Curated OER
The Body Talks
Young historians examine the gestures of human subjects represented in Mannerist, Baroque and Renaissance paintings. After they play charades and attempt to match dialogue with body language, learners create a drawing that includes...
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Pop Culture Icons: Medieval Music
Kids compare and contrast music from the past to the present. They listen to and review the characteristics of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and Pop music. Then, they discuss the differences in each and how musical icons from the past...
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Fiddling Around
Students look at a piece of art to make connections between early Baroque art and Baroque music. In this art and music lesson, students focus on the painting The Boy Violinist, by Hendrick Terbrugghen. They listen to the music to...
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What's Right and Wrong? Moral Messages in Art
Students explore the Steen and Mount paintings and their presentation of moral issues. They discuss ethical debates in society today and write a short position paper on an issue raised by the paintings or in the discussion. They make a...
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West African Art
Middle schoolers engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of West African Art. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They focus upon the history, geography, economics, and political systems. The information is...
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Using the Patterns and Symbols of Mali Mud Cloth to Convey Identity
Students participate in relating the role of the arts in defining identity. They examine the community in West African society and how members of that community define their role. They view how artifacts, music and performance can...
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Power of Symbols in West African Art
High schoolers examine and analyze symbols used in the Asante community of Ghana and look at the history of power struggles in West Africa. They discover how to express meaning and power as they create their own symbols and short...
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CD-ROManticism and Computer Classicism
Students assess the many benefits and drawbacks of reproducing works of art, such as sculpture and paintings, on CD-ROMs and on the Internet, as well as explore art history via these computer technologies.
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Power and the Communication of Values in West African Art of the Past and Present
Ninth graders examine art from West Africa from the past and present. In groups, they compare their community to the one depicted in the artwork and note the similiarities. To end the lesson, they discuss the concept of power and how...
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Orfeo: Sinfonie e Ritornelli
Students identify the dramatic expression made by performance and how it relates to the content of the story L'Orfeo. They determine the form of orchestra and each instrumental group within the orchestra for this piece.
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Music in West Africa
High schoolers explore power and the symbols of power in West African music. They discuss the music of West Africa and compare it to African American music of today. In addition, they investigate musical instruments of Africa, identify...
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Identity in A Raisin in the Sun
Ninth graders read the play, "A Raisin in the Sun," and participate in a class discussion about "identity." They discuss racial identity and examine and interpret how community influences a personal identity. They demonstrate how...
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Medieval Ethiopia, Mali and Nigeria: The Influence of Culture in Africa
Students are introduced to the concept of cultural diffusion. In groups, they identify the culture of Mali, Nigeria and Ethiopia and work together to research how cultural diffusion has changed the country. To end the lesson, they...
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Influences on Musical Styles
Learners discuss music of other eras students discuss the influence of elements such as politics, social events, etc. on music of the time. They examine the cause and effect of musical diversity after watching a video segment: "Behind...
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Making Akan Gold Weights and Understanding their Proverbial Meanings
Students examine a variety of gold weights used by the Asante in West Africa. In groups, they discuss the purpose of the gold weights and practice saying proverbs associated with different pieces of art. To end the lesson, they...
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Using West African Gold Weights and African Masks as a Way of Communication
Eighth graders discuss how communication, or lack thereof, can have either a favorable or detrimental effect on a community. They study and interpret proverbs as a means of teaching a activity. Finally they discuss symbolism and design...
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Name That Tune
Fourth graders listen to different types of music, then categorize them into two different areas of classification.
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Adventures in Music History
Seventh graders participate in a variety of experiences to investigate the tie between music and history. It combines music history with historical events and includes information about composers and the music that they composed....
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Mali
Seventh graders begin the lesson by reading primary sources about the country of Mali. Using maps drawn in the past, they discuss what they can gather about the country from the map and how it has changed over time. They use a graphic...
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Constructing a Timeline of African History
Students create a timeline of African History. In groups, they research and describe eight different important periods in the country's history. They apply this information to compare and contrast them and how it has allowed Africa to...
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Gazebos and Other Worlds
Design a simple structure such as the gazebo. Work with your class to identify the six faces of a cube pattern and name other uses of patterns in industry. They draft, cut out, and assemble a cube pattern. They draw out and assemble two...