The urbanization and consumerism of modern China is the hot topic up for critical analysis. Kids view a series of photographs that specifically describe Chinese modernization, urbanization, consumerism, and waste. They discuss each...

Urban spaces are often overlooked and broken down. Offer your pupils the opportunity to reimagine an urban space. Learners examine and discuss works of art related to this theme and consider their own communities. Small groups then...

Students explain that while cities have unattractive features, the density of human life enables energy efficiency, mass transit, recycling, and other benefits which are difficult or impossible in rural areas. This is the fifth in an...

Students create and perform Corridos which are oral tradition ballads. In this Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition lesson, students interview family members using a predetermined list of questions. In addition, students...

Students explore African American migration. In this black culture and history lesson, students use a map to identify northern and southern states in which African Americans lived in the 1900s. Students observe and describe objects and...

Enable students to use the blues to explore urbanization, technology, and their effects on everyday life in the 20th century. Musicians were among the large number of people who, between 1914 and 1945, participated in the Great Migration...

Select a theme together to guide and inspire works of art. Class members view images of art and discuss the images of cities. After choosing a theme, individuals create posters that reflect and contribute to the theme. They can use paint...

Bring the drama of history to life in your class and give your learners the opportunity to illustrate their understanding of a historical situation through the medium of a dialogue and/or play. Your young historians will consider a...

A perfect resource for an art teacher of any grade. First, click on the resource's second tab, entitled "Activities," to find four unique grade-specific instructional activity all based on the theme of cityscapes.  Each...

Students investigate the history of Las Vegas through conducting interviews.  In this oral history lesson, students locate and speak with older residents of Las Vegas in order to gain a better understanding of the city....

Film analysis takes critical thinking, connections, and context. Upper graders look at the film installation, Crystal Palace in terms of the film makers choices, presentation, and perspective of truth. After an analytical discussion...

Students analyze the movement of the blues from rural Mississippi to urban Chicago and how place and the environment affected the development of the blues. They define the blues, where it originated and how and why it moved to Chicago....

Young scholars explore the urban socioeconomic and political problems in the US that caused hip hop to emerge in the 70's and 80's. Hip Hop culture is explored and related to the genre of art form.

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...

Students observe the rocks and stones used to build and carve monuments during a field trip.

Students identify the characteristics and elements of large scale rock productions. They examine the similarities between the American Vaudeville shows and the large-scale rock theater productions of the 1970's.

During the 1800s the United States was expanding westward; land was there for the taking.  Kids explore how some early photographers used their photography to influenced the US Congress to save areas like Mirror Lake. They...

Students perform a WebQuest to fin out why Harlem was an attractive place for African Americans to live. Small groups perform the research together, and report to the class.

Complete with explanations and many examples of relevant paintings, this presentation takes students through the characteristics of the Ashcan School of Artists. The slides include works by artists such as Everett Shinn, John Sloan, and...

Students complete a unit on musical harmony. They listen to examples of three part harmonies, watch a video, complete a data sheet, prepare a report on the history of harmony, and complete a multimedia report on music for the movies.

Fifth graders explore history of mosaics, and create their own.

Students explore the history and examples of Modern Art. In this Modern Art lesson, students read background information about Modern Art and a biography of Andy Warhol. Students complete a criticism and aesthetics, art creation...

Students analyze Pop art and the work of Robert Indiana. In this Pop art lesson, students read about the history of Pop art and a biography of Robert Indiana. Students complete a criticism and aesthetics activity, create their own Pop...

Students investigate U.S. Geography by creating a map in class. For this natural resource lesson, students create a map of the United States and research the Northeast based on their resources and recyclable materials.  Students...