Lesson Plan
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Mississippi Gulf Coast Islands

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders complete a variety of exercises as they study the creation, history, and geography of the Mississippi coastal islands. They discover the natuaral forces that act on the islands and how these forces affect the habitats and...
Lesson Plan
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Power and Portraiture

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders compare and contrast the art works of Van Eyck and Daumier. They examine pictures of upper and middle class people and identify the artifacts/environments particular to each group.
Lesson Plan
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Revive, Contemplate, Integrate

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students recognize flags as a symbol through writing and imagery. For this artifact lesson, students investigate Tibetan prayer flags and their significance. Students create personal prayer flags and write about their life experience of...
Lesson Plan
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The Hatfield and McCoy Feud

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the Hatfield and McCoy feud. For this Hatfield and McCoy feud lesson, 4th graders examine factors that caused the feud. Students also locate on a map where the feud took place, make a timeline of the main...
Lesson Plan
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An Autograph Book from Yesteryear

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explore a school autograph book from the 1880s and create a contemporary version of it. They imitate the style of the autograph book entries as they write thoughtful text and rhymes.
Lesson Plan
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Everybody Is Unique: A Lesson in Respect for Others' Differences

For Teachers K - 8th
Learners of all ages talk about the meaning of the word "unique," and draw a truly unique person, one part at a time. They create a totally unique person, with a head drawn by one student, a torso drawn by another student, and lower body...
Lesson Plan
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Into the Wilderness: Habitat vs. Development

For Teachers 5th - 8th
By studying the once-assumed extinction, then rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, learners look at the physical changes that have occured in habitats throughout Arkansas. This outstanding activity is chock full of terrific...
Lesson Plan
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Springfield Digital Storytelling Project #6: Grapes Commercial

For Teachers 6th
Here is a fabulous lesson that should have your class very excited! They utilize the GRAPES formula in order to produce a commercial like ones we see on TV. Working in pairs, they must come up with a script, take video, provide music,...
Lesson Plan
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Figure of Speech

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Examine the changing nature of language in the U.S. View and discuss excerpts from a PBS documentary with your class and then conduct Internet research, and complete a team project on the evolution of teen expressions. 
Lesson Plan
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Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students discover details about Mexican Revolution era artists. In this Mexican Revolution lesson, students research the events and people of the time period. Students then research the artists of the time and create their own artwork in...
Lesson Plan
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Introduction to Film Editing

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Editing is a major part of making an amazing film. Young film makers examine a clip from the movie Citizen Kane. They then discuss two editing techniques and examine them in other films. They write out short scenes, film them, and then...
Lesson Plan
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Traveler's in Time

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students analyze artifacts to become familiar with the Great Migration.  In this migration lesson plan, students read an article and answer comprehension questions. Students role play a migration scenario using an artifact to help...
Lesson Plan
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Influential People Taking A Stand

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore how influential people have taken a stand on difficult issues and the consequences that followed. This instructional activity connect American studens with students in England who present their own person for...
Lesson Plan
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Molded Clay Faces

For Teachers K - 8th
Artists create clay masks using pre-formed molds, clay, glitter, feathers, gems, and paint. The expressive qualities of clay are perfect for creating many different types of face masks, from Mardi Gras glitter to Japanese Kabuki to...
Lesson Plan
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MALI TO MECCA, MANSA MUSA MAKES THE HAJJ

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore the historical event when Mansa Musa, Ruler of Mali, made the Hajj (or holy pilgrimage) to Mecca in 1324 AD. They create Web pages or PowerPoint presentations maps, charts, posters, and oral presentations with...
Lesson Plan
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Treasure Chest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore Chicago in the fur-trading era. In this Chicago lesson, students discover what life what like during this time. Students read an historical fiction story about life in the fur-trade era. Students view replicas of...
Lesson Plan
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Nureyev: After Petipa

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine dance and choreography in Russian history. In this Russian history lesson, students discover details about Russian ballet and the work of Marius Petipa as they conduct independent research and present their findings to...
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Navajo Weaving

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the Navajo culture. In this Navajo Indians lesson, students gain information about their weaving and dancing. Students note the patterns in the weaving. Students create a dance that corresponds with the patterns they see...
Lesson Plan
Public Media for Northern California

An Educator’s Guide to Teaching Gun Control Issues | The Lowdown

For Teachers 6th - 10th
The topic of gun control is vast, controversial, and difficult to introduce to young scholars. This gem of a resource covers both sides of the issue and provides topic background, various multimedia and print resources, analysis...
Lesson Plan
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Kidding Around In The 1980s

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine pop culture of the 1980s.  In this historical time period lesson, students view a Smurfs cartoon from the 1980s and discuss its similarities and differences to cartoons today.  Students work in groups to...
Lesson Plan
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Documenting an Historic Journey

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read and analyze journals written by Lewis and Clark. They watch and discuss a video segment, complete a graphic organizer, and write a journal entry written from the point of view of someone involved with the Lewis and Clark...
Lesson Plan
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It's Not Conjecture, Look! It's Architecture!

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students examine how architecture reflects historical time periods. They conduct research on the History Detectives website, complete a fact sheet, sequence photographs of different architectural styles, and create an illustration of a...
Lesson Plan
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With Liberty and Justice for All

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the role of Supreme Court justices. In this judicial branch lesson plan, students consider the civil rights and civil liberties as they investigate Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia...
Lesson Plan
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Creative Voices of Harlem

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore the Harlem Renaissance. In this American history lesson, students examine a poem by Langston Hughes and identify the characteristics of the Harlem Renaissance. Students research and report on a famous Harlem artist.