American Museum of Natural History
Mesozoic Museum
Mini museum curators create an exhibit that showcases the Mesozoic era. Pupils use their knowledge of dinosaurs to make informative posters, drawings, and dioramas. Following three steps to complete the hands-on activity, scholars read...
Curated OER
Memorial Day Shoebox Parade
Learners examine the history of U.S. conflict and Memorial Day. They conduct research, develop a timeline of U.S. conflict, and create a shoebox Memorial Day parade to commemorate veterans and soldiers.
Curated OER
Sense Poems
Young scholars explore 5 senses poetry. In this poetry writing instructional activity, students visualize a special day and brainstorm related vivid adjectives and phrases. Young scholars create mindmaps of the five senses to...
Curated OER
Reading Activities Using Bloom's Taxonomy
This short, yet effective, presentation gives pupils many great tips on increasing their enjoyment of what they read and improving their comprehension. The categories of tips include analyzing, remembering, understanding, applying,...
Curated OER
The Stuff of Stories: Using Museums to Inspire Student Writing
Middle schoolers write descriptions, narratives, and dialogues based on objects of art and time periods in a museum. They base several writing assignments on art objects and paintings, including a literal description and an emotional...
Curated OER
Twelve Angry Men
Students assess their understanding of Twelve Angry Men. They create flashcards for vocabulary terms, summarize one of the acts, construct a diorama and complete character wheels. They choose from other activities including creating...
Curated OER
The Paleozoic Era
Students access prior knowledge to create a chart of eras. In this Paleozoic era activity, students research the Paleozoic era to find information to create dioramas. Students participate in fossil activities.
Curated OER
Mesozoic Sea Life Diorama
Students create a diorama depicting Mesozoic sea life. They color a template and add shells and pebbles to the diorama to depict the ocean floor.
Curated OER
The Polymer Schoolhouse
Students investigate polymers by discovering and examining plastics and creating a diorama.
Curated OER
Here's My Family
Family traditions help to instill personal values, social norms, and the warmest of childhood memories. Elementary and secondary learners share their favorite family traditions with a fun diorama project. Using modeling clay, they create...
Curated OER
Amish Quilters
Students research information about the Amish way of life and discuss how quilting is a necessity as well as a way for women to socialize within the Amish community. They create a diorama showing scenes related to quilting.
Curated OER
Deep Inside a Cavern
Students describe how different types of caves and their physical features were formed. They distinguish between stalactites and stalagmites (stalactites grow down from the roof of a cave and stalagmites grow up from the floor)....
Curated OER
What Causes Big Waves?
Students use the internet to research how waves are formed. Using construction paper, they create a diorama in which they can see how waves are formed and end. To end the instructional activity, they also discuss the causes and effects...
Curated OER
Alternative Ideas for Book Reporting in Primary Grades
Looking for a new way to have your students complete book reports? Then, this lesson is for you! Young learners read literature of their choice and complete diorama, filmstrip maker, costume and letter, or puppet making activities...
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this extinction lesson, students watch dinosaur video clips or complete a puppet finger play about dinosaurs. Students may then complete a dinosaur diorama or a...
Curated OER
Rapunzel
Youngsters read the story of Rapunzel and go over vocabulary and answer discussion questions. They also list qualities of characters, discuss settings, make a diorama, and more.
Curated OER
Petite People
Students design a toothpick/clothespin doll by following given instructions. They use toothpicks and embroidery floss (or clothespins and yarn) to create a little people pins to be worn or displayed in student created dioramas.
Curated OER
Going the Way the Wind Blows
Students examine the cause and effect relationship between geography and ancient civilizations. After reading an article, they determine how new findings can help scientists examine the migration patterns of these civilizations. Using...
Curated OER
Human Features of Our Community
Students investigate the human factors that create a community. They conduct research using a variety of sources. Students then create dioramas that depict a typical scene found in a community.
Curated OER
Sheep To Sweaters
Students discover how sheep fleece is turned into yarn by hand. Individually, students research historic websites that shows sheep shearing. They create a 3D diorama of the historic procedure for making sweaters. They compliment the...
Curated OER
Renaissance in Your Backyard
Students research the demographic and environment changes in their local community over the past years. They identify areas that need rehabilitation. Students create a plan for improvement and create a diorama to illustrate their...
Curated OER
The Four Elements
Young, native Spanish speakers learn about the four elements: earth, fire, air, and water. As a group, discuss the different senses you might use with each element. This is a teacher-centered lesson, but consider having individual...
Curated OER
On Aztec Terraces
Students investigate the development and use of Aztec terraces while farming. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information for the context of class discussion and then create a diorama to represent the...
Curated OER
Peek-Inside Egg
Students research information about Easter celebrations in several cultures and identify symbols of the holiday. They find out about famous egg-decorating eggs from countries that have a tradition of egg artistry. Studnets create theri...