Students explore the various societal and cultural "lenses" which color their perspectives and life experiences by reading the short story "What Means Switch" by Gish Jen. They discuss how the cultural ideas and beliefs affect the...

Fifth graders participate in read aloud activities of three books about life in Colonial times. They compare their life to that of children of Colonial times using a Venn diagram. They draw a picture and write about what a day in the...

Students brainstorm the characteristics of winter. Using an email program, they share their characteristics of winter with those in another part of the country. They compare and contrast each letter they receive with their own criteria...

Learners read," The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush" by Tomie dePaola and discuss the way legends are passed down orally. They then create their own legend and illustrate it on a simulated "Buffalo Skin" made from brown paper.

Fourth graders explore racial discrimination focusing on Jim Crow laws. They read an excerpt from Richard Wright's autobiography and discuss how viewing the subject from the his point of view affects their opinions.

Students examine the story, "Charlotte's Web" in the nine lessons of this unit. As the students progress through the book, they will explore the story plot, setting, character, and the value of friendship.

Learners read passages from My Own True Name. They write their own poems and present them to the class. They share their favorite lines from the poem as well.

Students discuss the life of the author of "Christmas Comes to Moccasin Flat". They also discuss the piece of literature and what Christmas means to them. In groups, they discuss how the novel ends.

Learners respond to Mourning Dove's Coyote Stories by discovering Native American storytelling. They create a traditional lodge and write their own stories.

Students examine Asian American culture through the analysis of the poem, 'Aerogrammes.' They watch a video, read and discuss the poem, take a field trip to Chinatown, and write a poem about their Chinatown experience.

High schoolers read and analyze poetry written by Lawson Fusao Inada. They read and discuss the executive order issued to Japanese Americans during WWII, take a field trip to the Nikkei Legacy Center, and read and discuss poems.

High schoolers view a film about theatres in Chicago. They discover how performing arts can be enjoyed by all ages and how one becomes involved in performing in theatre. They answer questions and discuss to end the instructional activity.

Fourth graders locate the poetry section of the LMC. They produce a hand written transparency based on the poem Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Students illustrate a poem from their poetry section. It is a mystery to them what...

Students experience ways language and visuals bring characters to life in a story, experience age-appropriate songs, cooking experiences, and art, learn the days of the week in a new learning experience, and engage in hands-on learning...

Fifth graders use visual art as a form of communication as they create a codex book based on their knowledge of Mesoamericans.

Learners examine online objects from the Smithsonian website and use them as subjects and inspiration for creative writing exercises.

Learners create a handmade paper using pre-soaked paper pulp and a screen. They then decorate the paper using water color paint and brushes in a style that expresses ideas from a reading of, "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney.

Students are introduced to the GIS system. They create a map plotting local sites the Environmental Protection Agency has on its EPA Regulated Sites list. They identify a list of schools that are near potentially hazard sites.

Students examine the ideas of Lincoln and Douglass. In groups, they compare and contrast writings from each man and how they formed the nation with their ideas. After watching "Glory", they discuss how people like Lincoln and Douglass...

Students have an appreciation of Langston Hughe's poetry and his use of jazz rhythms, have the ability to read poetry closely, and freewrite to gain a fresh perspective on music and literature.

Students read a story with the teacher to reflect upon their own family history. The application of the story is when children create their own family tree and complete the questionaire.

Young scholars differentiate between generalizations and stereotypes and compare and contrast gender representation. Finally, they critically analyze media for gender stereotypes. They look at magazines and create collages to focus in...