Curated OER
Past, Present and Future Through the Eyes of Long Jakes
Even the littlest learners can become art historians if they have the right training. For the lesson, your preschoolers discuss the piece Long Jakes as they point out all the details they notice. They discuss what mountains and mountain...
Curated OER
Past, Present, and Future
Students explore school history by documenting daily life. In this time capsule lesson, students discuss the impact a fire had on their school during the previous year and identify ways to preserve information about their school by...
Curated OER
Lesson: Urs Fischer: Reviving the Past Art Movements
Seven major abstract art movements are analyzed by learners in groups. Each group analyzes various works by determining which work belongs to which movement. They then read Flatland, engage in an art and literary analysis discussion,...
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Hard Times, Soft Sell
Learners analyze art to determine themes for the Great Depression Era. In this Great Depression instructional activity, students identify themes for the era and research evidence for the themes to present to the class. Learners interview...
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The Fabric of America
Students examine the theme of independence in American history by participating in a class-wide paper quilt project. Each student creates three quilt squares representing the past, present and future of independence in the United States.
Curated OER
Let's Find a Good Time in Art!
Fifth graders make a Hyperstudio presentation based on their study of different time periods in art history. They complete a timeline using a teacher made template to complete the project.
Curated OER
It's About Time
Young scholars create their own timeline. For this social science lesson, students write the important events that happened in their lives on their timeline and then compare their timeline to Earth's timeline.
Curated OER
Living the Dream?
Students consider the stories of two immigrants and translate their past, present and future into original pieces of writing or artwork.
Curated OER
Ceramic Sculpture: Lesson Plan
Three-Dimensional sculpture, the artists who create it, and ceramic techniques are all covered in this plan. Tenth graders take a trip to a local art museum, watch a presentation on clay sculpture, then design a 3-D art piece. They study...
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Muslim Arab/Spanish Connection
Ninth graders watch the video, 'El Cid.' They participate in teacher-led discussion about the beliefs, customs, goals, and heroes of both Spaniards and Moors. They create and present an artifact to the class showing the results of their...
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Down on the Farm
Students are introduced to a map of an Illinois farm. They determine whether the map is of the past, present, or future by looking at features on the map. They also use the map to make a three-dimensional model.
Curated OER
Transportation and Mapping
Students view murals that depict various modes of transportation. They discuss the importance of maps to navigation and create a map. They compare and contrast transportation of the past with modes of transportation used today.
Curated OER
Early American Portraits: a Strategy for Learning About Artists and Their Works
Students study artworks from several different artists. They compare and contrast these works and examine the historical background of the artist and his or her times.
They develop the capacity to think critically and communicate their...
Curated OER
A Tree is a Friend
Fifth graders discover the value of trees in our society. For this ecosystem instructional activity, 5th graders read the book, A Tree is Nice, and discuss with classmates how trees are essential to our existence due to creating...
Smithsonian Institution
Picturing George: A Pictorial Survey of the Life of George Washington
Young scholars create pictorial biographies of George Washington. Working in groups, they research various portions of Washington's life, highlighting significant events. After presenting their projects to the class, they are displayed...
Curated OER
Chicago Rhythms, Chicago Roots
High schoolers view a video about different types of music. They examine the history of jazz, big band and rock back to the city of Chicago. They discover Chicago's music scene today and compare it to the past.
Cloud Front
Socratic Seminar for: A Christmas Carol
Socratic seminars are a great way to encourage the development of critical thinking, speaking, and listening skills. And Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a perfect text for such a seminar. Use the questions in the packet to...
Curated OER
One Room School House Reading Lesson
Learners explore schools during the Colonial period. In this American history lesson, students participate in a simulation of school days in Colonial America. Learners visit a museum and use the schoolhouse as a setting for their...
Curated OER
If These Walls Could Speak...
Young scholars examine the relationship between history, the use of a given space, and its design. They research the relationship between technology and design while exploring a variety of sources. They study what scale models are and...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Where in the Latitude Are You? A Longitude Here.
Students distinguish between latitude and longitude on the map. In this mapping lesson, students participate in mapping skills to recognize spatial relationships, and where to find natural resources on the map. Students create...
Curated OER
Lesson: Michael Blum: National Identity at a Distance
Immigration, refugees, and cultural change due to the movement of people around the globe is discussed. Learners examine the work of Michael Blum to gain an understanding of how national and cultural identities shift due to immigration....
Curated OER
History of Christmas Carols
Learners write the lyrics to their own Christmas carol. Through discussion and lecture, students become aware of the history of two Christmas carols. They memorize the lyrics to carols and perform them in class. Learners use their...
Curated OER
Historical Fashions - Interdisciplinary Experience, Art & Social Studies
Seventh graders research styles, construction, fabrics, colors, and cost of Colonial era clothing. They create a life-sized model of themselves wearing Colonial period clothing and write a report about the clothes they designed.