Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Jazz is About Collaboration": Jim Crow Laws And Segregation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore development of jazz music in the 1930s by forming imaginary jazz bands which tour several cities in Depression-era America. Jazz band members create imaginary identities for themselves, develop publicity for their tour,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rhythm of Life - Episode 3 - Harmony

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students complete a unit on musical harmony. They listen to examples of three part harmonies, watch a video, complete a data sheet, prepare a report on the history of harmony, and complete a multimedia report on music for the movies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Aloha Lesson Plan: Perpetuating Indigenous Cultural Traditions in Diaspora

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the culture and decline of the culture of native Hawaiian people as the islands were colonized. They study issues of cultural identity for Native Hawaiians.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Movie Project: "Living History...Saul, The King of Israel"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers create a movie about King Saul. They are evenly split into "production groups" composed of 5-6 students.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

China: How to Put Some "Tang" in Your Medieval Dynasties

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders label the countries that border China and the physical features of Asia. They discuss the physical features of Asia and label them on the other map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From the Beginning of Time, Online: Using the Internet to Explore History

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students use the Internet to research historical events. They compare and contrast different websites to find the best information. They write summaries based on the information they found and give presentations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lessons in Drama: Learning About American Political Thought

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students develop critical thinking skills so that they may produce their own written plays or music from their thoughts and feelings. They express their thoughts based on what has been presented to them over the duration of the course.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Impressions of Ancient Life

For Teachers K - 6th
Students make a mold using Plaster of Paris and then make a cast using that same mold. They pick a fossil and describe how it looks. They write a fictionalized story about its life, or burial. (
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Class in the Media: Writing a Television Show

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students look at popular media presentations to determine what type of messages they convey about class and class-linked behavior. They listen to contemporary music to explore how the songs touch upon social class issues. They read...
Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Year 4: Julius Caesar and Imperial Rome

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
The study of the life of Julius Caesar can be divided into three parts: his early life and military successes, his reign as dictator, and the rise of the Roman Empire after his death. Young scholars demonstrate their mastery of the facts...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SPEECHES TO INTRODUCE

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Pupils create multimedia speeches of introduction which focus on women and Hispanics. They introduce their famous person and, using a video camera, video tape their speeches. 
Lesson Plan
Science Friday

Pinhole Viewer

For Students 6th - 8th
Take a peep into optics. Pupils watch a video about a large Polaroid camera before building pinhole viewers. The scholars then create different types of viewers and compare them to determine which provides the best image.
PPT
Curated OER

Clowns and Mimes

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Unless your class is afraid of clowns, this presentation is sure to interest them. It discusses the history behind clowns, the different types of clowns, and the ways that clowns contribute to the genre of comedy. Use this slide show in...
Lesson Plan
PBS

President Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Policy Statesman or Bully?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Escape

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a television program that explores the influence and importance of film's contribution to the rise of global culture. They discuss and write about the movies' influence in their own lives and compare and contrast different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students research one of the six wives of Henry VIII in groups to provide expert presentations. In this European History lesson, students view a film and take notes on Henry VIII's wives. Students evaluate the information from the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baga Drum

For Teachers K - 6th
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson plan, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Broadcast from the Past

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pupils will be responsible for presenting (either performing live or videotaping and playing) a newscast dealing with an aspect of the Civil Rights Movement that connects to the unit topic of media and social justice. During the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Modern Day Minstrel - Lesson 1

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners identify and describe the various roles that musicians fulfill. They recognize various genres of music. They identify and interview musicians in the community and invite them to come in and talk about their roles as musicians.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Fog of War

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students view the film Fog of War and discuss the most striking elements of the film. They focus on chosen lessons from robert McNamara's life such as: empathy, rationality and proportionality.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waging A Living

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers view a video clip about minimum wage. They discover the history of wage policy in the United States and the difference between the minimum wage and living wage. They write a paper on how to increase the wages.
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Movies for a Nickel! The Nickelodeon

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students identify and participate in this activity to identify and learn about the early history of the film industry, and consider the impact of movies on society ever since. Then they use the websites listed to study various aspects of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soldados: Soldiers' Stories

For Teachers All
This lesson will help students practice conducting an oral history interview, increase knowledge about what it is like to be a soldier, gain knowledge about the Vietnam War and gain knowledge about the Chicano experience in the U.S.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

REEL POLITICS: HOW HOLLYWOOD EXERCISES ITS FREEDOM OF SPEECH

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students list the five best films of the year, in their opinion; brainstorm a list of criteria for a "good" film. They compare their own lists with the nominees in this year's Academy Awards; consider patterns in Academy Award winners of...