Curated OER
Bringing Cultures Together
Students research specific information for the United Nations and present them in a PowerPoint presentation. They connect with another student in in their country of research by emailing them. They create a blog of creative writing...
Curated OER
Crossing the Delaware with Historic, Cultural, and Personal Interpretations
Sixth graders discover the importance of information sources by researching the United States History. In this research gathering lesson, 6th graders examine a historical painting of George Washington and analyze what it means,...
Curated OER
Northwest Coast Indians: Spring and Summer Salmon
Here is a fabulous lesson about the cultures of the Northwest Indians. Through an exploration of a story about the Salmon People, learners study the practice of harvesting salmon and the cultural importance of salmon to the Northwest...
Curated OER
The Chinese Rites Controversy: A Case Study in Cross-Cultural Exchange and Cross-Cultural Conflict
Students examine the various groups involved in the Rites Controversy of China. They participate in a simulation of representatives involved in the Rites Controversy, conduct research, write a persuasive paper, and participate in a debate.
Curated OER
Grand Canyon Suite
Take a trip to the Grand Canyon! Lesson one explores how Ferde Grofe painted a musical landscape of America when he wrote the Grand Canyon Suite. Learners then examine art that shows the Grand Canyon in lesson two. Finally, lesson three...
Curated OER
Thrilling Information: Music and Reading
Here’s a cross-curricular program music activity that uses Peer Gynt to engage class members. Groups take one section of “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” choreograph their section of the tune to represent the story as they imagine it,...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
It’s Greek to Me: Greek Mythology
It's no myth: this packet on Greek mythology is an excellent addition to your social studies curriculum. With writing activities, such as short answer responses and biopoems, and reading activities, which include creation stories and...
Curated OER
Reading Multicultural Literature
Learners read several fictional pieces which examine issues of urbanization and rural cultures. They discuss how the place a person lives affects the kind of person they become.
Curated OER
Encountering Very Different Ways of Life
Learners explore the concept of crossing cultures. They examine how Americans may be viewed by people in another culture and discover that that Peace Corps Volunteers are trained to cross cultures respectfully so that they are accepted...
Curated OER
How Do We Learn About the Past?
Sixth graders discuss the role of an archaeologist as a class. After viewing photographs, they relate the objects found in their local area and Ancient Egypt. They draw a picture of an object that represents their own culture and gives...
Curated OER
What Masks Reveal
Students explore the cultural significance of masks by investigating the role they play in ceremonies and on special occasions in societies from widely separated regions of the world.
Learning to Give
Asian Folktales
A great way to learn to understand people and their environment is to study their folktales. Stories from China, Vietnam, India, Iran, Persia, and Palestine offer an opportunity for readers to investigate the cultures of Asia. A list of...
Denver Art Museum
My Animal Symbol
Here is an art instructional activity that combines visual arts and language arts into one very nice package. In it, youngsters study a fascinating painting called Painting of Bear and Sun Dances. They begin to understand the...
Curated OER
Using Advertisements to "Read Between the Lines" Culturally
Students study and discuss various magazine advertisements, looking for target audience, attention-getting method, cultural differences, etc.
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.
Berkshire Museum
The Three Life-Giving Sisters: Plant Cultivation and Mohican Innovation
Children gain first-hand experience with Native American agriculture while investigating the life cycle of plants with this engaging experiment. Focusing on what the natives called the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - young...
Curated OER
One Step At A Time
Students begin the lesson by discussing how two people watching the same event can see it differently. After viewing an overhead transparency, they report on what they saw after being called upon. They discover that what we see is our...
Curated OER
Creating An Understanding of the Past/Through The Art of George Catlin and Native American Artifacts
Students explore Native American culture. They observe and discuss the paintings of George Catlin. Students examine the lives of the Pawnee Native American Indians during the time period of 1830-1840. Numerous cross curriculum activities...
Curated OER
Crossing the Border: Practicalities
Students plan a trip for a citizen of Mexico to travel within various regions of the US. Another group plans a trip for a citizen of the US to travel to a non-tourist area of Mexico.
Curated OER
American Transcendentalism and Buddhism:
Students study American transcendentalism through readings of Emerson and Thoreau. They make cognitive connections to the similarities to Buddhism in these writings. The connection of the literary movement is explained in the art of the...
Curated OER
Diversity Grade 12
Twelfth graders explore injustices that natives of Canada want rectified. In this diversity lesson, 12th graders discuss former Canadian policies that were morally objectionable. Students discuss how the past indiscretions should be...
Curated OER
Symbols: A Reaction to Their Power
Students explore the concept of symbolism. In this social studies lesson, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the use of symbols in the past and the impact of symbols in today's culture.
Curated OER
Lesson: Double Album: Sentence as Thought
The cut-up technique invented by surrealist artist Tristan Tzara is the focus for today. Young artists examine the technique and analyze its use in relation to expressing and viewing the world. They then use a newspaper to create a...
Curated OER
Observational Drawing
Students create drawings using oil pastels that convey cultural, social and historical meaning. Drawings are evaluated on use of color planning, contour drawing, color blending, line and pattern.