Curated OER
From Fact to Fiction: The Origins of Constellations
Sixth graders investigate the constellations. In this constellations lesson plan, 6th graders discover where the constellations are located and the myth associated with them. Students create their own myth and make a slide show about...
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Aborigine Dot Turtles
First graders create Aboriginal Dot Turtles using wax colors or crayons. The class discusses Aboriginal stories and art as a way to practice design. This activity can be done in two 30-minute activity segments.
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A History of the War of 1812 and The Star-Spangled Banner
Students examine the causes and outcomes of the War of 1812, and determine the chronology of the Star-Spangled Banner. In this War of 1812 lesson plan, students learn vocabulary and read a narrative about the War of 1812 before...
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A Wappo Legend: The Creation of Man
Third graders read a Wappo creation myth observing the use of symbols or pictures for characters in the story. After discussing the myth, they write their own stories, using pictures for some of the words. They research other creation...
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Personal Odysseys and Everyday Heroes
Ninth graders study Greek Mythology, focusing on Gods and Goddesses. They compare the modern day hero with the classical hero and examine how individual characters are based on their own personal odysseys.
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Weather Myths
Fourth graders relate myths to weather phenomenon. They write and illustrated a weather myth and present it to the class.
Channel Islands Film
Dark Water: Lesson Plan 3 - Grades 6-12
After watching the documentary Dark Water about a traditional Chumash ceremony and reading a Chumash origin story, viewers are asked to create a coat of arms and to craft an essay that details a family tradition or their own origin story.
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Learning about a Culture from a Story
Students identify environmental influences on a traditional culture, animals and plants important to a traditional culture, and interpret the identity of a traditional culture from objects and a creation story.
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Prometheus Eulogy
Students write a eulogy for the mythological character, Prometheus. In this Greek myth lesson, students read a story about Prometheus and view a PowerPoint. Students discuss the elements of a eulogy and then write one for Prometheus.
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Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits
Students compare and contrast historical and contemporary photographs of important figures in African American history. In this photography analysis lesson, students learn key photography vocabulary and use a Venn Diagram to explore...
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Once Upon a Time
Students examine how music and sound affect their creation of artwork. They view art images online, create three hybrid collage creatures, develop a list of hero characteristics, and write an adventure story for a character they have...
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Mythology in the ESL Classroom
Young scholars study myths, mythological figures, and the ancient classics. They develop a sensitivity to the beliefs, values, attitudes, and views of man's development at that time. They illustrate the powers of each god discussed...
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I Went to the Crossroads: The Faust Theme in Music, Film and Literature
Students analyze song lyrics and discuss Faust theme in musical history. In this thematic lesson, students view a film clip and create a song lyric, poem or short story developed around the Faust theme. Students perform or present their...
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Quiz on Genre and Subgenre
In this quiz on genre and subgenre worksheet, 9th graders match 12 definitions to terms, then answer 3 multiple choice questions identifying genres.
The Kennedy Center
Fairy Tale Variations
Here are two great lessons that work together and are inspired by the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods. Young writers and actors will retell the story of "The Frog Prince" through games, improvisational script writing, and...
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Granary Door Dogon, Mali
Students explore a creation myth. In this visual arts lesson plan, students discuss the Dogon creation myth and the design and make refrigerator magnets in the style of Dogan granary doors. The design of the magnets should include linear...
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A Fish Story
Students closely examine and analyze an American tall tale. They find the key features of a tall tale and compose a tall tale of their own. Student groups write, edit and present their tales to the class.
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Creative Writing Lesson Plan: Combination Creature
Students navigate through an online interactive virtual zoo to create imaginary animals by combining different parts of real animals. They write a short story about their combination creature.
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Behind the Cover
Learners develop questions they would have liked to ask an author about their written works. They read an article about their forefathers and research a back story to a written work of their choice. They create posters to illustrate the...
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May the Force Be With(in) You
Students explore the characterization of heroes and their representation of the values and beliefs of the society in which they are created. They first examine the creation of the 'Star Wars' heroes and plots, and then develop their own...
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Wagons West: Native Americans
Students examine interactions between Native Americans and settlers. In this Westward Expansion instructional activity, students analyze select passages from Plains Indians by Dana Newmann and The World of Native Americans by Marion...
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George Washington Lives! On the Internet! - Thematic Unit
Students study all about George Washington: Farmer, Soldier, and First President of the United States of America on the internet.
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Ancient Greece
Students discover the world of ancient Greece. For this ancient Greece lesson, students compare and contrast the culture of Athens and Sparta. Students also compare the democracy in Athens with the democracy in the United States today.
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Early American Oral Tradition Lesson Plans
Students open their minds to the relevance of early American myths and legends by sharing their own family stories.