Research the history of the Boston Tea Party. Learners read the book The Boston Tea Party and write down important facts. They use the Internet to continue their research and construct an art project of a boat that contains a tea bag.

Help your class create collective poetry following a simple, engaging model from Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org). Each young poet writes five things on an index card: sayings from others, favorite sound, favorite place, favorite...

High schoolers analyze photographs as a development activity for their literacy skills. They will review the 6 Q's feature for analyzing photographs and analyze a variety of photographs and then write comments in the space around the...

Show youngsters how objects can tell a story! Here your class will learn about Cuban salsa dancer Celia Cruz by analyzing pictures of her dress, her shoes, and her marriage certificate. After describing Cruz's items and imagining what...

The Maya created amazing stone carvings and sculptures, but what were they for? Kids analyze the significance and purpose of a Maya stela and then write a creative piece. They imagine they are the stela, and write a story about what life...

Students discuss creative writing—what makes something creative writing? Each learner starts writing a story and after 15 minutes, they pass their story to another who adds to it. After another 15 minutes of writing, the story is passed...

Students participate in activities in which they explore how the space and objects around them can be altered. Using various types of software, they design and create a three-dimensional building and share it with the class. They also...

Grotesques or gargoyles are wonderful subjects for stories or art projects. Here is a simple "how to" for creating a lesson about sculpting clay gargoyles. Tip: Have learners research gargoyles throughout history.

How would you feel if you were on trial for murder—and you were only 16 years old? Put yourself in Steve Harmon's shoes before reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Kids listen to music that fits the theme of the book before...

Middle schoolers examine how Leonardo da Vinci exemplified the Renaissance period. They explore various websites, conduct Internet research, complete a chart, explore virtual da Vinci notebooks, and write an essay.

Students explore first-hand accounts and pictures of refugees, focusing initially on child refugees in Chechnya. They then create collages that describe, through words and images, the experience of refugees in countries at war.

Students, in an open forum with the teacher, discuss the four seasons and all the activities they do during each season. They tie in all the different types of weather that is experienced during each season. In conclusion, the students...

Students examine the contributions of George Lucas to society. They analyze the concept of a hero, conduct Internet research on the life of George Lucas, develop a Hero Attribute Chart, and create an artistic rendering representing the...

Learners examine the challenges faced by the Corps of Discovery on the Lewis and Clark expedition. They listen to online journal entries written by members of the Corps, complete an activity sheet, watch a video segment, and write a...

Students explore creative ways to reuse materials. In this ecology/art lesson, students create artwork using trash. Students view examples of folk art from around the world that used waste products as a main component.

This is a strange question; but what kind of vessel would you be and why? After examining images of a large Inca jug, the class sets to writing a creative narrative that answers that very interesting question. They start by researching...

Foreshadowing, flashbacks, and imaginary places are the three topics of focus in this two-lesson packet written especially for the book, Bridge to Terabithia. Each lesson also comes with worksheets and activities to support student...

Clay is a wonderful and expressive medium for learners of any age. Kids get creative as they make whimsical figures out of clay. A hyperlinked materials list, images of each step in the process, and helpful tips makes this a great art...

Allow your class to use their imaginations and create fun creatures with various wooden shapes and other embellishments. What a great way to encourage your young artists to stretch their minds!

Imagine using narrative essays to encourage change. This multi-week unit plan does just that. After reading a series of articles from Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America, class members examine the...

Students create an artistic response to the book, The Polar Express. In this creative writing lesson, students read the book and visualize an imaginary journey they would like to go on. Students create a train car from construction paper...

Students are instructed to create a monster in a paragraph or even a short story. This activity allows students to work with new vocabulary. It is also a good way to practice using verbs and adjectives in Spanish.

Learners create pen and ink drawings to practice new techniques. The lesson includes finished product images so the instructor can have target assignments to aid in the assessment process for the monitoring of student progress.

Sixth graders write myths to show tolerance in creation. They read from both the Aztec and Mayan eras and develop an understanding of the similarities and differences of these two closely related cultures. They track the travels of...