Council for Economic Education
Mercantilists and the Midas Touch
What is the connection between greed and mercantilism? Historians consider this question by analyzing a fairy-tale like story about King Midas from the nineteenth century. The background information and excerpt help pupils understand the...
Judicial Learning Center
State Courts vs. Federal Courts
Popular culture often portrays the Feds as the most fearsome of law enforcement agencies. Yet, someone charged with a crime is considerably more likely to end up in a state court. The lesson, one of six covering the Organization of the...
Media Smarts
Unit Two: Celebrities and World Issues
Develop media smarts by considering the power of celebrity involvement in world issues. A look at the work of such celebrities as Angelina Jolie, Oprah, and Bono prepare learners to develop their own media campaign for a global...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Stitch It Up!
Ever think about combining the art forms of painting and embroidery? Then this art lesson is right up your alley! Given a piece of white cloth, young artists first create a grayscale painting and then highlight certain...
Curated OER
Life as a Legend: Marilyn Monroe: What is Beautiful?
Students consider the notion of beauty and what impact the media and popular culture have on it. In this cross curricular instructional activity, students examine print ads, write down and share their thoughts on them. Then students form...
Curated OER
Pete And Repeat
Students draw a picture of a person from popular culture, then "clone" it using printing techniques in this Art lesson that tackles the questions surrounding cloning, DNA, and current scientific techniques. An emphasis is placed on the...
Curated OER
1950's Popular Culture
Pupils gain a basic understanding of Capitalism and Communism, the ideologies that fueled the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Curated OER
Respect for Authority
Young scholars develop cross-cultural understanding. In this democracy lesson, students discuss core democratic values as they examine the governance in their school and their local community. Young scholars also discuss the...
Curated OER
The John Travolta Syndrome
Students examine the influence of music and film on contemporary fashion. In this popular culture instructional activity, students research select films featuring John Travolta. Students research selected time periods in American history...
Curated OER
Mesoamerican Cultures
Students compare and contrast the Mayan and Aztec cultures. In this Mesoamerican cultures lesson plan, students visit classroom stations that feature the landmarks, popular foods, and gods of the 2 cultures. Students discuss their...
Curated OER
American Aloha Lesson Plan: Perpetuating Indigenous Cultural Traditions in Diaspora
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.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan PROMPT: Not Just Halloween: Festivals of the Dead Around the World
Learners research information about Halloween and other cultural festivals of the dead. In this festivals of the dead lesson, students use the assigned website to examine All Hallow's Eve, the Obon, or Los Dias de los Muertos. They...
Curated OER
Vietnam Revisited
Students explore the impact of the Vietnam War. In this Vietnam and popular culture lesson, students research and plot major events in the conflict. Students interview people regarding their memories of the war and watch the movie " The...
Curated OER
International Festival: France
Students explore French culture. In this cross-curriculum social studies lesson, students listen to Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans and identify words and landmarks associated with France. Students pronounce several phrases in French,...
Curated OER
International Festival: Greece
Students celebrate the culture of Greece. In this multicultural lesson, students participate in several activities which examine the culture of Greece. Students study the Greek alphabet, identify the country on a world map, and make...
Curated OER
International Festival: Mexico
Students explore the culture of Mexico through music and food. In this multicultural instructional activity, students read the book Mexico and listen to samples of Mexican music. Students use ingredients to make tacos.
Curated OER
What is el Dia de los Muertos?
Learners explore the Mexican celebration el Dia de los Muertos. In this Mexican celebration lesson plan, students discuss ways people in the US honor the dead. Learners compare and contrast Mexican holidays and American holidays....
Curated OER
17th Century Music and Dance
Students explore American history through hands-on use and demonstration of musical material culture representing early colonial America. They compare the music of colonial America to modern music.
Annenberg Foundation
Global America
It's not really a small world after all! The 21st lesson of a 22-part series on American history researches the impact of globalization on the United States. Using photographic and written references materials, as well as video sources,...
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop, Episode 2, Lesson 3
Students discuss how Run-D.M.C. brought Hip Hop into mainstream popularity. They discuss why melding two styles of music is popular and what the results have been through history. They take two songs and combine elements to make a new...
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop, Episode 2, Lesson 1
Students discuss Public Enemy's lyrics and compare and contrast them with songs popular during the Civil Rights Movement. They write their own rap song that expresses feelings of oppression or freedom from oppression.
Curated OER
Up From the Streets: Hip Hop as a Recognized Art
Students discuss the historical roots of Hip-Hop to the present as an example of an art form that arose from the street into popular culture. Emphasis is placed on in-class discussion and written reflections in this introductory lesson...
Teach Engineering
Basically Acids
Base your lesson plan on acids and bases on an informative resource. The first installment of a five-part module on the science behind Harry Potter has individuals investigate acid/base chemistry with the use of invisible inks. They also...
Curated OER
The Star-Spangled Banner
Get your kids moving as they learn about the history of the United States National Anthem. Scholars examine the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key, and the meaning behind The Star Spangled Banner as they listen to an 18-minute...