature by carbon dioxide. They discuss the effects of carbon dioxide on the environment. They also examine summer safety rules to end the lesson.

Students create multi-color lithographic posters, reinterpreting the technique of a famous artist or artistic style. They discuss art history, aesthetics, criticism, and personal expression. Students focus on the elements of design and...