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What is Kwanzaa?
Describe the general characteristics of Kwanzaa after reading Seven Candles of Kwanzaa. For this Kwanzaa instructional activity, learners study the principles of the Kwanzaa holiday and interpret the principles through music and...
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Going...going...gone? Tropical Rainforests-How They Work, What They Do for Us, What's Being Done to Them...
Sixth graders explore the Tropical Rainforest and come to understand what it is and how it affects the ecosystem. In this rainforests lesson, 6th graders write about the Tropical Rainforest, imagine they are in the Tropical Rainforest,...
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Whose Religion Is It?
Students analyze the impacts of religious expectations on gender roles. In this gender equity lesson, students compare and contrast different religions in societies in order to understand the cultural influences and effects of both...
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Introductory Lesson: Greece
Middle schoolers get a taste of Greek culture. In this Greece instructional activity, students participate in activities that require them to study the religion, music, food, clothing, and history of Greece.
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Born to be Wild
Students watch an episode depicting the human vs. polar bear conflict in Churchill, Canada. They conduct online research and analyze the information. They interpret the facts and use storytelling techniques and role playing to convey...
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Insect Collection
Students explore how to use several types of insect sampling and collectin equipment. They work in groups to collect insects in different areas of their schoolyard. Students are explained that quadrats are generally used to randomly...
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Seeing the World in New Ways
Learners probe their own histories to record how they have had to expand their world views. They determine "Everyone has a culture. It influences how we see the world, ourselves, and others." The explain the concept of cultural...
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Heaven or Ground Hog Day?
Students discover the ideas of enlightenment by reading historical poetry. In this philosophical lesson, students read poems by Sir Walter Scott and Sergeant Joyce Kilmer while discussing the themes of the writing with classmates....
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South American Cultures
Students examine South American festivals. In this cultural diversity lesson, students research Spanish cultural festivals and determine their purpose. Students write and conduct a survey about cultural festivals.
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Moving and Grooving with Tempo
Students participate in activities involving folk music using movement to illustrate the musical concept of tempo. The use of a game is used in order to help maintain student involvement in the activity.
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Spooky Notes
Second graders move to, sing, compose, and interpret various musical techniques through the use of "America", Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers", and a song called "Skin and Bones". Emphasis is placed upon identifying names and values...
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Composing Project
Students design, compose, and present short musical compositions for keyboard in this lesson plan meant for the high school choir class. This lesson can be adapted to any time frame, but the author suggests a considerable amount of time...
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Simple Gifts
Learners explore music. They practice singing with correct posture. Students practice reading music using the correct rhythms. Learners also learn the intervals Major 3rd and Major 6th.
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A Journey Through The Seasons
Second graders demonstrate creative movement, singing in canon or rounds, and playing instruments while taking "a musical journey through the seasons" in this second grade General Music lesson. Songs and discussion questions are...
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Singing In Canon
Third graders analyze and discuss the four seasons and how each can be represented in song form. This instructional activity is intended for the third grade Music classroom but could be adapted for any elementary grade. State and...
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Chinese Opera
Students study Chinese opera by sketching pictures of Chinese opera characters and musical instruments. They watch the film A Night at the Peking Opera, noting the elaborate costuming, the sparse staging, and the highly developed use of...
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Number Tick Tack Toe
Students participate in activities that apply Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences in order to improve literacy skills. The lesson is ideal for diverse learners because of the application of the theory.
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Up From the Streets: Hip Hop as a Recognized Art
Students discuss the historical roots of Hip-Hop to the present as an example of an art form that arose from the street into popular culture. Emphasis is placed on in-class discussion and written reflections in this introductory lesson.
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Introduction to Ludwig van Beethoven
"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...
Media Smarts
Defining Popular Culture
What part does media play in creating, defining, and perpetuating popular culture? High schoolers chart their encounters with fads, trends, and icons and reflect on the media's influence on popular culture.
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Families and Neighborhoods
Young scholars study family structure. In this family structure lesson, students read the book The Family Book and discuss families. Young scholars create a bulletin board of family photos and draw their families on paper. Students dance...
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Describing Music
Fifth graders listen to the 9th symphony and identify the tiri-ti rhythm. They identify the number of times they hear a phrase "turn, turn, turn". They then describe the meaning of one song and answer questions in class discussion.
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September 11, 2001
Third graders discuss one thing that makes them feel special. They read the book "We're Different, We're the Same" and discuss the differences they saw in the people in the book. They discuss how they would treat others who are different...
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Getting to Know You
Students complete an getting to know each other activity. In this personal names lesson, students play a name game, read a book about names, and then discuss why names are important. Students design a name card on oak tag rectangles and...