Cartoons Meet the Artist

Here's a collection of unit plans for middle school musicians. Topics include the mbira, opera, rhythm and culture, music in Africa, music in the movies, music theory and notation, blues and jazz, and the ocarina. Definitely worth a look.

Students explore U.S. geography by completing a research project about the National Parks. In this scenery image analysis instructional activity, students identify the different national parks in our country and observe paintings and...

"I'll just wait for the movie version." How often have you heard that line? Transform passive viewers into active readers of visual images with an understanding of the three stages of the filmmaking process. This 28-packet packet is a...

Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, José Limón, Alvin Ailey, Bob Fosse, Gene Kelly. Famous dancers and some history of modern dance, what a packet! Although designed to prepare students to see a performance of the Connecticut Ballet, this...

After examining examples of product branding and discussing the power of subliminal advertising, young artists create and then pitch their personal symbols.

Middle schoolers explore the art of film with this carefully scaffolded series of lessons that introduces film genres, explores the narrative structure of films, and uses The Day the Earth Stood Still to model how to become active...

Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this World War I lesson, students examine World War I posters. Students investigate the use of propaganda strategies in the posters and discuss the visual metaphors.

Students discuss persuasive messages in art. In this art history lesson, students research 17th- century European sculptures to find the messages given. They create their own sculptures and write press releases to explain their art. 

Students explore means by which community arts might be supported. In this "community" social studies lesson, students research various local non-profit organizations. Students role-play as members of the board of a philanthropic...

Introduce your class to cartooning and the process of creating a comic. Liza Donnelly, cartoonist for The New Yorker, narrates the steps she takes to write and illustrate a cartoon. She also gets at the roles of a comic and how readers...