Jefferson County Schools
Teaching Persuasive Reading and Writing
With the increasing emphasis on persuasive and argumentative writing, the lessons and strategies in the sample unit are sure to prove valuable—whether you are new to or an experienced pro at teaching persuasive reading and writing.
National Arts Centre
Create a Set Design
Groups create a set for a play or story they select, build a model, and share their stage with the class. The team explains the rationale for their choices and the mood they feel their staging creates.
National First Ladies' Library
School Reform, Again!
Students discuss their perceptions and experiences with changes in schooling. They work in small groups to prepare a PowerPoint presentation to explain the efforts toward reforming schools since 1983. Students speculate on the next...
Curated OER
Costume And Make-Up Shakespeare Style
Students create original costumes and make-up for a puppet presentation of a scene from Shakespeare in this week long creative project. Performances of the Shakespeare scenes end this lesson geared towards state and national standards...
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Emotion Masks
Students analyze and discuss masks of different cultures as an art form to evoke emotion. This instructional activity culminates in the creation of individual mask designs and self-directed assessment (included).
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Still Life
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.
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Effective Speaking in a Debate
Students examine and discuss the concept of stage fright. They demonstrate positive debate techniques, constructively critique other speakers, and implement debate techniques for a practice debate.
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Art History and Technique
Students conduct research, using a variety of resources, about their favorite painter and painting. They critique the famous painters work and write a multimedia presentation that showcases his/her work. They paint an original work of...
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Communicative Choices & Linguistic Style
Start by watching a video entitled Do You Speak American? and respond to discussion questions about the various dialects showcased throughout the video to identify the regional linguistic styles throughout America. As a culminating...
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Amate Bark Paintings/Folk Arts of Latin America
Students explore the history of bark paintings in South America and produce their own version of these paintings.
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Adapting Narratives for Skits to Teach Language Through Drama
Students in a Spanish foreign language class are giving topics to develop a skit to preform in front of the class. As a class, they are introduced to new vocabulary and the concept of paraphrasing. After performing their skit, they...
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Abstract Partial Human Figure in Plaster
Students identify and critique the work of Barbara Hepworth and Constantin Brancusi by their works as motivation for creation of a plaster sculpture. They implement the subtractive sculpting method to concentrate on form and movement.
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Text as Texture Collage
Students explore the concepts of rhythm, movement, contrast and texture. They practice using new vocabulary and work on creating a college after designing the arrangement. They self-evaluate their collage and critique their classmates...
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Contour Hand Gestures with Text
Students examine different types of hand drawings. They create their own 3-D contour drawings. They also discuss the use of symbolism in art.
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Unknown Frost Poem Discovered
What? A long-lost poem from Robert Frost? Introduce your class to a poem recently found and published from Robert Frost's personal collection. The lesson includes background information on the author, the poem itself, and a list of...
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Creating Plays from Children's Stories
Students explain how individual elements (e.g., plot, theme, character, conflict, etc.) comprise the structure of a play. They write an original one-act play with developed characters, specific setting, conflict, and resolution.
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Time Management
Students are taken through the design process to develop a system of time management for themselves and others. They practice participating in a critique of other students' time schedules and modify and improve their initial time...
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College Research Skills: Evaluating Reliable Online Sources
Students analyze Public Art in preparation for college discussion, research, and writing, and create their own artistic creations. In this art and college prep lesson plan, students develop an original research question to explore an art...
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Papier Mach¿ Monsters
Students view various pieces of art and interpret its meaning in terms of a particular culture. Using papier mache, they create prototypes for a movie sequel in which they represent various cultures. They share and explain their...
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The Night Chanter Project
Students sketch a design based on "The Night Chanter." In this art design lesson, students listen to the Native American prayer, "The Night Chanter" and illustrate their personal vision of the chant. Students critique the sketches and...
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Making a Treasure Your Own: Lesson Two
Students write an essay describing the Curtis Center and what they learned there. In this descriptive writing essay, students discuss the five paragraph essay and review sensory discoveries from their trip. Students draft an outline and...
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From Mud to Masterpiece: Individual Clay Mosaic Relief Murals Inspired by Rudy Autio's Public Murals
Students create clay mosaic relief murals as analysis of Abstract Expressionism. In this clay art lesson, students analyze the abstract expressionist art of Rudy Autio and create their own clay mural using fire clay and glazes. Students...