Students read writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson to analyze transcendentalism and analyze photographic essays depicting environmental issues. In this art and history instructional activity, students read excerpts of Nature by Emerson to...

Fifth graders practice using quotation marks and capitalization in writing. In this multiple viewpoints lesson, 5th graders read Sequoyah and write ten sentences stating what they believe the character was thinking. Students write...

Students examine primary source material of the Depression to correlate the fictional text "Out of the Dust" with actual visual, auditory, and manuscript accounts as found in the American Memory collections.

Students read and analyze the twelve short stories in the novel "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." They create their own detective that has to solve a new kind of crime, and write and edit a short story with their original detective as...

Fifth graders investigate the importance of government by conducting a debate.  For this U.S. Government lesson, 5th graders utilize their classroom as the setting for a two sided debate based on whether government is essential to a...

Students research philanthropy in three genres: a play, a fable, and a parable. Students read an Aesop fable and answer questions in groups. Students complete steps in two worksheets from 'The Good San Franciscan' and 'Someone Should.'...

Students explore Hispanic culture. In this cultural diversity lesson, students read Wachale by Ilan Stavans and respond to discussion questions about the story. Students journal about their impressions of the story as well.

In this point of view worksheet, students read passages and then write the narrator's point of view and how they know it is such. Students do this for 6 passages.

Students develop an appreciation of history as they volunteer their time in historical museums. In this historical perspectives lesson, students work with valuable local documents as they aid the staff of selected local historical...

Learners view examples of art forms of specific artists. They choose one artist from the country they are studying and present information along with a slide show. Studenys create their own work of art in the style of their chosen...

Learners study the history of Matisse as an artist and focus upon his influences upon the style of art that he was famous for. The learners perform research about the life and works. Then they create a work of art that is similar to the...

Students examine the sculpture "Head With Horns" by Paul Gauguin. In this perspectives lesson, students discuss what the terms "objective" and "subjective" means. Students are shown the sculpture and write their subjective and objective...

Students create a portrait of themselves with a grandparent.  In this visual art lesson, students read the book entitled The Hello Goodbye Window and discuss the events.  Students then draw a portrait of themselves and their...

Third graders make an accordion-fold book, review the vocabulary of visual art and are introduced to calligraphy. They plan a story using a sequence of words and sentences.

Students write a story inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and then try their hand at their own rendition of this famous piece of art. In a twist, students incorporate the stories into their paintings.

Students examine the life and art of Romare Bearden. Using his "Mill Hand's Lunch Bucket" for inspiration, they write a first chapter for a book. Students observe numerous other works of his art and discuss them from artistic and...

Students write a composition comparing and contrasting two portraits. In this comparing and contrasting instructional activity, students will observe two portraits and compare them through their writing. They then will write a letter to...

Students identify some common themes involving the Latino immigrant experience as conveyed through a variety of media, explore issues of identity in some examples of poetry written by Latinos and learn some basic poetry reading strategies.

Students are introduced to a variety of sculpting techniques: rolling, pinching and scoring. They practice utilizing additive and subtractive processes in making simple sculptural forms to depict bugs. Each student also interprets...

Students make a generalization about the process of 'looking' and 'grouping', hoping to show that we, as Americans, show preferences and shared choices. They study examples of American art through time and create a class chart...

Students develop their creative abilities. In this creative thinking lesson, students examine different shapes and drawings and discuss what it makes them think of. Students create self confidence by thinking together in groups.

Third graders compare their thoughts about Africa before and after reading an associated book. In this cultural understanding instructional activity, 3rd graders write down their thoughts about Africa. They receive information from the...

Students research how childhood was depicted in art in the 17th through 19th centuries. In groups, they research pieces of art and write a paper explaining how the portrayal of students in art changed at the end of the 18th century.

Students examine the myth and reality of settlement in the Upper Midwest during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.