Lesson Plan
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The Changing Landscape

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the evolution of landscape painting in France from the 17th to the 19th century. They study and compare three landscape paintings, emphasizing space, depth, and the concepts of foreground, middle ground, and background.
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Ceramics: A Vessel Into History

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars examine ceramic vessels from different time periods. In this ceramic vessel instructional activity, students work in small groups to look at images of ceramic vessels from a number of time periods. They identify the...
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Composition and Line

For Teachers K - 5th
Students examine the use of composition and line as they create original drawings.  In this composition and line lesson plan, students recognize the art vocabulary associated with line and composition.  Students illustrate the...
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Portrait of Nadine Dumas

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explore a portrait and then create their own portrait as a gift.  In this bust art lesson, students use model techniques to create a three dimensional bust portrait.  Students analyze the elements of the design...
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Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a project poster displaying photos, drawings, and journal writings that incorporate the major themes of California's missions, and use perspective and point of view both visually and in writing.
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Life of a Navajo Weaver

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners explore Native American weaving patterns and dance movements. In this Native Americans lesson, students view examples of weaving patterns on the Internet and compare the patterns to a Native American dance. Learners demonstrate...
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Create an Illuminated Alphabet Word Book

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars create a class alphabet book. In this letter recognition lesson, students use line and color to draw an object whose name begins with a specific letter. Young scholars use adjectives to create a sentence describing the...
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Giants of the Past

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a paper sculpture based on ancient Greek statues. In this visual arts lesson, students read the book, The Mysterious Giant of Barletta and use cardstock to create their own statue. Students write a narrative story told...
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Funky Illuminated Fairy Tales

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create their own fairy tale.  In this book making instructional activity, students write a fairy tale and turn it into a book. They use decorated initials and borders to make it look like an illuminated manuscript.
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Looking At Illuminated Manuscripts: Exploring an Illuminated Manuscript Page

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students investigate illuminated manuscript pages from the Medieval period. In this illuminated manuscript lesson, students examine 13th century pages and compare them to modern printed works. They describe the details of an illuminated...
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Masks and Aesop's Fables

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars study and perform Aesop's fables. In this Aesop's fables lesson, students read and/or listen to a number of the famous fables. They make masks based on the characters and perform a fable using the masks. They write about...
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Molas from South America

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders research world geography by creating a class presentation. In this South American lesson, 3rd graders read assigned text regarding the customs and traditions of different Indian communities in South America. Students...
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Counting Crows

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars discuss the fable, The Crow and the Pitcher. In this literature instructional activity, students read the fable and create a crow sock puppet. Young scholars use their puppets to dramatize the fable.
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Dali & Desnos

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore surreal art and poetry. In this visual arts lesson, students examine works by André Breton, Robert Desnos, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miro. Students then apply the techniques in the works they analyze to their own poetry.
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Giving Voice to History

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the plight of Japanese Americans during World War II. In this World War II lesson, students participate in a mock evocation simulation, research primary and secondary documents about internment camps, and share their...
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The Monkey Dance: Exploring Balinese Culture

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars explore Balinese culture. In this Balinese integrated fine arts activity, students listen to a podcast of "The Monkey Dance," taking notes about important features of the dance. Young scholars participate in a jigsaw...
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A World of Myths

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read and write myths. In this world mythology lesson, students read and analyze myths from various cultures and then recognize their attributes as they write their own myths to explain natural phenomena.
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Lewis and Clark: Prized Possessions

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students consider the role of Sacagawea as part of the Corps of Discovery. In this Lewis and Clark expedition lesson, students discover details about Sacagawea's wampum belt and then create their own wampum belts using their computer and...
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Playing with Puns

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the wit of characters in two plays. In this drama lesson, students read The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary L. Blackwood and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare. Students analyze the puns used in both plays and write essays that...
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Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement instructional activity, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period....
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Swing your Partner: The Basics of Square Dancing

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students perform square dancing steps. For this square dancing lesson, students view a video to learn the basic steps.  Students discuss the history of the dance and perform with partners. 
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Sundiata, Mali’s Lion King

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the history of Mali. In this African cultures lesson plan, students research the impact of Sundiata Keita as king of Mali, recognize the significance of historical Malian festivals, and create character masks to be...
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A Way with Words or Say What?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine Shakespearean language. In this word study instructional activity, students investigate the meaning of words that Shakespeare invented. Students draw and pantomime with the words prior to writing short stories that...
Lesson Plan
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Rhythm & Improv: Jazz & Poetry

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers analyze the elements of poetry and jazz. In this critical thinking skills lesson, students take a closer look at the rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, form, free verse, lyricism, and imagery that exist is jazz as well as...