Lesson Plan
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Grand Canyon Suite

For Teachers 5th - 7th
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...
Lesson Plan
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What Made George Washington a Good Military Leader?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars identify the qualities of an effective military leader. In this Revolutionary War lesson, students view several Internet resources about George Washington's life. Student groups research one of four battles, and document...
Lesson Plan
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A Renaissance of Jazz and Poetry

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore, analyze, study and read a variety of poems and listen to jazz that have their roots in the Harlem Renaissance. They then discuss the similarities and differences of themes in the works of different poets and composers.
Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Instrument and Visual Appreciation of Art

For Teachers 9th - 12th
There are a lot of great ideas to be found here. To better understand the connection between art and history, learners research several music and art pieces, then relate them to major social events. They study the lives and works...
Lesson Planet Article
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A Cultural Look into the Faces of Mexican History

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Manuel de Elias, and Alfonso Garcia Robles have greatly inspired and sculpted Mexican cutlure and history.
Lesson Plan
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Confucianism in a Changing Society

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A great instructional activity promotes thoughtful discussion, global perspectives, and links between economics and culture. Learners view four clips showing how Confucian teachings have shaped Chinese culture and how filial piety plays...
Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian In Your Classroom: The Music in Poetry

For Teachers K - 12th
Take poetry off the page and put it into terms of movement, physical space and, finally, music with this series of three lessons from the Smithsonian Institution. This resource introduces students to two poetic forms that originated as...
Worksheet
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The Two-Party System: Chapter 5

For Students 11th
Guide your students' reading with this learning exercise. Included are five matching and five multiple choice questions focused on aspects of the two-party system employed in the United States. Use as a quiz, guided reading questions, or...
Lesson Plan
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Writing as a group activity

For Teachers 1st - 5th
  Did you know that 50% of all Americans can trace a relative who traveled through Ellis Island? Relive these journeys with your class and then provide sentence strategy templates for them to use to compose their own informative...
Worksheet
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Route 66 Challenge

For Students 3rd - 6th
In this Route 66 activity learning exercise, students respond to 10 multiple choice questions that require them to exhibit the knowledge they have about the American highway.
Lesson Plan
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Speech in the Virginia Convention

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
“. . .different men often see the same subject in different lights. . .” but the great orator Patrick Henry used all the skills at his command to craft a speech to convince listeners to see things as he did--that liberty was worth dying...
Lesson Plan
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An American Legacy-Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery Study

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders travel with the Corps of Discovery. For this ancient civilizations lesson, 5th graders research print and Internet sources about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Students prepare PowerPoint presentations to share their...
Lesson Plan
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Creating Musical Notation

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
In this creative music activity from Scientific American, students learn about musical notation and then design their own notations. Great web resource links are alsp provided
Lesson Plan
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Still Life

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compose a three-dimensional still life composition in a shoe box, sketch portions of their work and then design a painting based on the finished box. They complete and critique their paintings.
Lesson Plan
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The Age of Jackson

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners study the image of Andrew Jackson. In this presidential history lesson students investigate the political image that was groomed by Jackson as they examine advertisements. Learners compose essays regarding the topic.
Lesson Plan
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German Immigrants Contributions to the Upper Midwest

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore contemporary lifestyles, cultures, traditions are influenced by the contributions of the German settlers of that region. They research these influences and design a brochure to entice potential immigrants to the Upper...
Lesson Plan
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Farmers, the Populist Party, and Mississippi (1870-1900)

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students determine the cause and effect of a historical event. They draw conclusions about statistical data and maps and compose a campaign speech for a Populist candidate. They design a political poster and badge for the Populist Party.
Lesson Plan
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Social Studies: Symbols of the United States

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners research the political traditions of the United States at the national and state levels. After discussing various symbols, students compose essays about the principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
Lesson Plan
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Little Train of Caipira

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students listen to the "Berry Pickers' Song" on the piano twice. They practice the song several times to become familiar enough to recognize it in the piece. They listen to the CD and recognize the tune by raising their hand and tell...
Lesson Plan
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Who’s Got Rights? An Introduction to Human Rights and Human Rights Defenders

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explore human rights issues. For this social justice lesson, students examine human rights as they read segments of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights," discuss photographs with human rights implications, and play a...
Lesson Plan
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Introducing the Victims of the Holocaust

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students consider the plight of Holocaust victims. In this World War II lesson, students discuss the number of Jews who were persecuted during the war and read biographies by Holocaust survivors. Students compose essays on personal...
Lesson Plan
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How Would the World be Different?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the impact of Martin Luther King, Jr. In this civil rights lesson, students imagine the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement had King never been born. Students compose essays that feature King's roles in the movement.
Lesson Plan
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America's Civil Rights Movement, Cubing

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explore cubing as a graphic organizer to better explain the key concepts of the Civil Rights Movement and take positions on key concepts regarding the Movement.
Lesson Plan
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WRITING THE WIND

For Teachers 4th - 5th
The student will compose sentences using adjectives that describe windmills.Review adjectives. Write a noun on the board and have students name the appropriate adjectives. 2. Hand out worksheets and review directions for making windmill...