Unit Plan
New York City Department of Education

Grade 9-10 Literacy in Science: Using DNA to Solve a Crime

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Scholars become detectives and use science to solve a crime! A complete unit introduces DNA and includes hands-on activities that have learners model DNA and extract it from different food types. A culminating activity challenges...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

So You Want to Be a Copy Editor?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Explore what a copy editor does and take a copyediting test. Pupils practice spelling while identifying the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in journalism. The resource is well done.
Lesson Plan
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I Feel the Need to Read!: Growing Independence and Fluency

For Teachers 1st - 4th
This series of activities lets the class observe and demonstrate a variety of strategies for decoding and reading fluently with expression. They listen to the teacher read passages from If You Give a Pig a Pancake with and...
Lesson Plan
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Crafts, From Gallery to Classroom: Landscape Painting with James Palmersheim

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create their own landscape paintings. Students will learn various techniques to create an effective foreground, middleground, and background.
Lesson Plan
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Word Association Poetry with Visual Thesaurus (or Not)

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young poets get inspiration and guidance for making word association poems with the Visual Thesaurus. Your class could complete this project with nothing more than a pencil and paper as well. A nice one-off for a substitute during your...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Stomping Good Time: Using Found Instruments and Invented Rhythms to Make Beautiful Music

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners work in small groups to use everyday objects to create performances inspired by the work of STOMP. They create a system of notation to document the music and movement of a 2-minute performance.
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Stage a Poetry Slam!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students write and perform poetry. In this poetry presentation activity, students learn about the concept of a poetry slam. Students plan and hold their own poetry slam.
Lesson Plan
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Double Self Portrait

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students meet an artist who overcame learning and physical disabilities and became a successful artist. They use a digital camera to imitate the style of one artist; and explore the connection between the use of technology and art.
Lesson Plan
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Careers on Stage And Air

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars create and perform a scene for play using a common fairy tale for the story line. They view and discuss a video on careers in stage and radio to identify the roles and responsibilities for each of their group members.
Lesson Plan
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Printmaking for Grades K-2

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students design and create their own stamps as well as practice the art of printmaking. They cut a variety of shapes from "Easy-cut foam" and glue them to a cardboard base to create their print.
Lesson Plan
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Water Water Water - Costume Designing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create costumes using recycled materials determined beforehand by the teacher in this High School Drama/Art lesson on costume designing. The example lesson is based around the title of "Water, Water, Water" but can be adapted...
Lesson Plan
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Identify the Element of Line

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students explore the element of "line." In this beginning art activity, students listen to the book Harold and the Purple Crayon, then describe the types of lines Harold drew. Students identify straight lines,  jagged lines, curvy...
Lesson Plan
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Enter Ophelia: Stage Directions, Promptbooks, and Film

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review different film versions of the play, Hamlet, and compare what was presented to the actual stage directions given in the original Shakespearean version.
Lesson Plan
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PUPPETRY

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars explore world cultures through their puppetry. Your students explore puppets that are used in various cultures and create their own. The Internet experiences in this lesson are designed to be teacher-directed whole class...
Lesson Plan
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The Princess And The Painter

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discover Baroque art techniques through the research of Diego Velasquez' work "Las Meninas" and other Baroque art. This leads to an exciting creative art project of "everyday life" by each student.
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Emotion Masks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze and discuss masks of different cultures as an art form to evoke emotion. This lesson culminates in the creation of individual mask designs and self-directed assessment (included).
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Technology as a Design Tool for self-portraits

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students create self-portraits using the technology of digital cameras mixed with other media. Adobe Photoshop is a requirement for this specific three week project. State standards for the arts are addressed.
Lesson Plan
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Keith Haring & Social Awareness

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students view four sections of one of Haring's paintings. They describe the people and characters they see. Students participate in a variety of classroom art activities such as: Making a treasure box modeled after Keith Haring's work,...
Lesson Plan
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Cultural Logo Design

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a logo design to express their own identity. In this logo design lesson, students list ten words to describe who they are and choose two of them to use in a logo. Students draw images and choose various forms of...
Lesson Plan
Agriculture in the Classroom

The Garden Chef

For Teachers K - 7th
Introduce young chefs to nutritious eating with a cookbook that is divided into sections focusing on one of the five food groups. It includes lessons, activities, and recipes. How wholesome!
Lesson Plan
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Digital Photography

For Teachers K - 12th
Scholars learn to use digital cameras to take pictures of natural subjects. They will examine the use of digital cameras, how to download photos, and to develop a digital project. They take nature pictures and develop a Power Point or...
Lesson Plan
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Study Guide for the 2009 Richard Gray Visual Arts Lecturer: Jules Feiffer

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students analyze the cartoons of Jules Feiffer and the art genre to then create their own comic book-style spread. In this cartoon art lesson, students read about the work of Feiffer and identify the techniques of the art. Students...
Lesson Plan
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Visit to Ackland Art Museum (African Masks Exhibit)

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders observe and describe the similarities and differences in the African Mask exhibit at the Ackland Art Museum. They use describing words to express the feelings of the masks.
Lesson Plan
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Honor Your School and Community Heroes

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars honor local heroes. In this community heroes lesson, students create an award or plan an event honoring a local hero. Young scholars are encouraged to be creative!